CHILD WELFARE MANUAL

Section 3, Chapter 1 (Case Opening), Subsection 3 – Initial Timeframes

(Effective: 05/01/19)

1.3 Initial Timeframes

Upon completion of the investigation or assessment the supervisor will review the Child Abuse/Neglect Investigation/Family Assessment Summary (CPS-1), Family Risk Assessment Map (CD-220), and services needed when determining the timeframe for the initial face-face contact in the home with the family.

Before an FCS case is opened, the investigator/assessment staff should be able to draft the harm statement, danger statement, existing safety, and case specific safety and strengths scale within the Family Assessment Map.  This would need to be shared with the family to get their input and this ideally would be done by the investigator/assessment staff opening the case.  If the CD-220 was not shared with the family prior to the FCS case being opened the FCS staff should share the CD-220 with the family and this includes getting the family’s input and making any necessary changes.

The supervisory evaluation of the potential safety concerns, risk to the children, and overall family situation will assist in determining the initial face-to-face home visit with the family.  The safety scale from the CD-220 will assist in the determination of the initial face to face contact timeframes with the family.

  • High Risk – Safety Scale Score 0-3 within two (2) working day
  • Moderate Risk – Safety Scale Score 4-6 within five (5) working days
  • Low Risk –Safety Scale Score 7-9 within ten (10) working days

If the case referral was not due to a CA/N investigation/family assessment, the supervisory evaluation of the potential risk to the children and overall family situation will determine when treatment follow-up contact by staff is needed. This should not exceed ten (10) working days from case assignment.

During the initial home visit, if there is identifiable and likely danger to the child(ren) then the Immediate Safety Intervention Plan (CD-263) is to be used to document any necessary interventions to address immediate safety concerns. The CD-263 is also utilized when there is not sufficient time to develop the Family Safety Planning Document (CD-267) due to the immediacy of the safety concerns.

Staff can use the Case Mapping Tool (CD-218) in every interaction they have with the family and professionals involved with the family. This helps staff have balanced conversations and stay in the questioning approach, while still sharing our worries/perspective.  The 3 columns mapping can also be used to gather information in phone calls.  As we move throughout our work with the family we need to purposefully ask questions to gather details about existing safety to develop the building blocks for the Family Assessment Risk Map (CD-220) and to gather information to develop the Family Safety Planning Document, (CD-267).