Investigations
Authored & Edited by
egypt
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The following is a training guide for cps to conduct their questioning. This is how an investigation is conducted. Never doubt or underestimate that CPS is well-trained in their interview (interrogation, questioning) techniques. Read the following .pdf file called “Deliberate Information Gathering” to see how they are taught to conduct “interviews” better known as interrogations.
http://www.actionchildprotection.org/PDF/Nov2006_Deliberate_Information_%20Gathering.pdf
Also, see eGuidebooks:
1. State Foster Care Program Managers (eGuidebook)
a. The State Foster Care Manager is the administrator who has oversight responsibility for all foster care services provided to children in the custody of the State and is the key point of contact for concerns regarding foster care programs that cannot be resolved by other existing procedures. This resource list provides contact information for each State's Foster Care Manager.
2. State Liason Officers for Child Abuse & Neglect (eGuidebook)
a. Each State has a designated State Liaison Officer (SLO) for child abuse and neglect. The SLO is responsible for ensuring the compliance to State laws and policies regarding issues such as how and when to investigate allegations of child abuse and neglect. This resource list provides contact information for each State's SLO.
3.
When Words Hurt: Investigating and
Proving a Case of Psychological Maltreatment
Vieth
Reasonable Efforts (American Prosecutors Research Institute), 2(1),
2004
Provides techniques for investigators in cases of psychological
maltreatment.
CPS Guide – Investigation
The following is from Child Welfare Information Gateway http://www.childwelfare.gov/
Child Protective Services: A Guide for Caseworkers. 2003
User Manual Series (2003)
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Author(s): Office
on Child Abuse and Neglect (DHHS) |
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Year Published: 2003 |
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Chapter Six: Initial Assessment or Investigation
Caseworkers feel pressure from many different directions—children, families, statutory and agency expectations, and themselves. Family members who are reported to child protective services (CPS) typically feel embarrassed, defensive, angry, confused, threatened, and helpless. As families experience these feelings, they need the CPS caseworker to provide them with information to understand what they are accused of, what may happen, what the next steps are, what they can expect from the agency, and what they are expected to do. The agency expects the caseworker to meet the statutory deadlines by quickly gathering information about the children and family and determining if maltreatment occurred, the likelihood that it will occur again, and the threat of immediate serious harm to the child. At the same time caseworkers should manage their own fears and doubts—Is the child really safe? What else could I have done?41
This chapter describes the purposes of the initial assessment or investigation—to gather and analyze information in response to CPS reports, to interpret the agency's role to the children and families, and to determine which families will benefit from further agency intervention. After interviewing all parties and gathering all relevant information, CPS caseworkers must determine whether maltreatment has occurred and can be substantiated. In most States, CPS staff are mandated by law to determine whether the report is substantiated or founded (meaning that credible evidence indicates that abuse or neglect has occurred) or whether the report is unsubstantiated or unfounded (meaning that there is a lack of credible evidence to substantiate child maltreatment—but does not mean it did not necessarily occur). Depending on State law, CPS agencies usually have up to 30, 60, or 90 days after receiving the report to complete the initial assessment or investigation. A major part of the initial assessment or investigation includes determining whether there is a risk or likelihood of maltreatment occurring in the future and whether the child is safe (not at risk of imminent, serious harm). In addition, CPS caseworkers must decide whether ongoing services to reduce risk and assure child safety should be provided by the CPS agency or other community partners. This chapter addresses the following:
Effective initial assessment or investigation characteristics
Initial assessment or investigation decisions
Initial assessment or investigation processes
Interviewing techniques
Community involvement
Special practice issues
Effective Initial Assessment or Investigation Characteristics
In cooperative investigations, CPS workers form an alliance with both the children and family. In a well-handled investigation, the worker:
Involves the children and family during the exploration of the
allegations to gain their perceptions of the allegations;
Focuses on the children's, the parent's, and the family's strengths
and resources; their plans for building
protective factors; and past and present actions to protect the children;
Listens carefully to the family's experience to make sure they know
they have been heard and understood;
Demonstrates sensitivity and empathy regarding the anxiety
experienced by the children and family;
Communicates clearly and openly CPS's statutory role;
Focuses on small steps, making sure the children and family
understand each one;
Involves the children and family in the decisions that affect them
by providing choices and opportunities for input;
Demonstrates flexibility in the interview;
Focuses on gathering comprehensive information rather than trying
to identify solutions, which is best left for later in the casework process.42
Initial Assessment or Investigation Decisions
To make effective decisions during the initial assessment or investigation process, the CPS caseworker must have competent interviewing skills; be able to gather, organize, and analyze information; and arrive at accurate conclusions. Critical decisions that must be made at this stage of the CPS process include the following:
Is child maltreatment substantiated as defined by State statute or
agency policy?
Is the child at risk of maltreatment, and what is the level of
risk?
Is the child safe and, if not, what type of agency or community
response will ensure the child's safety in the least intrusive manner?
If the child's safety cannot be assured within the family, what
type and level of care does the child need?
Does the family have emergency needs that must be met?
Should ongoing agency services be offered to the family?
Decision Point One: Substantiating Maltreatment
The substantiation decision depends on the answers to two questions: "Is the harm to the child severe enough to constitute child maltreatment?" and "Is there sufficient evidence to support this being a case of child maltreatment?"43 Even in those cases lacking evidence, CPS caseworkers should still document information since unsubstantiated reports may eventually show a pattern that can be substantiated. Due to varying State regulations regarding the expungement of records, this may not be possible for all agencies.
Upon completion of the initial assessment, the caseworker must determine the disposition of the report based on State laws, agency guidelines, and the information gathered. CPS agencies use different terms for this decision—substantiated, confirmed, unsubstantiated, founded, or unfounded. To guide caseworker judgment in making the substantiation decision, each State has developed policies that outline what constitutes credible evidence that abuse or neglect has occurred. Most States have a two-tiered system: substantiated-unsubstantiated or founded-unfounded. Some States have a three-tiered system of substantiated, indicated, or unsubstantiated. The indicated classification means the caseworker has some evidence that maltreatment occurred, but not enough to substantiate the case.
At this point in the decision-making process, caseworkers should ask themselves:
Have I obtained enough information from the children, family, and
collateral contacts to adequately reach a determination about the alleged
abuse or neglect?
Is my decision on substantiation based upon a clear understanding
of State laws and agency policies?
Have I assessed the need for other agency or community services
when CPS intervention is not warranted?
The following sections discuss substantiation decisions for different types of maltreatment—child neglect, physical abuse, sexual abuse, and psychological maltreatment.44
Determining Child Neglect
Determining child neglect is based on the answers to two questions: "Do the conditions or circumstances indicate that a child's basic needs are unmet?" and "What harm or threat of harm may have resulted?"45 Answering these questions requires sufficient information to assess the degree to which omissions in care have resulted in significant harm or significant risk of harm. Unlike the other forms of maltreatment, this determination may not be reached by looking at one incident; the decision often requires looking at patterns of care over time. The analysis should focus on examining how the child's basic needs are met and identifying situations that may indicate specific omissions in care that have resulted in harm or the risk of harm to the child.46
Affirmative answers to the following questions may indicate that a child's physical and medical needs are unmet:
Have the parents or caregivers failed to provide the child with
needed care for a physical injury, acute illness, physical disability, or
chronic condition?
Have the parents or caregivers failed to provide the child with
regular and ample meals that meet basic nutritional requirements, or have
the parents or caregivers failed to provide the necessary rehabilitative
diet to the child with particular health problems?
Have the parents or caregivers failed to attend to the cleanliness
of the child's hair, skin, teeth, and clothes? It is difficult to determine
the difference between marginal hygiene and neglect. Caseworkers should
consider the chronicity, extent, and nature of the condition, as well as the
impact on the child.
