Understanding your Department of Child Services Child Welfare data breach notification letter
If a Department of Child Services Child Welfare letter arrived in your mailbox, here is what it means, why you received it, and the free steps you can take right now.
Why you received this letter
The Indiana Department of Child Services (DCS) is a government social services agency responsible for child welfare, family support, and protective services. As a state agency, they maintain highly sensitive records including case files, family history, and investigative reports necessary for managing child safety and state-mandated support programs. In 2025, the agency officially reported a data breach to the Indiana Attorney General, confirming that unauthorized parties may have accessed the personal information of individuals within their system. If you received a data breach notification letter from the Department of Child Services, it indicates that your personal information was potentially compromised. This notice is intended to inform you of the incident and provide guidance on the steps you should take to protect your identity and personal security.
What to do after the letter
Confirm the notice is genuine
A legitimate Department of Child Services Child Welfare notice references the specific incident reported to the Indiana Attorney General and describes which categories of your information were involved. Compare the letter against the public filing before acting on any links or phone numbers it contains.
Keep the letter — it is your proof of connection
The notification letter is the document that ties your personal information to this incident. Keep the original and photograph it. If you later request a case review, this letter is the strongest evidence that you were among the affected individuals.
Protect your accounts and credit
Depending on what was exposed, consider a free credit freeze with all three bureaus, new passwords for reused credentials, and monitoring of financial statements. These steps are free and do not require you to wait for anyone's permission.
Check the record against the public filing
You can verify the Department of Child Services Child Welfare incident against the filing reported to the Indiana Attorney General. This registry summarizes what was filed; it does not provide legal advice.
This page summarizes a data breach reported to the Indiana Attorney General for informational purposes. DataBreachInformation.com is a neutral reference registry and does not provide legal advice.