1. Introduction to Key Concepts
Florida Safety Decision Making Methodology

2. 6 Domains of Information Collection
Maltreatment – The specific description of the maltreatment; the allegation; the severity of the maltreatment; the specifics of the events, injuries and conditions present; the conclusion reached by the investigator confirming or refuting the alleged maltreatment
Nature of Maltreatment – The surrounding circumstances including what was going on around the time the maltreatment occurred; parent/caregiver explanations, acknowledgement and attitude; intentions. Assess frequency, history of maltreatment, priors, progressing patterns of severity.
Child Functioning – How does the child function on a daily basis? The assessment must include physical health and development; emotion and temperament; intellectual functioning; behavior; ability to communicate; self control; educational performance; peer relations; behaviors which seem to provoke parental reaction/behavior.

3. 6 Domains of Information Collection (con’t)
Adult Functioning – The assessment of the parents including current and recent history of mental and physical health, history of domestic violence, substance use (what, how long, impact to child safety), employment, criminal behavior, trauma history/adverse childhood events, social relationships; must include current behavior, communication skills, intellectual functioning; problem solving; reality perception and coping.
Parenting General – What are the overall, typical, parenting practices used by the parent/caregivers (not including discipline)
Parenting Discipline – What are the disciplinary approaches used by the parents/caregivers, and under what circumstances.

4. Safety Threshold Criteria
A Family Condition is Out of Control
A Family Condition is Likely to Result in a Severe Effect
The Severe Effect is Imminent: Reasonably Could Happen Soon
The Family Condition is Observable and Can be Clearly Described and Articulated
There is a Vulnerable Child

5. Safety Planning
The caregivers are willing for an in-home safety plan to be developed and implemented and have demonstrated that they will cooperate with all identified safety service providers
The home environment is calm and consistent enough for an in home safety plan to be implemented and for safety service providers to be in the home safely
Safety services are available at a sufficient level and to the degree necessary in order to manage the way in which impending danger is manifested in the home.

6. Child Vulnerability Age of Child Age of Caregiver Community Visibility
Significant Diagnosed Medical/Mental Disorder
Ability to Self-Protect
Diminished Mental Capacity (developmental delays, non verbal)

7. Caregiver Protective Capacity
Personal and caregiving behavioral, cognitive and emotional characteristics that specifically and directly can be associated with being protective to one’s young. Protective capacities are personal qualities or characteristics that contribute to vigilant child protection.

8. Criteria for Determining Caregiver Protective Capacity
The characteristic prepares the person to be protective
The characteristic enables or empowers the person to be protective
The characteristic is necessary or fundamental to being protective
The characteristic can be related to acting or being able to act on behalf of the child.

9. Assertive and Responsive Uses Resources to Meet Basic Needs
Behavioral Protective Capacity-Specific action, activity, performance that is consistent with and results in parenting and protective vigilance
Takes Action
Physically Able
Assertive and Responsive
Uses Resources to Meet Basic Needs
Adequate Energy
Demonstrates Impulse Control
History of protecting
Sets aside their needs in favor of the child
Adequate skill to fulfill caregiver responsibilities
Adaptive as a caregiver

10. Cognitive Protective Capacity-Specific intellect, knowledge, understanding and perception that results in parenting and protective vigilance
Self Aware
Adequate knowledge to fulfill caregiver duties
Recognizes and understands threats to the child
Recognizes Child Needs
Understands his/her protective role
Plans and articulates a plan to protect the child.

11. Able to meet own emotional needs Resilient
Emotional Protective Capacity-Specific feelings, attitudes, identification with a child and motivation that results in parenting and protective vigilance.
Able to meet own emotional needs
Resilient
Stable and able to intervene to protect the child.
Expresses love, empathy and sensitivity toward the child
Tolerant
Positively attached to the child
Supports and is aligned with the child