Does the child have inappropriate clothing for the weather and
conditions? Caseworkers must consider the nature and extent of the
conditions and the potential consequences to the child.
Does the home have obvious hazardous physical conditions? For
example, homes with exposed wiring or easily accessible toxic substances.
Does the home have obvious hazardous unsanitary conditions? For
example, homes with feces- or trash-covered flooring or furniture.
Does the child experience unstable living conditions? For example,
frequent changes of residence or evictions due to the caretaker's mental
illness, substance abuse, or extreme poverty?
Do the parents or caregivers fail to arrange for a safe substitute
caregiver for the child?
Have the parents or caregivers abandoned the child without
arranging for reasonable care and supervision? For example, have caregivers
left children without information regarding their whereabouts?47
While State statutes vary, most CPS professionals agree that children under the age of 8 who are left alone are being neglected. It is also agreed that children older than 12 are able to spend 1 to 2 hours alone each day. In determining whether neglect has occurred, the following issues should be considered, particularly when children are between the ages of 8 and 12:
The child's physical condition and mental abilities, coping
capacity, maturity, competence, knowledge regarding how to respond to an
emergency, and feelings about being alone.
Type and degree of indirect adult supervision. For example, is
there an adult who is checking in on the child?
The length of time and frequency with which the child is left
alone. Is the child being left alone all day, every day? Is he or she left
alone all night?
The safety of the child's environment. For example, the safety of
the neighborhood, access to a telephone, and safety of the home.
Determining Physical Abuse
In determining whether physical abuse occurred, the key questions to answer are "Could the injury to the child have occurred in a nonabusive manner?" and "Does the explanation given plausibly explain the physical findings?"48 The caseworker must gather information separately from the child, the parents, and other possible witnesses regarding the injuries. The following questions may help determine if abuse occurred:
Does the explanation fit the injury?
For example, the explanation of a baby falling out of a crib is not
consistent with the child having a spiral fracture. It is important to know
the child's age and developmental capabilities to assess the plausibility of
some explanations. It is also crucial to receive input from medical
personnel and exams.
Is an explanation offered?
Some caregivers may not offer an explanation, possibly due to denial or an
attempt to hide abuse.
Is there a delay in obtaining medical care? Abusive caregivers may not immediately seek medical care for the child
when it is clearly needed, possibly to deny the seriousness of the child's
condition, to try to cover up the abuse, or in hope that the injury will
heal on its own.
Caseworkers must also examine the nature of the injury, such as bruises or burns in the shape of an implement, e.g., a welt in the shape of a belt buckle or a cigarette burn.
Determining Sexual Abuse
In addition to the factors mentioned in determining physical abuse, the caseworker should ask the following questions to determine whether sexual abuse has occurred:
Who has reported that the child alleges sexual abuse? For example,
caseworkers should be alert to separated or divorced parents making
allegations against each other.
What are the qualifications of the professional reporting the
physical findings? For example, if the health care providers do not
routinely examine the genitalia of young children, they may mistake normal
conditions for abuse or vice versa.
What did the child say? Did the child describe the sexual abuse in
terms that are consistent with their developmental level? Can the child give
details regarding the time and place of the incident?
When did the child make a statement or begin demonstrating
behaviors suspicious of sexual abuse and symptoms causing concern? Was the
child's statement spontaneous? Has the child been exposed to adult sexual
acts?
Where does the child say the abuse took place? Is it possible for
it to have occurred in that setting? Is it possible that the child is
describing genital touching that is not sexual in nature? For example,
bathing the child.49
Determining Psychological Maltreatment
Psychological maltreatment has been given relatively little serious attention in research and practice until recently. There are many reasons for this, including problems with inadequate definitions, failure to establish cause-and-effect relationships, and the difficulty of clarifying the cumulative impact of psychological maltreatment.50 In order to determine if psychological maltreatment or emotional abuse occurred, caseworkers must have information on the caregiver's behavior over time and the child's behavior and condition. Caseworkers must determine whether there is a chronic behavioral pattern of psychological maltreatment, such as caregivers who place expectations on the child that are unrealistic for the child's developmental level, threaten to abandon the child, or direct continually critical and derogatory comments toward the child. There also must be indicators in the child's behavior suggestive of psychological maltreatment; however, the child's behavior alone is often insufficient to substantiate a case. Caseworkers must determine whether the child has suffered emotional abuse. The following questions may help determine if psychological maltreatment has occurred:
Is there an inability to learn not explained by intellectual,
sensory, or health factors?
Is there an inability to build or maintain satisfactory
interpersonal relationships with peers or adults?
Are there developmentally inappropriate behaviors or feelings in
normal circumstances?
Is there a general pervasive mode of unhappiness, depression, or
suicidal feelings?
Are there physical symptoms or fears associated with personal or
school functioning, such as bedwetting or a marked lack of interest in
school activities?51
Demonstrating a causal connection between the caregiver's behavior and the child's behavior is often difficult to substantiate. This minimally necessitates that the caseworker observe caregiver-child interaction on several occasions, as well as be informed from other sources' observations (e.g., school personnel, relatives, and neighbors).
Decision Point Two: Assessing Risk
Risk factors are influences present in the child, the parents, the family, and the environment that may increase the likelihood that a child will be maltreated. Risk assessment involves evaluating the child and family's situation to identify and weigh the risk factors, family strengths and resources, and agency and community services.52 While risk assessment has been an integral part of CPS since the field's inception, the formalization of the process and decision-making, through the development of risk assessment instruments, has taken place just within the last 12 to 15 years.53
This section describes risk assessment models and its key elements, the analysis of risk assessment information, special cases of risk assessment (when substance abuse or domestic violence coexist with maltreatment), and cultural factors for consideration.
Risk Assessment Models
The majority of States use risk assessment models or systems that are designed to:
Guide and structure decision-making;
Predict future harm and classify cases;
Aid in resource management by identifying service needs for
children and families served;
Facilitate communication within the agency and with other community
stakeholders.54
Exhibit 6-1 presents additional detail of the types of risk assessment information in each area.
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Exhibit 6-1 |
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Maltreatment
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Child
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Caregiver(s)
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Family Functioning
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Analysis of Risk Assessment Information
Caseworkers analyze the information collected to determine what information is significant as it relates to the risk of maltreatment. The following are suggested steps for assessing risk:
Organize the information by defined category (e.g., education
level, stressors);
Determine if there is sufficient and believable information to
confirm the risk factors, strengths and resources, and their interaction;
Use the risk model to assign significance to each of the risk
factors and strengths.56
The caseworker groups this information into an overall picture of the family and its dynamics and analyzes it to assess the current level of risk of maltreatment. This dictates the next steps in service provision and interaction with the family.
Risk Assessment in Cases of Substance-Abusing Families
Risk assessment in these cases also examines the extent of substance use, its impact on lifestyle, and its impact on parenting. The following scales are often used to assess risk in families where there is substance abuse:
Parent's commitment to recovery.
This scale assesses a parent's stage of recovery, willingness to change
behavior, and desire to live a life free from alcohol and other drugs.
Patterns of substance use.
This scale assesses the parent's pattern of alcohol and other drug
use—ranging from active use without regard to consequences to significant
periods of abstinence.
Effects of substance use on child caring.
This scale assesses the parent's ability to care for his or her children and
meet their emotional and physical needs.
Effects of substance use on lifestyle.
This scale assesses a parent's ability to carry out his or her everyday
responsibilities and any consequences that may have for the family.
Support for recovery.
