The Children’s Service Worker and supervisor shall determine, through assessment and evaluation of the child and family, that a referral to the juvenile court is necessary to protect the physical/emotional well-being of the child.
A preliminary screening is required on all cases when a Children’s Service Worker plans to recommend the removal of child(ren) except in the following situations:
- When a child cannot be adequately protected during the referral and assessment process and must be removed on an emergency; or
- When all caregivers have indicated that they will not cooperate with IIS.
A preliminary screening is defined as a conference between the Children’s Service Worker and supervisor to determine if the case is appropriate to refer for Intensive In-Home Services.
Related Subject: Section 3 Chapter 7, Intensive In-Home Services
The following factors should be considered when determining the need to make a referral to the juvenile court for removal of the child from the home:
- Safety Assessment (CD-17)
Related Subject: Section 2, Chapter 9.2 Safety Assessment; Section 2, Chapter 9.3 Safety Planning; and Section 2, Chapter 9.4 Assessment of Risk
- Is the child in immediate danger or living in hazardous conditions that cannot be immediately remedied and may result in serious bodily harm?
- Is a crisis situation occurring which results in the temporary inability of parent(s) to give adequate care to the child?
- Do conditions of gross physical, emotional neglect, or abuse exist which cannot be immediately remedied or significantly reduced, or which can be expected to result in significant harm to the child?
Related Subject: Section 4, Chapter 1, Attachment A Assessment Of Safety and Risk Factors In Recommending Out-Of-Home Placement
NOTE: Serious danger or harm to the child should result in a recommendation for immediate placement.
Related Subject: Section 4, Chapter 2.2.1 Emergency Placement and Section 4, Chapter 5 Placement/Replacement of the Child
- Is the strength of parent/child relationship so poor that the parent is providing inadequate support and guidance to the child?
- Is the mental and/or physical capacity of the parent(s) of such a nature that improving parenting skills to a minimally acceptable level becomes an extensive time-consuming process which interferes in the child’s normal growth and development? Are community resources non-existent that could substitute for or mediate the parent’s care?
Pursuant to Section 211.031 RSMo., an individual’s disability or disease cannot be the basis for a determination that a child is in need of care or it is necessary to remove a child from a parent’s custody without a specific showing that there is a causal relationship between the disability or disease and a substantial and significant risk of harm to a child.
- Have all appropriate and available community/agency resources been offered to the family to prevent placement?
- Does the child have special needs that cannot be met if the child remains with the parent(s)?
- Do problems reoccur which affect the well-being of child and interfere frequently with his/her growth and development?
- Has the parent(s) requested out-of-home care placement? Does evaluation of this request confirm the plan to be appropriate?
- Has the Division made the required diligent and reasonable efforts to maintain the child in his/her own home?