CPS INVESTIGATIVE ASSESSMENT

Competencies Ability to integrate your investigation and family assessment into one document Ability to document solution based casework Ability to navigate through the Investigative Assessment in FamLink

Let’s make today useful for you! What are your experiences? Do you have specific questions? Do you have feedback?

SAFETY IS PRIMARY Safety is the primary and essential focus that informs and guides ALL decisions made from intake through case closure. This includes removal and reunification decisions and assessing safety of children in all placement settings. Safety is reliant on good information gathering, assessments and analysis. The Child Safety Framework supports strength- based practice and CA Practice Model.

Let’s Get Started Pull up the case you brought to work on during this training.

General Tab Make sure the roles are correct Link to all intakes you are investigating Fields are required for federal reporting

Prior Involvement Give a concise history of the intakes and the outcomes of the investigations and assessments.

Contacts This information pre-fills from your documented contacts on the intakes you designated on the general tab. If contacts do not appear here, check your case notes in FamLink.

Gathering Questions Tab There are 8 gathering questions Questions are consistent in the CFE and FAR Family Assessment Information from these fields will migrate to the CFE and FAR assessments There are 8 gathering questions Questions are consistent in the CFE and FAR Family Assessment Information from these fields will migrate to the CFE and FAR assessments

Gathering Questions Tab Starts conversation with family as to their understanding and discusses their everyday life challenges. We all reside in stages and have to complete daily tasks to meet the needs of our children. Responses are determined by the ages of their children and formation of the family unit.

Gathering Questions Tab Determines whether this is a past or current military family. This can impact any of the developmental stages or even change them. The military has significant services available to assist families. Check on the MOU with the military.

Q1:What is the nature and extent of the maltreatment? Information that answers this question includes:  Identification of the child and maltreating caregiver  Type of maltreatment  Severity of maltreatment  History of maltreatment  Description of specific events, what happened before, during and after?  Description of emotional and physical symptoms, triggers, etc.

Q2:What surrounding circumstances accompany the maltreatment? This question provides the opportunity to discuss the context and the nature of the maltreatment.

Q2:What surrounding circumstances accompany the maltreatment? Duration -- how long has it been going on Caregiver intent Caregiver explanation Family conditions (including who lives in the home, other adults) Caregiver acknowledgement and attitude Sequence of events Other problems occurring in association with the maltreatment (substance abuse, mental health, domestic violence)

Q3: How does the child function on a daily basis? What is the child’s general behavior, emotions, temperament and physical capacity? How is the child day-to-day (not just points in time)? How does the child view him/herself? How do others view him/her? Does the child appear to be developmentally on target?

Q3: How does the child function on a daily basis? Capacity for attachment General mood and temperament Intellectual functioning Communication and social skills Expressions of emotions/feelings Behavior Role in family Peer relations Special needs Physical and mental health

Q4: How do the parents/ caregivers discipline the child? This question provides the opportunity to discuss the manner in which caregivers approach discipline and child guidance. Discipline is generally considered in a broader context of socialization, teaching, and guiding.

Q4: How do the parents/ caregivers discipline the child? Disciplinary methods (don’t stop here) What are children disciplined for Differences in discipline between children Duration of discipline Who handles discipline Purpose of discipline How was the parent disciplined Context in which discipline occurs Cultural practices and norms

Q5: What are the overall parenting/ child care practices used by the caregivers? This question explores the general nature and approach to parenting, which forms a basis for understanding the caregiver-child interaction in more substantive ways.

Q5: What are the overall parenting/ child care practices used by the caregivers? Reasons for being a caregiver Satisfaction in being a caregiver Caregivers’ knowledge and skill in parenting and child development How the parents were parented and their view on their own upbringing

Q6: How do the parents/ caregivers manage their own lives on a daily basis? This question is concerned with how the adults/ caregivers in the family feel, think and act on a daily basis.

Q6: How do the parents/ caregivers manage their own lives on a daily basis? How do the adults function separate from parenting? How do they “juggle” the responsibilities of adult life ?

Q6: How do the parents/caregivers manage their own lives on a daily basis? Communication and social skills Coping and stress management Self control Problem solving Judgment and decision making Independence Home and financial management Substance abuse Mental health Support networks

Gathering Questions Tab Disciplinary methods/What are children disciplined for/Differences in discipline/Duration of discipline/Who handles discipline/Idea and purpose of discipline/How parent was disciplined/ Context in which discipline occurs/Cultural practices and norms Describe daily and weekly routine/How do they meet the child’s needs/What does the parent enjoy in their parenting role/What does the parent find challenging in their parenting role/Parent’s understanding of child development/ Parent’s understanding of child rearing practices Communication and coping skills/Coping and stress management/Self-control/Problem solving/ Judgment and decision making/Independence/Home and financial management/Employment, Citizenship and community involvement/Rationality/Self-care and preservation This area of assessment is directly related to developmental stages and sequence of events Family and community supports/Additional supports/Areas in family’s life where additional supports may benefit the family/Any negative supports.

Evidence/Records Tab Do not just copy and paste current allegations Include a concise summary Who/What/When/Where

Allegations/Findings Tab Allegations pre-fill from the intake. You can add allegations, victims and subjects. Your documentation in the Support of Finding/CAPTA Narrative will appear in the finding letter if the allegation is founded. Be concise, but clear as to the maltreatment and supporting evidence.

Disposition Tab Prior to sending your assessment for approval, make sure you have completed the present danger, SDM risk, and safety assessments as well as the disposition drop downs.

CPS LE Reports In some instances a worker may have to send a report to LE. This is done via the intake in FamLink. Click on the “Create Referral” hyperlink in the Options Pane.

CPS LE Reports Once the referral is sent/faxed to law enforcement, document in FamLink.