This scale assesses parent's social network and how that network may support
or interfere with recovery.57
The Child Welfare League of America (CWLA) suggests some questions caseworkers can ask regarding alcohol and other drug abuse to facilitate risk assessment in these cases:
Do you use any drugs other than those prescribed by a physician?
Have you ever felt you should cut down on your drinking or drug
use?
Has a physician ever told you to cut down or quit the use of
alcohol or drugs?
Have people annoyed you by criticizing or complaining about your
drinking or drug use?
Have you ever felt bad or guilty about your drinking or drug use?
Have you ever had a drink or drug in the morning ("eye opener") to
steady your nerves or to get rid of a hangover?
Has your drinking or drug use caused a family, job, or legal
problem?
When drinking or using drugs, have you had a memory loss or
blackout?58
Risk Assessment in Cases in Which Partner Abuse and Child Maltreatment Coexist
The following factors should be considered to assess risk in cases where partner abuse and child abuse and neglect coexist:
An abuser's access to the child or
adult victim
The abuser's pattern of abuse
- Frequency or severity of the abuse in current and past relationships
- Use and presence of weapons
- Threats to kill the victim or other family members
- Stalking or abduction
- Past criminal record
- Abuse of pets
- Child's exposure to violence
The abuser's state of mind
- Obsession with the victim
- Jealousy
- Ignoring the negative consequences of the violence
- Depression or desperation
Individual factors that reduce the
behavioral controls of either the victim or abuser
- Abuses alcohol or other substances
- Uses certain medications
- Suffers from psychosis or other major mental illnesses
- Suffers from brain damage
A victim, child, or abuser thinking
about or planning suicide
An adult victim's use of physical
force or emotional abuse
A child's use of violence
Situational factors
- Presence of other major stresses, such as poverty, loss of a job, or
chronic illness
- Increased threat of violence when victim leaves or attempts to leave
abuser
- Increased risk when abuser has ongoing or easy access to victims
- Physical inability of nonabusing parent to protect child due to
assault
- Nonabusing parent's fear of leaving or inability to leave due to
economic status or lack of place to go
Past failures of response systems
(e.g., courts, law enforcement) to react appropriately.59
The following are areas to assess with a child regarding partner abuse and child maltreatment:
Pattern of the abusive conduct.
What happens when your parents (the adults) fight? Does anyone hit, shove,
or push? Are serious threats made? Does anyone throw things or damage
property? Has anyone used a gun or knife? When was the last big fight
between your parents?
Impact of domestic violence on the adult
victim. Has anyone been hurt or injured? Is your mom or dad afraid? How do your
parents act after a bad fight? Have you ever seen the police or anyone come
over because of their fights? Have you seen injuries or damaged property?
Impact of domestic violence on the child. Have you ever been hurt by any of their fights? What do your brothers or
sisters do during fights? Are you ever afraid when your parents fight? How
do you feel during a fight? After the fight? Do you worry about the
violence? Do you talk to anyone about the fights? Do you feel safe at home?
Have you ever felt like hurting yourself or someone else?
Child's protection.
Where do you go during their fights? Have you tried to stop a fight? Have
you ever had to take sides? In an emergency for your parent or yourself,
what would you do? Who would you call? Have you ever called for help? What
happened?
Child's knowledge of danger.
Has anyone needed to go to a doctor after a fight? Do the adults use guns or
knives? Do you know where the gun is? Has anyone threatened to hurt someone?
What did the person say?60
Cultural Factors in Risk Assessment
Caseworkers should integrate cultural sensitivity into the risk assessment process by:
Considering the family's cultural identification and perception of
the dominant culture;
Inquiring about the family's experience with mainstream
institutions, including CPS and other service providers in the community;
Assuring clarity regarding language and meanings in verbal and
nonverbal communication;
Understanding the family's cultural values, principles of child
development, child caring norms, and parenting strategies;
Gaining clarity regarding the family's perceptions of the
responsibilities of adults and children in the extended family and community
network;
Determining the family's perceptions of the impact of child abuse
or neglect;
Assessing each risk factor with consideration to characteristics of
the cultural or ethnic group;
Considering the child and family's perceptions of their response to
acute and chronic stressors;
Explaining why a culturally accepted behavior in the family's
homeland may be illegal here.61
Decision Point Three: Determining Child Safety
A child is considered unsafe when he or she is at imminent risk of serious harm. Safety is an issue throughout the life of a case. The Adoption and Safe Families Act (ASFA) requires that States assess and assure a safe environment for children in birth families, out-of-home placements, and adoptive homes. It is important to remember that determining the risk of maltreatment and the child's safety are two separate decisions. Children may be at risk of harm some time in the future (risk assessment) and they may currently be safe (no threat of imminent serious harm). The following sections describe the key safety decision points, the steps for arriving at the safety decision, and the development of a safety plan.
Safety Decision Points
There are two key decision points during the initial assessment or investigation in which the child's safety is evaluated. During the first contact with the child and family, the caseworker must decide whether the child will be safe during the initial assessment or investigation. The question caseworkers must ask themselves is, "Is the child in danger right now?" Caseworkers assess current danger by searching for factors in the family situation and caregiver behavior or condition, including emotions, physical circumstances, and social contexts. Examples include: young children with serious injuries that are inconsistent with the caregiver's explanation; children in the care of people who are out of control or violent; and premeditated maltreatment or cruelty.
The second critical time for evaluating safety is at the conclusion of the initial assessment. This safety assessment follows the determination of the validity of the report and the level of risk. Caseworkers must determine:
Whether the child will be safe in his or her home with or without
continuing CPS services;
Under what circumstances a case can be diverted to community
partners;
Under what circumstances intensive, home-based services are
necessary to protect a child;
Whether the child needs to be placed in
out-of-home
care.
To determine safety at this point, the caseworker uses the findings of the risk assessment. The caseworker identifies the risk factors that directly affect the safety to the child; the risk factors that are operating at a more intense, explosive, immediate, or dangerous level; or those risk factors that in combination present a more dangerous mix. The caseworker weighs the risk factors directly affecting the child's safety against the family protective factors (i.e., strengths, resiliencies, resources) to determine if the child is safe.62
Steps for Arriving at the Safety Decision
The sequential steps for arriving at the safety decision include:
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Identifying the behaviors and conditions that increase concern for the child's safety, and considering how they affect each child in the family.
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Identifying the behaviors or conditions (i.e., strengths, resiliencies, resources) that may protect the child.
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Examining the relationship among the risk factors. When combined, do they increase concern for safety?
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Determining whether family members or other community partners are able to address safety concerns without CPS intervention.
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Considering what in-home services are needed to address the specific behaviors or conditions for each risk factor directly affecting the child's safety.
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Identifying who is available (CPS or other community partners) to provide the needed service or intervention in the frequency, time frame, and duration the family needs to protect the child.
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Evaluating the family's willingness to accept and ability to use the intervention or service at the level needed to protect the child.63
If the services or interventions are not available or accessible at the level necessary to protect the child, or if the caregivers are unable or unwilling to accept the services, the caseworker should consider whether the abusive caregiver can leave home and the nonoffending caregiver can protect the child. If not, the caseworker should consider whether out-of-home care and court intervention is needed to assure the child's protection.
Development of a Safety Plan
The safety plan and the case plan have two different purposes. The interventions in the safety plan are designed to control the risk factors posing a safety threat to the child. Interventions in the case plan, however, are designed to facilitate change in the underlying conditions or contributing factors resulting in maltreatment. To control the risk factors directly affecting child safety, the safety interventions must:
Have a direct and immediate impact on one or more of the risk
factors;
Be accessible and available in time and place;
Be in place for the duration of the threat of harm;
Fill the gaps in caregiver protective factors.
