| (a) School officials or other persons related to the
school setting may not interfere with an investigation of a report
of child abuse or neglect conducted by the Texas Department of Family
and Protective Services, pursuant to Texas Family Code §261.303,
Interference with Investigation; Court Order. Interviews and examinations
in a school investigation may take place on or off the school premises,
as deemed appropriate by us, pursuant to all applicable standards.
We will notify appropriate school personnel prior to conducting an
interview or visual inspection on school premises. We may request
that school personnel or volunteers not be present during the interview
or visual inspection of an alleged victim, an alleged perpetrator,
an adult or child witness, or any other person who may have information
relevant to the investigation if we determine that:
(1) The presence of school personnel or volunteers
would compromise the integrity of the investigation; or
(2) A better interview or examination of the child
would result without school personnel or volunteers being present.
(b) Notwithstanding subsection (a) of this section,
if the school is not under the jurisdiction of the Texas Education
Agency, we must have consent or a court order to conduct the interview
and visual inspection of the child unless we have a reason to believe
that the child is in immediate danger of physical or sexual abuse.
(c) We must comply with the requirements in §707.491(b)
of subchapter A of this chapter (relating to What procedures apply
when the investigator makes contact with and conducts interviews of
parent(s) and alleged perpetrator(s) during an investigation?).
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