skip to content
Back to top

Child Protection, Assessment Protocols and Case Management  Resources

CHILD PROTECTION INTAKE , INVESTIGATION AND ASSESSMENT

Child protective service agencies are legally required to respond to concerns about child abuse and neglect. Intake involves receiving and screening reports of possible harm to determine if intervention is necessary. Investigations are conducted to determine if children have been harmed or at risk of being harmed. Assessments determine the level of risk and safety for children and evaluate families strengths and needs regarding the care of their children.

Often these services are provided by multi-disciplinary teams or through a collaborative approach by public and private service providers. When children have been harmed or at risk of harm, staff may seek court involvement to compel families' participation in services. 

- Intake and screening
- Investigation
- Safety and Risk Assessment
- Alternative response in child protective services
- Working with the courts in child protection

Resources:

  • Future Trends in State Courts - Meaningful and Ongoing Engagement of Tribes and State Courts in Chilld Protection
    This 2012 National Center for State Courts document was written by Alicia K. Davis and Gina Jackson
     
  • Issues and Strategies for Assessment Approaches to Child Maltreatment
    The assessment of families to direct change interventions when child maltreatment has occurred contributes greatly to the success or failure of subsequent intervention. In this monograph attempts to raise issues and provide direction as child protection system managers work to improve the effectiveness of child protection interventions.
     
  • A Family's Guide to the Child Welfare System
    This document is supported with funding from the Children’s Bureau, Administration on Children,Youth,and Families of the Administration for Children and Families (ACF) in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services; through a cooperative agreement with the Child, Adolescent, and Family Branch, Center for Mental Health Services of the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration; and from the National Child Welfare Resource Center for Family Centered Practice through a cooperative agreement with the Children’sBureau at ACF. This document reflects the thinking of many individuals and organizations, as well as information from valuable resource documents and documents describing federal laws and policies. It does not necessarily represent official policy or positions of the funding source.
     
  • A Guide to Child Protective Services for Relatives - Alaska
    Caring for children is one of the most important jobs of every community. Relatives play an essential role in helping to meet the needs of children who are unable to live with their parents. The connection to family, relatives and community is very important to a growing child because - children can live with people they already know and trust; children can maintain their personal and cultural identity; familes learn to rely on their own resources and strenghts; relatives participate as responsible and integral members of the child and family support team. This booklet will help you to understand the reasons children come into the care of the Office of Children's Services (OCS), the responsibility of the state, the role of the court, the importance of relatives and the options available to relatives.
     
  • Reactions By Native American Parents to Child Protection Agencies: Cultural and Community Factors
    This document lists interrelated, situational, cultural, and community factors that may provoke an extreme fight-or-flight reaction by Native American parents confronted with an accusation of abuse or neglect and a CPS investigation.
     
  • Child Welfare Practices for Cases with Domestic Violence
    This is the fourth edition of the practice guidleines, developed as part of an overall effort to increase the safety of adults and children through collaboration of domestic violence services and the Oregon Department of Human Services Child Welfare ("the Department").
     
  • TANF State Approaches to Screening for Domestic Violence Coupld Benefit from HHS Guidance - GAO-05-701
    The Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program introduced specific work requirements and benefit time limits. However, the Family Violence Option (FVO) requires states that adopt the FVO to screen TANF clients for domestic violence and grant waivers from program requirements for clients in domestic violence situations.

Documents on this page may need Adobe Reader Adobe PDF Logo

This site contains links to other web sites that may be of interest to you. The Administration for Children and Families (ACF) / Children's Bureau (CB) does not endorse the views expressed or the facts presented on these sites. Their contents are solely the responsibility of the authors and do not represent the official views or policies of the Children's Bureau. Access to this information does not in any way constitute an endorsement by the Department of Health and Human Services. Furthermore, ACF/CB does not endorse any commercial products.