In identifying safety interventions and developing a safety plan, CPS caseworkers are required to make reasonable efforts to preserve or reunify families. Child safety is the most important consideration in these efforts. ASFA also states that when certain factors are present (e.g., abandonment, torture, chronic abuse, some forms of sexual abuse, killing of another person or the child's sibling, or termination of parental rights for another child), they constitute enough threat to a child's safety that reasonable efforts are not required to prevent placement or to reunify the family. The sequence of least intrusive to most intrusive safety interventions include:
In-home services, perhaps combined with partial out-of-home
services (e.g., daycare services);
Removal of abusive caregiver;
Relative or
kinship care;
Out-of-home-placement.
When possible, the safety assessment should be conducted jointly with the family; it may not, however, be safe to include the perpetrator. The safety plan also should be negotiated with the family. This accomplishes the following:
Caseworker and caregiver can assess the feasibility of the
caregiver following the safety plan.
Caseworker can be assured that the caregiver understands the
consequences of his or her choices.
Caregiver is provided with a sense of control over what happens.
Caregiver is able to salvage a sense of dignity.64
Decision Point Four: Determining Emergency Needs
Child maltreatment is often not an isolated problem; many families referred to CPS experience multiple and complex problems, often at crisis levels. Due to any number of these problems that may be identified during the initial assessment or investigation, the CPS caseworker is often in the position of determining whether a family has emergency needs and of arranging for emergency services for the child and family. Examples of emergency services can include:
Medical attention
Food, clothing, and shelter
Mental health care
Crisis counseling
Decision Point Five: Offering Services
The decision that a caseworker makes at the end of the initial assessment or investigation is whether a family should be offered ongoing child protective services or other agency services. Who is offered services and on what basis that decision is made depend on the guidelines and availability of services that vary from State to State and sometimes county to county. In some cases, the decision is made based on whether a report is substantiated. In other instances, the decision to offer services is based on the level of perceived risk of maltreatment in the future since substantiation alone is not the best predictor of future maltreatment.
Noninvestigative or Alternative Responses
Traditionally CPS agencies are required to respond to all reports of child maltreatment with a standard investigation that is narrowly focused on determining whether a specific incident of abuse actually occurred.65 States are attempting to enhance CPS practice and build community partnerships in responding to cases of child maltreatment. One changing area of CPS practice is greater flexibility in responding to allegations of abuse and neglect. A "dual track" or "multi-track" response permits CPS agencies to respond differentially to children's needs for safety, the degree of risk present, and the family's need for support or services. Typically, in cases where abuse and neglect are serious or serious criminal offenses against children have occurred, an investigation will commence. An investigation focuses on evidence gathering and will include a referral to law enforcement. In less serious cases of child maltreatment where the family may benefit from services, an assessment will be conducted. In these cases, the facts regarding what happened will be obtained, but the intervention will emphasize a comprehensive assessment of family strengths and needs. The assessment is designed to be a process where parents or caregivers are partners with the CPS agency, and that partnership begins with the very first contact. States that have implemented the "dual track" approach have shown that a majority of cases now coming to CPS can be safely handled through an approach that emphasizes service delivery and voluntary family participation in addition to the fact finding of usual CPS investigations.66 CPS can switch a family to the investigative track at any point if new evidence is uncovered to indicate that the case is appropriate for investigation rather than assessment.67
Initial Assessment or Investigation Process
To make accurate decisions during the initial assessment or investigation, caseworkers must:
Employ a
protocol
for interviewing the identified child, the siblings, all of the adults in
the home, and the alleged maltreating parent or caregiver;
Observe the child, the siblings, and the parent or caregiver's
interaction among family members, as well as the home, the neighborhood, and
the general climate of the environment;
Gather information from any other sources who may have information
about the alleged maltreatment or the risk to and safety of the children;
Analyze the information gathered in order to make necessary
decisions.
Using Interview Protocols
The initial assessment or investigation of alleged maltreatment of children requires that CPS respond in an orderly, structured manner to gather sufficient information to determine if maltreatment took place and to assess the risk to and safety of the child. Employing a structured interview protocol ensures that all family members are involved and that information-gathering is thorough; increases staff control over the process; improves the capacity of CPS staff to collaborate with other disciplines; and increases staff confidence in the initial assessment or investigation conclusions. If at all possible, family members should be interviewed separately in the following order:
Identified child
Any siblings or other children in the home
Alleged perpetrator
All other adults in the home separately
Family as a whole
Depending on the circumstances of the report, it must be determined whether it is in the child's best interest for the CPS worker to initiate an unannounced visit to interview the parent or to contact the parent to schedule an interview.68 If the child is out of the home at the time (e.g., the child is at school), the process should begin with an introduction to the parent(s) to explain the purposes of the initial assessment or investigation and, if required by law, request permission to interview all family members individually, beginning with the identified child. It is important to remember that the safety of the child is of paramount importance in every case. If there is concern that talking with the parents first or obtaining their permission to interview the child places the child at risk of imminent harm, then the CPS caseworker should proceed in a manner that assures the child's safety. All family members should be interviewed alone to establish rapport and a climate of trust and openness with the caseworker, which is designed to increase the accuracy of the information gathered. A benefit noted across professional boundaries regarding the use of individual interviewing protocols is that it enables the caseworker to utilize information gathered from one interview to assist in the next interview.
Planning the Interview Process
Based on the information gathered at intake, each initial assessment or investigation should be planned with consideration given to:
Where the interviews will take place;
When the interviews will be conducted;
How many interviews will likely be needed;
How long each interview will likely last;
Whether other agencies should be notified to participate in the
interviews.
Interviewing the Sources
During the initial assessment or investigation process, caseworkers should conduct interviews with the following individuals:
Identified child victim.
The purpose of the initial interview with the identified child is to gather
information regarding the alleged maltreatment and any risk of future
maltreatment, and to assess the child's immediate safety. Because CPS's
purpose is beyond just finding out what happened with respect to any
allegations of maltreatment, the interview with the child addresses the
strengths, risks, and needs regarding the child, his or her parents, and his
or her family.
Siblings.
Following the interview with the identified child, the next step in the
protocol is to interview siblings. The purpose of these interviews is to
determine if siblings have experienced maltreatment, to assess the siblings'
level of vulnerability, to gather corroborating information about the nature
and extent of any maltreatment of the identified child, and to gather
further information about the family that may assist in assessing risk to
the identified child and any siblings.
All of the nonoffending adults in the home. The primary purpose of these interviews is to find out what adults know
about the alleged maltreatment, to gather information related to the risk of
maltreatment and the safety of the child, to gather information regarding
family strengths or protective factors, and to determine the adults'
capacity to protect the child, if indicated.
Alleged maltreating parent or caregiver.
The purpose of this
interview is to evaluate the alleged maltreating caregiver's reaction to
allegations of maltreatment as well as to the child and his or her
condition, and to gather further information about this person and the
family in relation to the risk to and safety of the child.
Examples of the types of information that a caseworker should gather from each of these sources are presented in Exhibit 6-2.
Obtaining Information from Other Sources
Other sources may have information that will help in understanding the nature and extent of the alleged maltreatment and in assessing the risk to and safety of the child. According to CWLA's Standards for Service for Abused or Neglected Children and Their Families, other potential sources include, but are not limited to, professionals such as teachers, law enforcement officers, and physicians. Other community agencies, institutions, caretakers, or individuals known to the child and the family, such as relatives and neighbors, also may be consulted.69 It also may be advisable to run a criminal background check on all adults in the home to ascertain prior abuse or other illegal activity. To protect the family's confidentiality, however, interviews or contacts with others should not be initiated without cause. The family also may disclose other persons who may have information about the alleged maltreatment or about the family in general. These contacts should be pursued within the constraints of the State law that mandates the scope of the initial assessment or investigation or, if indicated, clients may give permission for others to be contacted.
