Copyrighted Information

Although the content of state agency Web sites is available to the public, certain information on some state agency Web sites may be trademarked, service marked, or otherwise protected as DFPS's intellectual property, and all DFPS content is protected by federal copyright laws.

Use of protected intellectual property must be in accordance with federal and state law and must reflect the copyright, trademark, service mark or other intellectual property ownership of the state agency. This includes files such as graphics, photos, and videos.

Photographs of children available for adoption and in Heart Galleries are for viewing only and may not be downloaded, used, or published without the express permission of DFPS and/or the photographers who took them.

What Site Owners May Not Do in Linking to State Agency Web Sites

Site owners may not capture state agency pages within the site owner's frames, present state agency Web site content as that of the site owner, otherwise misrepresent the content of the state agency pages or misinform users about the origin or ownership of the content of the state agency Web site.

Any link to a state agency site should be a full forward link that passes the client browser to the state agency site unencumbered. The BACK button should return the visitor to the site owner's site if the visitor wishes to back out.

Site owners should not link to individual state agency graphics or tables within state agency pages, especially in an effort to place the downloading burden on the state agency servers. Such an action may be considered a misuse of state resources. Site owners should contact the appropriate state agency to request permission to use a copy of the state agency's graphics within the site owner's pages.

What DFPS Does in Linking to External Web Sites

The inclusion of links and pointers to websites is not intended to assign importance to those sites or to the information contained on those sites. It is also not intended to endorse or recommend any views expressed or products or services offered on these sites.

The Texas Department of Family and Protective Services (DFPS):

  • does not control or guarantee the accuracy, relevance, timeliness or completeness of information contained on a linked website.
  • does not endorse the organizations sponsoring linked websites, and does not endorse the views they express or the products/services they offer.
  • cannot authorize the use of copyrighted materials contained in linked websites. Visitors must request such authorization from the sponsor of the linked website.
  • is not responsible for transmissions visitors receive from linked websites.
  • does not guarantee that outside websites comply with federal Section 508 (Accessibility Requirements) of the Rehabilitation Act.

Linking and Accessibility

Owners of sites linked to this state agency page shall use reasonable efforts to ensure that persons with disabilities may access this site.