CHILD ABUSE AND NEGLECT USER MANUAL SERIES Child Protective Services: Child Protective Services: A Guide for Caseworkers A Guide for Caseworkers To view or obtain copies of other manuals in this series, contact the National Clearinghouse on Child Abuse and Neglect Information at: 800-FYI-3366 [email protected] U.S. Department of Health and Human Services www.calib.com/nccanch/pubs/usermanual.cfm Administration for Children and Fam i lies Administration on Children, Youth and Families Children’s Bureau Office on Child Abuse and Neglect Child Protective Services: A Guide for Caseworkers Diane DePanfilis Marsha K. Salus 2003 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. CHILD PROTECTIVE SERVICES THEORY AND PRACTICE......................................................... 9 Philosophy of Child Protective Services.......................................................................................................9 Framework for Practice................................................................................................................................. 11 Caseworker Competence .............................................................................................................................. 11 3. THE HELPING RELATIONSHIP................................................................................................................17 Core Conditions of the Helping Relationship........................................................................................ 17 Techniques for Building Rapport ............................................................................................................... 19 Use of Authority in Child Protective Services ......................................................................................... 20 4. RESPONSIBILITIES OF CHILD PROTECTIVE SERVICES ............................................................25 Intake ............................................................................................................................................................... 25 Initial Assessment or Investigation ............................................................................................................ 25 Family Assessment......................................................................................................................................... 26 Case Planning................................................................................................................................................. 26 Service Provision............................................................................................................................................ 26 Family Progress ............................................................................................................................................. 27 Case Closure ................................................................................................................................................... 27 5. INTAKE.................................................................................................................................................................29 Intake Process ................................................................................................................................................. 29 Intake Information Analysis........................................................................................................................ 34 Response Time................................................................................................................................................ 36 Importance of Community Education in Reporting............................................................................. 38 Child Protective Services: A Guide for Caseworkers i i 6. INITIAL ASSESSMENT OR INVESTIGATION.....................................................................................39 Effective Initial Assessment or Investigation Characteristics................................................................ 40 Initial Assessment or Investigation Decisions.......................................................................................... 40 Initial Assessment or Investigation Process .............................................................................................. 50 Interviewing Techniques ............................................................................................................................... 58 Community Involvement............................................................................................................................. 63 Special Practice Issues ................................................................................................................................... 65 7. FAMILY ASSESSMENT ...................................................................................................................................69 Family Assessment Principles...................................................................................................................... 69 Family Assessment Decisions ...................................................................................................................... 70 Family Assessment Process........................................................................................................................... 70 Special Practice Issue—Cultural Sensitivity ............................................................................................... 75 8. CASE PLANNING.............................................................................................................................................77 Developing the Case Plan ........................................................................................................................... 77 Involving the Family..................................................................................................................................... 78 Targeting Outcomes....................................................................................................................................... 79 Determining Goals ....................................................................................................................................... 81 Determining Tasks ........................................................................................................................................ 82 Developing Concurrent Plans ..................................................................................................................... 82 9. SERVICE PROVISION.....................................................................................................................................83 Service Framework Based on Levels of Risk............................................................................................. 83 Case Management.......................................................................................................................................... 85 Treatment and Intervention ........................................................................................................................ 86 10. FAMILY PROGRESS.........................................................................................................................................95 Collect and Organize Information on Family Progress ........................................................................ 95 Analyze and Evaluate Family Progress....................................................................................................... 96 11. CASE CLOSURE................................................................................................................................................99 Types of Case Closure ................................................................................................................................... 99 Process of Case Closure .............................................................................................................................. 100 Community Collaboration During Case Closure................................................................................. 100 Family Involvement During Case Closure ............................................................................................. 100 12. EFFECTIVE DOCUMENTATION............................................................................................................101 Purposes of Child Protective Services Record-keeping ........................................................................ 101 Content of Case Records............................................................................................................................ 102 Principles of Record-keeping ....................................................................................................................