Following Up with the Children and Family
Following the completion of the interviews, the caseworker should reconvene the child and family, as appropriate, to:
Share with them a summary of the findings and impressions;
Seek individual responses concerning perceptions and feelings;
Indicate interest in the children and family;
Provide information about next steps, including whether ongoing
services will be offered and whether court intervention will occur;
Demonstrate appreciation for their participation in the process.
Interviewing Techniques
Part of the caseworker's responsibility is to increase the likelihood that the family will engage with the agency and follow a recommended course of action. This section describes techniques for interviewing and observing children and families. Exhibit 6-3 delineates principles underlying motivational interviewing.
Interviewing Young Children
The primary goals of interviewing young children are increasing the accuracy and reliability of information, decreasing potential suggestibility, and minimizing trauma. Very young children are often more compliant, suggestible, and easily confused than older children. In addition to various emotions such as fear and anxiety, the accuracy of the interview is influenced by the child's age, understanding of events, interviewer style and demand for details, as well as by the structure and nature of questions.71 Interviewing young children involves special considerations that include the use of age-appropriate interviewing techniques and tools to minimize the trauma of the initial assessment or investigation process. Use of these tools also increases the reliability of the information obtained. In addition, the child may have already had to go through numerous earlier interviews, which will affect the caseworker's interview. Since investigatory interviews determine the need for protection and can influence the legal viability and the outcome of court cases, only caseworkers trained in interviewing young children should conduct these interviews.
Basic Interviewing Principles
Regardless of what methods the caseworker uses to interview children, there are some basic principles to consider in all such interviews:
Establish credibility and attempt to develop rapport with the
child.
Help the child relax by playing with available toys, sit with the
child at his or her eye-level, and wait patiently until the child is
relatively comfortable.
Assess the child's understanding of key concepts that will help to
establish credibility as the interview proceeds into sensitive areas.
Reduce vocabulary problems by using the child's language and
clarify any areas of confusion.
Be attuned to the capacities and limitations of a young child as
the interview progresses.
It is important to be aware of the child's level of comfort, and, if he or she becomes distracted or fidgety, take a break and continue the interview at a later time. The caseworker should directly address any fears that the child may have.
Developmental Considerations
Children go through a series of normal developmental stages and changes. Therefore, it is important to consider the following stages when interviewing young children:
Preschool children's thinking is very
concrete, and their ability to think abstractly is still developing. Since
irony, metaphor, and analogy are beyond their grasp, it is very important
not to assume that children understand concepts presented.
Preschool children do not organize
their thinking or speech logically. Instead, they say whatever enters their
mind at the moment, with little censoring or consideration . Therefore,
their narratives tend to be disjointed and rambling, resulting in the need
for the interviewer to sort out relevant from irrelevant data; it is beyond
the children's cognitive capacities to do this alone. It is important
not to ask them leading questions, however.
Preschool children's understanding of
space, distance, and time is not logical or linear, generally. Their memory
will not work chronologically, since they have not learned units of
measurement. To help place the time of an incident, use reference points
such as birthdays, holidays, summer, night or day, lunchtime, or bedtime.
Issues of truth versus lying are
particularly complex in the preschool years. Children in this age group may
tell lies under two circumstances: to avoid a problem or punishment, or to
impress adults or get attention. Research varies, however, on whether
children can manufacture stories based on information that they have not
learned or experienced. Despite their occasional tendency to tell false
stories, children in the preschool years usually do know the difference
between fact and fantasy and between the truth and a lie. Gentle probing and
nonleading questions from the interviewer will usually help children reveal
what is true and what is false.
Preschool children are generally
egocentric. They think the world revolves around them and they relate all
that happens to personal issues. These children do not usually think of what
effect their actions will have on others, nor do they usually worry about
what others think. As a result, interviewers of young children must be aware
that children may be emotionally spontaneous in ways that are occasionally
disconcerting to adults.
The attention span of preschool
children is limited. Long interviews are often not possible because the
child simply cannot concentrate or sit in one place for long periods of
time. The interviewer should be flexible, conducting several short sessions
over a period of time.
Many 2- and 3-year-olds are afraid to
talk with an unfamiliar person without a parent present. The interviewer
should work slowly to help children separate from the parent, when possible.
If this process is difficult, the interview may need to begin with a parent
present, working toward separate interviews at a later time once the child
feels more comfortable. Interviewers should be flexible and follow a child's
lead, as long as it is within the protocol and policies established by their
agency.72
Techniques and Tools for Interviewing Young Children
The most important tool in any interview is individualizing the approach based on the circumstances and the child's developmental status and level of comfort with the interviewer. Planning for the interview should take the setting into consideration. The ideal interview setting is a comfortable room where stress is minimized for the child. The following should be employed in creating the setting:
A neutral setting where the child does not feel pressured or
intimidated. The alleged maltreating person should not be in the vicinity.
A room with a one-way mirror. This enables one person to be with
the child while other professionals who need information can observe.
A small table and chairs or pillows or rugs for sitting on the
floor.
Availability of anatomical dolls, felt-tipped markers or crayons
and paper, toy telephones, doll house with dolls, Playdough, puppets, etc.
Anatomically Correct Dolls
The use of anatomically correct dolls can be useful when interviewing children regarding alleged sexual abuse. Anatomical dolls have genitalia and breasts proportional to body size and appropriate to the gender and age of the child. The clothes the dolls wear can be easily removed and are appropriate to the child's age and gender. The uses of dolls include:
Icebreaker.
The dolls can be used to begin the conversation, cueing the child that the
interviewer wants to talk about body parts. It can enhance the child's
comfort level.
Anatomical model.
This is one of the most common uses of the dolls. The interviewer can use
the dolls to determine the child's labels for different body parts. They can
also be used to help the child show where any touching occurred.
Demonstration aid.
This is the most common function of the dolls. It enables the child to show
behaviors that he or she has described to confirm the interviewer's
understanding and help reduce any miscommunication. The dolls may be used
with children who have limited verbal skills to help them show, rather than
tell, what happened.
Memory stimulus and screening tool.
The dolls may trigger a child's recall of specific events of a sexual
nature. The child may either demonstrate a specific sexual act while
interacting with the dolls or have a strong negative reaction.73
Observing Young Children
Part of the process of gathering adequate information includes the caseworker's responsibility to observe the identified child, other family members, and the environment. Specific areas for observation are:
Physical condition of the child, including any observable effects
of maltreatment;
Emotional status of the child, including mannerisms, signs of fear,
and developmental status;
Reactions of the parents or caregivers to the agency's concerns;
Emotional and behavioral status of the parents or caregivers during
the interviewing process;
Interactions between family members, including verbal and body
language;
Physical status of the home, including cleanliness, structure,
hazards or dangerous living conditions, signs of excessive alcohol use, and
use of illicit drugs;
Climate of the neighborhood, including level of violence or
support, and accessibility of transportation, telephones, or other methods
of communication.
Community Involvement
While CPS agencies have the primary responsibility for conducting initial assessment or investigation, other agencies or professionals may be integrally involved in the process.
Coordinating with Law Enforcement
Since CPS and law enforcement often work together in responding to child abuse and neglect (in some States, all abuse and neglect reports go initially to the police), it is vital for them to establish strong working relationships and collaborate effectively. A memorandum of understanding (MOU) and protocols should be established between CPS and law enforcement agencies to identify roles and responsibilities as well as the circumstances that dictate when:
Reports should be initiated and shared between agencies;
Joint initial assessment or investigation should be initiated;
Cases necessitate immediate notification to other agencies;
Oral and written reports should be initiated and shared.
