Episode Details

Few things are more terrifying in a custody fight than a knock from Child Protective Services, and few people can explain what's really happening better than someone who used to be the one knocking. In this episode, attorney and former CPS caseworker Evynne Fair joins Lisa to pull back the curtain.

Evynne is honest about both sides: CPS exists for real, urgent reasons, and it also gets used by a vindictive ex to harass, delay, and gain leverage. She and Lisa cover how a caseworker separates a genuine concern from a strategic allegation, why the same report plays out differently county to county, what a proper forensic interview looks like and the signs a child was coached, and the rise of false abuse allegations as a "silver bullet" in custody battles, and how those claims end up hurting real survivors.

This is strategic education, not legal advice for your specific situation.

✅ WHAT YOU'LL LEARN
✅ What actually happens when CPS gets involved in a custody case
✅ How a caseworker tries to tell a real concern from a strategic allegation
✅ Why the same report plays out differently county to county
✅ What a proper forensic interview looks like, and the signs a child was coached
✅ How false abuse allegations get used as a "silver bullet" in custody fights
✅ Why those false claims end up hurting real survivors
✅ How to raise a genuine concern with CPS the right way
✅ How to keep your footing if a report is filed against you

⏱️ TIMESTAMPS (+1:00 for the bumper)
0:00 Intro
1:00 CPS and domestic violence: the intended role vs. the reality
8:24 When a report is a weapon, not a concern
12:20 Inside the caseworker's world
18:01 Empathy, burnout, and staying civil
29:30 Coached kids and the forensic interview
39:40 False allegations in high-conflict custody

CTA (spoken): Facing a CPS report or false allegations? Book a free discovery call at beentheregotout.com.
Books: When Your Ex Turns the Kids Against You — https://www.amazon.com/Been-There-Got-Out-Against/dp/1967674183 · Been There Got Out — https://www.amazon.com/Been-There-Got-Relationships-Circumstances/dp/194627495X/
Tags: cps, child protective services, false allegations, custody battle, forensic interview, coached child, vindictive ex, high conflict divorce, protecting your kids