12. Whenever it shall appear that the parent or parents, guardian, or person having custody and control of any child within this State is unfit to be entrusted with the care and education of such child, or shall fail to provide such child with proper protection, maintenance and education, or shall fail to ensure the health and safety of the child, or is endangering the welfare of such child, a written or oral complaint may be filed with the division, or other entity designated by the commissioner, by any person or by any public or private agency or institution interested in such child. When such a complaint is filed by a public or private agency or institution, it shall be accompanied by a summary setting forth the reason for such complaint and other social history of the child and his family’s situation which justifies such complaint; or, if this is not feasible, such summary shall be made available to the division, or other entity within the department that is investigating the complaint, as soon thereafter as possible. Upon receipt of a complaint as provided in this section, the division, or other entity designated by the commissioner, shall investigate, or shall cause to be investigated, the statements set forth in such complaint. If the circumstances so warrant, the parent, parents, guardian, or person having custody and control of the child may be afforded an opportunity to file an application for care, as provided in section 11 of P.L.1951, c.138 (C. 30:4C-11). If the parent, parents, guardian, or person having custody and control of the child refuses to permit or in any way impedes an investigation, and the department determines that further investigation is necessary in the best interests of the child, the division may thereupon apply to the Family Part of the Chancery Division of the Superior Court in the county where the child resides, for an order directing the parent, parents, guardian, or person having custody and control of the child to permit immediate investigation. The court, upon such application, may proceed to hear the matter in a summary manner and if satisfied that the best interests of the child so require may issue an order as requested.

If, after such investigation has been completed, it appears that the child requires care and supervision by the division or other action to ensure the health and safety of the child, the division may apply to the Family Part of the Chancery Division of the Superior Court in the county where the child resides for an order making the child a ward of the court and placing the child under the care and supervision or custody of the division.

The court, at a summary hearing held upon notice to the division, and to the parent, parents, guardian, or person having custody and control of the child, if satisfied that the best interests of the child so require, may issue an order as requested, which order shall have the same force and effect as the acceptance of a child for care by the division as provided in section 11 of P.L.1951, c.138 (C. 30:4C-11); provided, however, that such order shall not be effective beyond a period of six months from the date of entry unless the court, upon application by the division, at a summary hearing held upon notice to the parent, parents, guardian, or person having custody of the child, extends the time of the order.

Immediately after the court’s order and while the child is in the division’s care, the division shall initiate a search for the child’s mother or father, if they are not known to the division. The search shall be initiated within 30 days of the court order. The search will be completed when all sources contacted have either responded to the inquiry or failed to respond within 45 days. The results shall be valid for six months after the date it was completed.

L.1951, c.138, s.12; amended 1962, c.197, s.15; 1991, c.91, s.326; 1991, c.275, s.2; 1999, c.53, s.27; 2004, c.130, s.52; 2006, c.47, s.122.