After an MOU or protocol is established, training should provide caseworkers with familiarity of the defined roles and responsibilities.
In addition, parameters should be established for cases where law enforcement assistance may be needed to remove a child or an alleged offender from the home, or when there is a concern for the caseworker's safety.
For more information on reporting laws, see the State Statute series published by Child Welfare Information Gateway available at: www.childwelfare.gov/systemwide/laws_policies/index.cfm.
Involving Other Professionals
In addition to law enforcement, other disciplines often have a role in the initial assessment or investigation process:
Medical personnel
may be involved in assessing and responding to medical needs of a child or
parent and perhaps in documenting the nature and extent of maltreatment.
Mental health personnel
may be involved in assessing the effects of any alleged maltreatment and in
helping to determine the validity of specific allegations. They may also be
involved in evaluating the parent's or caregiver's mental health status and
its effect on the safety to the child.
Alcohol and other drug specialists
may be involved in evaluating parental or caregiver substance abuse and its
impact on the safety of the child.
Partner abuse experts
may be asked to assist in examining the safety of the child in cases where
partner abuse and child maltreatment co-exist. These professionals may also
be involved in the safety planning process.
Educators
may be involved in providing direct information about the effects of
maltreatment and other information pertinent to the risk assessment.
Other community service providers
who have had past experience with the child or family may be a resource in
helping to address any emergency needs that the child or family may have.
Multidisciplinary teams
may be used to help the CPS agency analyze the information related to the
substantiation of maltreatment and the assessment of risk and safety.
Other community partners
such as intensive, home-based service workers; parent aides; daycare
providers; afterschool care providers; foster parents; volunteers; or
relatives may be used to help the agency implement a plan to keep the child
safe within his or her own home.
Juvenile court
may be involved in helping to assure the safety of the child and to provide
continuing protective services to the child and family when the child's
safety cannot be protected, and the parents or caregivers have refused
agency intervention.
For additional information on community collaboration, check other Manuals in the series at: http://www.childwelfare.gov/pubs/usermanual.cfm
Special Practice Issues
There are several special issues related to the initial assessment or investigation phase—the effects of removal, caseworker safety, substantiation appeal hearings or reviews, investigation in institutional settings, and the safety of children in foster care.
Effects of Removal
In order to assure protection, CPS may have to remove the child or reach agreement with family members that the alleged offender will leave the family and have no unsupervised contact with the alleged victim. Removal of the alleged offender is a less intrusive intervention but it should only be used if the caseworker is certain that there will be no contact with the victim. The removal of a family member has a dramatic affect on the feelings, behaviors, and functioning of individual family members and the family as a whole.
When CPS has to remove children from their families to protect them, they set in motion numerous issues and problems for the child. Placement outside the family often negatively affects the child's emotional well-being. Being uprooted from the only family one has known, from one's routines and familiar surroundings, is emotionally debilitating to children. Parents who abuse or neglect their children may also demonstrate love and attention to their children. This may be the only adult to whom the child has bonded. It is important to remember that the child suffers a devastating loss—the loss of being taken away from his or her birth family.
Placement away from the birth family therefore means more than the physical loss of living with the family; it also means having to deal with the loss of relationships and the loss of control over one's life. Children coming into substitute care suffer a significant loss to their self-esteem and are under a great deal of stress. Therefore, it is important to remember that when placing children, caseworkers should always maintain a focus on reducing the uncertainty and anxiety for children. Some strategies for helping children better manage the placement include:
Involving the family and children in the safety plan and the
placement process, when appropriate;
Providing contact with the family after placement as soon as
possible-ideally, within the first week;
Reassuring children that there is nothing wrong with them and that
they are not to blame for the placement;
Providing children with information about the reasons for the
placement, where they are going, and how long they may remain there;
Allowing children to take as many personal favorite items as
possible, such as photos of the family or home, toys or stuffed animals, and
clothing;
Finding out as much about the children as possible—their likes and
dislikes, routines, medical issues—and informing the substitute care
provider;
Encouraging children to express their feelings and normalize those
feelings, possibly through starting a journal or notebook;
Giving children a phone number to contact the caseworker.
Family members are also traumatized by the placement. They, too, need immediate contact with their children; concern and empathy from the caseworker; and involvement in the placement process.
Caseworker Safety
Every CPS case has the potential for unexpected confrontation due to the involuntary nature of investigations and assessments. It is important for caseworkers to acknowledge the nature of CPS intervention and the client's view of their role. While difficulties may occur at any point in the process, threats and volatile situations are more likely to occur during the initial assessment or investigation, during crisis situations, and when dramatic action is taken (e.g., removal of a child or the decision to take a case to court). The first step in ensuring caseworker safety is to assess the risk of the situation before the initial contact. Questions caseworkers should consider include the following:
Are the subjects violent or hostile?
Does the situation involve family violence, including partner,
elder, or child abuse?
Does the situation involve physical or sexual abuse or a fatality?
Are the family members exhibiting behaviors that indicate mental
illness?
Are the family members presently abusing or selling substances?
Are the parents or caregivers involved in ritualistic abuse or cult
practices?
Does the information note life-threatening or serious injuries to
the children?
Will the children be removed from the family situation on this
visit?
Is the family's geographic location potentially dangerous?
Will the caseworker go into an area with limited available
supports?
Is the area known for high crime or drug activity?
Does the housing situation or neighborhood increase concerns for
staff personal safety?
Does anyone in the home have a previous history of violence or
multiple referrals? Have there been previous involuntary removals of family
members?74
Preventive Measures for Making Home Visits
Always be sure that the supervisor or other agency personnel are
informed of the caseworker's schedule.
Observe each person in and around the area closely and watch for
signs that may indicate any potential for personal violence.
Follow one's instincts. Anytime the caseworker feels frightened or
unsafe, he or she should assess the immediate situation and take whatever
action is necessary to obtain protection.
Learn the layout of the immediate area around the home and the
usual types of activities that occur there to provide a baseline from which
to judge potential danger.
Avoid dangerous or unfamiliar areas at night.
Learn the safest route to the family's home.
Be sure the car is in good working order, and park in a way for
quick escape, if necessary.
Carry a cell phone.
Assess whether it is safe to accept refreshments.
Learn how to decline offers of food or other refreshments
tactfully.75
Substantiation Appeal Hearings or Reviews
Every State has a mechanism to appeal an agency's decision to substantiate abuse or neglect. Some States have a formal or administrative hearing process where the parent or caregiver substantiated as a perpetrator of child maltreatment can request a hearing to review the decision. In these hearings, the burden of proof rests with the CPS agency. If the review reverses or modifies the substantiation decision, then the CPS agency will have to revise the records.
Initial Assessment or Investigation in Institutional Settings
States differs with respect to who is responsible for initially assessing or investigating allegations of child abuse and neglect in out-of-home care. In some States, local CPS staff have responsibility for investigating certain types of allegations (e.g., in daycare settings). The investigation of alleged maltreatment in institutional settings is often handled by central or regional CPS or licensing staff rather than by local CPS agencies. Depending on the nature of the allegations, law enforcement agencies also will assume a primary role in investigating these types of cases. A coordinated approach helps minimize the trauma to children and childcare staff.
Interviews in Institutional Settings
Investigation of alleged maltreatment in institutional settings includes interviewing:
Alleged victim(s)
Staff witness(es)
Child witness(es)
Administrator or supervisor of the alleged perpetrator
Alleged perpetrator
The primary questions to be asked in these cases include:
Did the reported event occur independent of extenuating
circumstances?
Is the administrative authority culpable and, if so, in what
manner?
