CHILD ABUSE AND NEGLECT USER MANUAL SERIES U.S. Department ofH ealth and Human Services Administration for Children and Families Administration on Children, Youth and Families Children's Bureau Office on Child Abuse and Neglect The Role of First Responders in Child Maltreatment Cases: Disaster and Nondisaster Situations Richard Cage Marsha K. Salus 2010 U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Administration for Children and Families Administration on Children, Youth and Families Children’s Bureau Office on Child Abuse and Neglect Table of Contents PREFACE................................................................................................................................................ 1 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS ....................................................................................................................... 3 1. PURPOSE AND OVERVIEW....................................................................................................... 7 2. RECOGNIZING CHILD MALTREATMENT .......................................................................... 11 Types of Child Maltreatment ........................................................................................................12 Child Fatalities ..............................................................................................................................19 Domestic Violence and Child Maltreatment .................................................................................20 Substance Abuse and Child Maltreatment .....................................................................................21 3. INITIAL RESPONSE AND INVESTIGATION ......................................................................... 25 Responsibilities of First Responders in Cases of Suspected Child Maltreatment ............................26 Interviewing the Alleged Child Victim ..........................................................................................28 Interviewing Adults ......................................................................................................................37 Documenting Interviews ...............................................................................................................40 Observing the Scene .....................................................................................................................41 Collecting Physical Evidence .........................................................................................................43 Assessing Safety and Developing a Safety Plan ..............................................................................45 Understanding the Next Steps .......................................................................................................47 4. TESTIFYING IN COURT .......................................................................................................... 53 Preparation for Court ....................................................................................................................53 During the Trial ............................................................................................................................53 The Juvenile Court Process............................................................................................................ 55 The Criminal Court Process.......................................................................................................... 58 The Role of First Responders in Child Maltreatment Cases: i Disaster and Nondisaster Situations 5. RESPONDING IN DISASTERS ..................................................................................................... 61 Factors for First Responders ..........................................................................................................61 Agency Preparations .....................................................................................................................66 Agency Response...........................................................................................................................69 Conclusion ...................................................................................................................................71 ENDNOTES ......................................................................................................................................... 73 APPENDICES: APPENDIX A—GLOSSARY OF TERMS................................................................................... 81 APPENDIX B—RESOURCE LISTINGS OF SELECTED NATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS CONCERNED WITH CHILD MALTREATMENT AND WITH FIRST RESPONDERS........ 87 APPENDIX C—STATE TELEPHONE NUMBERS FOR REPORTING SUSPECTED CHILD MALTREATMENT...................................................................................................................... 95 APPENDIX D—REFERENCE GUIDE FOR RESPONDING TO CASES OF SUSPECTED CHILD MALTREATMENT ........................................................................................................ 97 APPENDIX E—SIGNS OF POSSIBLE PHYSICAL ABUSE ................................................... 101 APPENDIX F—DISTINGUISING PHYSICAL ABUSE FROM NONINTENTIONAL INJURY................................................................................................. 105 APPENDIX G—COMMON FOLK-MEDICINE PRACTICE INJURIES THAT MAY RESEMBLE ABUSE .................................................................................................................. 109 APPENDIX H—CRITERIA FOR DISTINGUISHING SIDS FROM FATAL CHILD MALTREATMENT ................................................................................................................... 111 APPENDIX I—DOMESTIC VIOLENCE EXPOSURE ASSESSMENT.................................. 115 APPENDIX J—INTERVIEWING NONOFFENDING ADULTS ........................................... 117 APPENDIX K—MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING ................................................ 119 APPENDIX L—HOME VISIT SAFETY TIPS.......................................................................... 121 APPENDIX M—CASE STUDIES ............................................................................................ 123 APPENDIX N—ASSESSING DISASTER SURVIVOR IMMEDIATE NEEDS WORKSHEET ............................................................................................................. 141 APPENDIX O—CONTINUITY OF OPERATIONS PLAN (COOP) OUTLINE .................. 143 iiii Table of Contents Preface ach day, the safety and well-being of some Th e Office on Child Abuse and Neglect within the Echildren across the Nation are threatened by Children’s Bureau of the Administration for Children child abuse and neglect. Intervening eff ectively in and Families, U.S. Department of Health and Human the lives of these children and their families is not Services, has developed this third edition of the User the responsibility of any single agency or professional Manual Series to reflect the increased knowledge and group, but rather is a shared community concern. the evolving state of practice on child protection. The updated and new manuals are comprehensive in Since the late 1970s, the Child Abuse and Neglect scope while also succinct in presentation and easy to User Manual Series has provided guidance on follow, and they address trends and concerns relevant child protection to hundreds of thousands of to today’s professional. multidisciplinary professionals and concerned community members. Th e User Manual Series off ers a Th is manual, The Role of First Responders in Child foundation for understanding child maltreatment and Maltreatment Cases: Disaster and Nondisaster the roles and responsibilities of various practitioners Situations, is for those professionals who have in its prevention, identification, investigation, and the primary responsibility for the initial on-scene treatment. Through the years, the manuals have response to situations in which child abuse or served as valuable resources for building knowledge, neglect may have occurred, even when the initial promoting effective practices, and enhancing call may be for another situation, such as domestic community collaboration. violence or a drug offense. In most jurisdictions, emergency medical technicians, child protective Since the last update of the User Manual Series in services caseworkers, and law enforcement officers the early 1990s, a number of changes have occurred generally are considered the first responders for child that dramatically affect each community’s response to maltreatment cases. This manual is designed to be a child maltreatment. The changing landscape refl ects practical guide to help those in the fi eld and includes increased recognition of the complexity of issues step-by-step guidelines for investigating possible child facing children and families, new legislation, practice maltreatment. The manual also provides information innovations, and systems reform efforts. Signifi cant for first responders when responding to cases of advances in research have helped shape new directions possible child maltreatment in disaster situations, for interventions, while ongoing evaluations help including how fi rst responders and their agencies can determine “what works.” prepare for disaster situations. While this manual will be useful to all first responders, some portions may be more relevant to particular types of first responders. The Role of First Responders in Child Maltreatment Cases: 1 Disaster and Nondisaster Situations The Role of First Responders