Is the problem, if validated, administratively redressable?
Are personnel actions indicated and, if so, are they being
initiated appropriately by the residential facility?
What responsibility do others in the facility have for any incident
of maltreatment, and is a corrective action plan needed to prevent the
likelihood of future incidents?
How can the victim be interviewed and still be protected from
repercussions?
Safety in Foster Care Placements
Caseworkers should continually assess the risk to and safety of children once placed in foster or kinship care settings. Considerations include:
What is the level of acceptance of the placed child into the
family? Notice whether the placed child is included in family routines and
life. Is the child appropriately physically incorporated into the home, for
example, does the child have a place for his or her belongings and a seat at
the table? Examine family interaction. Is the child fully or selectively
involved? Is the child included appropriately in family communications? Does
the family share equally with the child?
Are the kinship or foster parents' expectations for the placement
and the child being met?
Are the kinship or foster parents satisfied with the arrangement?
How do the kinship or foster parents explain their parenting
expectations, style, and responses to the placed child?
What specific perceptions of and attitudes toward the placed child
do the kinship or foster parents hold?
What are the kinship or foster parents' attitudes about, opinions
of, and relationship to the placed child's parents and family?
What methods of discipline does the foster or kinship family use?
Have circumstances or composition of the family changed in any way
since the placement?
What does the child report? Listen for acceptance into and
involvement with the family or exceptions or differences between how the
family deals with its own children and the placed child.
How is the child physically, emotionally, socially, and
behaviorally? Is the child's condition a result of the care received in the
child's own home, the adjustment to the new home or family setting, or the
possible mistreatment by the kinship or foster parents?
What are the attitudes and perceptions that the placed child has
about the care situation?
What expectations does the child have for this family situation?
Are they realistic? Do they stimulate positive or negative reactions from
family members (and caregivers specifically)? Do they result in the child
behaving in challenging and difficult ways?
What are the similarities and difference between the placed child
and other children in the family?
How has the family functioning been affected since the placement?76
Investigation
When a report of possible child abuse or neglect is received, the initial response often involves an investigation. Investigations may be conducted by child protective services staff, the police, or a multidisciplinary team. The purpose of the investigation is to determine if a child has been harmed or is at risk of harm (a disposition), reduce the risk and increase the safety of the child, and determine the need for services to support the family.
Decision-making in
investigations
Recurrence of child
maltreatment
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Interviewing One of the primary activities of child abuse or neglect investigations involves interviewing children, parents, and others who may have knowledge that can assist the investigation. Interviews may be conducted to gather information for assessments or to gather evidence; the latter are called forensic interviews.
Child
Interview Guide
(PDF -
272
KB)
Child Sexual
Abuse Investigations: Testing Documentation Methods
(PDF -
188
KB)
The
Exploratory Interview of a Maltreatment Report: The First Encounter
in a Child Protection System
(PDF -
529
KB)
Finding
Words: Half a Nation by 2010. Interviewing Children and Preparing
for Court
(PDF -
649
KB)
Guide for
Forensic Interviewing of Spanish-Speaking Children
(PDF -
409
KB)
A
Guide to Interviewing Children. Essential Skills for Counsellors,
Police, Lawyers and Social Workers
Half a Nation by 2010: Final Report
Interviewing
Preschool Children
Interviewing
Strategies
Investigative
Interviewing of Children
(PDF -
49
KB)
Key Factors
in Forensic Interviews With Native American Children
(PDF -
109
KB)
Questions and Answers: The Credibility of Child Witnesses in the
Context of Specific Questioning Techniques
Speaking With
Children: Advice From Investigative Interviewers
The Use of
Anatomical Diagrams in Child Sexual Abuse Forensic Interviews
Using
Anatomical Dolls in Child Sexual Abuse Forensic Interviews
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Updated on February 29, 2008 |
Multidisciplinary Teams
While many child abuse and neglect investigations are conducted by child protective services staff or law enforcement alone, many are conducted by teams composed of various types of professionals. Also on this page, State and local examples.
Child
Abuse and Neglect: Multidisciplinary Approaches
Winton & Mara (2001)
View Abstract
General assessment and intervention strategies, including the roles of
professionals in multidisciplinary intervention teams.
Evaluating
Multidisciplinary Child Abuse Training: A Comprehensive Program and
Questionnaire
Beran
Issues in Child Abuse Accusations, 15(5), 2005
Provides a step-by-step, how-to evaluation of a child abuse investigation
training.
Forming a
Multidisciplinary Team to Investigate Child Abuse (Portable Guides to
Investigating Child Abuse)
Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, U.S. Department of
Justice (2000)
Delineates the benefits that a multidisciplinary team offers and provides
advice on forming and operating an effective team.
In
Search of a New Model for Coordinated Urban Child Abuse Investigations
Wilson & McGrath
APSAC Advisor, 16(2), 2004
View Abstract
Proposes a hybrid approach to interagency cooperation.
Indicators of a Healthy Multidisciplinary Team
Lashley (2005)
View Abstract
This Georgia study identified 16 general qualities indicative of success in
multidisciplinary teams.
Interdisciplinary Approaches to Child Maltreatment: Accessing Community
Resources
Pennsylvania University Schools of Medicine and Nursing (2001)
In Medical Evaluation of Child Sexual Abuse: A Practical Guide (2nd
ed.)
View Abstract
Explains how and why children and families feel less trauma when agencies
work together and community resources are utilized more efficiently.
Describes three basic models for multidisciplinary work.
Improving Responses
to Allegations of Severe Child Abuse: Results from the Instant Response Team
Program
(PDF -
967 KB)
Vera Institute of Justice (2004)
Presents the outcomes from New York City's program involving child
protection staff, police, and prosecutors.
Patterns of Interaction in Multidisciplinary Child Protection Teams in New
Jersey
Bell
Child Abuse and Neglect, 25(1), 2001
View Abstract
The objective of this study was to gain an understanding of how
multidisciplinary team members in child protection work together within the
team.
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Role of Law Enforcement
Law enforcement may be involved in certain types
of child abuse and neglect investigations such as sexual abuse, severe
physical abuse or neglect, or child deaths.
Investigation Models for Child Abuse and
Neglect—Collaboration With Law Enforcement: Final Report
(PDF -
974 KB)
American Humane (2003)
Results of a study that analyzed statutes and policy manuals for all 50
States and the District of Columbia and classified different models of law
enforcement and CPS collaboration. Includes in-depth, site-specific analysis
of how different models are being implemented at selected sites.
Investigating Shaken Baby Syndrome - Child
Protective Services and Law Enforcement
National Center on Shaken Baby Syndrome (2002)
View Abstract
CD-ROM designed to be used as a self-contained, narrated educational program
addressing all facets of the syndrome.
Investigation and Prosecution of Child
Abuse
American Prosecutors Research Institute, National Center for Prosecution of
Child Abuse (2004, 3rd ed.)
View Abstract
A comprehensive manual for handling cases. Includes a CD-ROM with forms and
motions.
Keeping Children Safe: OJJDP's Child Protection Division
Juvenile Justice Clearinghouse
Juvenile Justice Bulletin,
March 2001
The mission of the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention's
Child Protection Division is to plan and implement programs intended to
reduce crimes against abused, neglected, missing, and exploited children and
child witnesses of domestic and community violence. (PDF
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99 KB)
Law Enforcement Investigative Issues
Vendola
Journal of Aggression, Maltreatment and
Trauma, 5(1), 2001
View Abstract
Roles and responsibilities for all aspects of a criminal investigation of
Shaken Baby Syndrome cases.
Law Enforcement Response to Child Abuse (PDF -
272 KB)
Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, U.S. Department of
Justice (2002)
Ensuring consistency in investigations, pertinent considerations, and
protocols.
Recognizing When a Child's Injury or Illness is Caused by Abuse
Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, U.S. Department of
Justice (2002)
Practical pointers for police. (PDF
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187 KB)
The Role of Law Enforcement in the
Investigation of Child Maltreatment
Giardino & Kolilis (2002)
In
Recognition of Child Abuse for the Mandated
Reporter (3rd ed.)
View Abstract
Factors contributing to the complexity of child maltreatment cases and how
police officials should respond to such reports.
Medical Responses
Medical professionals may be involved in assessing and documenting the nature and extent of injuries due to possible abuse or neglect.
Financing Medically-Oriented Child Protection Teams in the Age of Managed
Health Care: A National Survey
Giardino, Montoya, & Leventhal
Child Abuse and Neglect, 28(1), 2004
View Abstract
Examined financial issues such as staffing, funding sources, reimbursement,
and budgeting for medically oriented child protection teams.
Forensic Emergency Medicine
Maryland University Medical Center Department of Surgery (2001)
View Abstract
Written for emergency physicians, this reference describes considerations
for examining and treating victims of assault, including child abuse and
sexual abuse.
The
Medical Evaluation in Cases of Child Sexual Abuse
Muram
Journal of Pediatric and Adolescent Gynecology, 14(2), 2001
View Abstract
An overview of diagnostic criteria for clinicians, including common specific
symptoms.
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Decision-making in investigations
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Decision-Making in Investigations Child protective services investigators must make decisions about whether abuse or neglect occurred and whether children should be removed from their homes for their safety.
The Contribution of Decision Theory to Promoting Child Safety
Decision Making in Child Welfare
Decision-Making in Unsubstantiated Child Protective Services Cases: Synthesis of Recent Research
This paper synthesizes the findings of three Children's Bureau funded research grants on unsubstantiated child protective services (CPS) cases. It specifically addresses the case, decision-maker, organizational, and external factors that influence the decision to substantiate or unsubstantiate a CPS referral and how that decision impacts outcomes for children. Researchers' suggestions for practical implications and future research also are presented. 1 table, 1 figure.
The Dynamics of Unsubstantiated Reports: A Multi-State Study
Factors That
Predict the Decision to Place a Child: Case Record Data
(PDF -
169
KB)
Framework for Culturally Competent Decision-Making in Child Welfare
How Do Caseworker Judgments Predict Substantiation of Child
Maltreatment?
Improved
Decision Making in Child Maltreatment Cases
(PDF -
268
KB)
Information
Gathering: The Challenge in Safety Decision Making
(PDF -
59
KB)
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Updated on March 26, 2008 |
Recurrence
of child maltreatment
Recurrence of Child Maltreatment
One
of the primary purposes of child protective services interventions is to
lessen the risk of future harm for children who have been harmed.
Understanding more about when and why child maltreatment reoccurs helps
professionals improve their interventions.
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Child Maltreatment
Recurrence: Supplement to the Briefing Paper on Child Maltreatment
Recurrence
(PDF -
740 KB)
National Resource Center on Child Maltreatment (2002)
Presents an overview of key research methods and findings, a guide to help
States and localities formulate questions that will serve as a basis for
research and evaluation, methods for research, information about the Federal
recurrence indicator, and suggestions for additional resources.
Effectiveness of Home Visitation by Public-Health Nurses in Prevention of
the Recurrence of Child Physical Abuse and Neglect: A Randomized Controlled
Trial
MacMillan, Hellen, Jamieson, & Walsh
Lancet, 365(9473), 2005
View Abstract
Presents findings of an investigation into whether this approach might
reduce recidivism.
The Effects of Maltreatment Recurrence and Child Welfare Services on
Dimensions of Delinquency
Lemmon
Criminal Justice Review, 31(1), 2006
View Abstract
Examines the relationship between maltreatment recurrence and various
dimensions of delinquency among at-risk youths.
The Effect of Services on the Recurrence of Child Maltreatment
DePanfilis & Zuravin
Child Abuse and Neglect, 26, 2002
View Abstract
Study findings suggest that active engagement and support of families in a
helping alliance may reduce the likelihood of future maltreatment.
Reducing Re-referral in Unsubstantiated Child Protective Services Cases:
Research To Practice
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Series Title: |
Grantee Lessons Learned |
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Author(s): |
Children's Bureau (DHHS) |
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Availability: |
View Publication
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Year Published: |
2003 - 7 pages |
This paper identifies strategies to reduce re-referrals in unsubstantiated
child protective services (CPS) cases. Based on the findings of three
Children's Bureau funded research grants on unsubstantiated CPS cases, it
summarizes the studies' key findings regarding factors influencing CPS
decision-making and implications for practice including suggestions for
assessing risk more effectively and creative ways to provide services to
at-risk families in unsubstantiated cases.
Rereporting and Recurrence of Child Maltreatment : Findings from NCANDS
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Author(s): |
United States. Dept. of Health and Human Services. Office of the
Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation., Walter R. McDonald
and Associates. |
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Availability: |
View Publication
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Year Published: |
2005 - 33 pages |
Most children who are subjects of a report of maltreatment to the State or
local child protective services (CPS) agency are involved just once with CPS
during their lives. Other children are referred more than once and their
referrals result in repeated investigations or assessments (rereporting).
Some of these children are found to have been revictimized (recurrence).
This paper focuses on rereporting and recurrence, and on gaining a better
understanding of the circumstances surrounding these children with repeated
involvement with CPS. Most previous studies of subvsequent reports alleging
maltreatment of the same child or of revictimization have included only
small ...
Risk Factors for the
Recurrence of Substantiated Abuse or Neglect
(PDF -
161 KB)
Consultation Center of the Yale University School of Medicine (2004)
Summarizes findings from a study of the recurrence of child abuse and
neglect using data obtained from the Rhode Island child protective services
system.
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Related Resources: Investigation
Additional resources on the investigation of child abuse and neglect.
Constitutional Restrictions, Case Law, and
State Legislative Provisions, on Investigative Actions by Child Protective
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ABA Center on Children and the Law (2003)
View Abstract
Recaps CAPTA (June 2003) requirements regarding child protective services
responsibilities for notifying individuals named in a child abuse
investigation, conducting investigations that protect the legal rights of
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Criminal Investigations of Child Abuse: The
Research Behind "Best Practices"
Jones, Cross, & Walsh
Trauma, Violence, and Abuse: A Review
Journal, 6(3), 2005
View Abstract
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among the most progressive approaches to criminal child abuse
investigations.
Dangerous People
ACTION for Child Protection (2003)
Offers practice principles for identifying during a safety assessment those
who are likely to cause children injury and pain with intent.
Field Guide: Children's Protective Services
Investigations (PDF -
410 KB)
Michigan Department of Human Services (2007)
Guide for caseworkers responding to allegations of child maltreatment,
covering topics such as interviewing techniques, physical exams, safety and
risk assessments, and removal or placement decisions.
Immediate Protective Plans
ACTION for Child Protection (2003)
Identifies strategies for creating an immediate protective plan, established
when present danger exists, typically at the initial contact with a family.
The Transfer of Responsibility for Child Protective Investigations to Law
Enforcement in Florida: A Supplemental Study
Kinnevy, Huang, Dichter, & Gelles (2005)
Evaluation and findings of an experiment to separate investigative and
service provisions in the child welfare system. (PDF
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1620 KB)
When Words Hurt: Investigating and Proving a Case of Psychological
Maltreatment
Vieth
Reasonable Efforts
(American Prosecutors Research Institute), 2(1), 2004
Provides techniques for investigators in cases of psychological
maltreatment.
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