Critical Thinking in Safety Decision-Making: Evaluating Information Sufficiency Reconciling and Validating Information Applying the Safety Threshold Criteria

Safe ? Yes No KNOW THE FAMILY D1: Extent of Maltreatment D2: Surrounding Circumstances D3: Child Functioning D4: Adult Functioning D5: General Parenting Practices D6: Discipline or Behavior Management

 List the criteria for sufficient information  Explain what reconciliation and validation are in information gathering and analysis  Apply the safety threshold criteria When you have finished this module, you will be able to:

Information standards

D1: Extent of Maltreatment D2: Surrounding Circumstances D3: Child Functioning D4: Adult Functioning D5: General Parenting Practices D6: Discipline or Behavior Management KNOW THE FAMILY

or D1: Extent of Maltreatment D2: Surrounding Circumstances D3: Child Functioning D4: Adult Functioning D5: General Parenting Practices D6: Discipline or Behavior Management KNOW THE FAMILY

?

Five essential criteria: 1. Describes the domain (by definition) in full and acceptable ways, so that a picture of what has or is happening can be understood

D1: Extent of Maltreatment D2: Surrounding Circumstances D3: Child Functioning D4: Adult Functioning D5: General Parenting Practices D6: Disciplinary Practices Five essential criteria: 2. Is relevant to the domain only

Five essential criteria: 3. Is pertinent to gaining a full understanding of the domain

D O T E C T I V E D A N G E R VULNERABLEVULNERABLE C H I P PACPAC TYTY THTH EATSEATS U N S A F SAFSAF Five essential criteria: 4. Is adequate… enough information to have confidence about conclusions we reach C

Five essential criteria: 5. Covers the principal or core issues associated with the domain

Information collection with the child victim Other siblings Non- abusing parent Alleged perpetrator

Reconciling & Validating D1: Extent of Maltreatment D2: Surrounding Circumstances D3: Child Functioning D4: Adult Functioning D5: General Parenting Practices D6: Discipline or Behavior Management KNOW THE FAMILY

Present or impending danger threats Child vulnerability Caregiver protective capacity = Safe or Unsafe +/-

DANGER THREAT? 1. Immediacy2. Severity 3. Out of Control4. Vulnerable Child5. Observable

Immediacy WITHOUT DELAY OCCURRING IN NEAR FUTURE

Immediacy Severity SERIOUS INJURY DEBILITATING PHYSICAL HEALTH SIGNIFICANT IMPAIRMENT/ACUTE SUFFERING TERRORIZING/LIFE THREATENING

Severity Out of Control Immediacy NOT SUBJECT TO INTERNAL INFLUENCE UNRESTRAINED/UNMANAGED WITHOUT LIMITS

Out of Control Severity Vulnerability Immediacy DEPENDENT ON OTHERS FOR PROTECTION INDIVIDUAL CHILD FACTORS (AGE, PHYSICAL ABILITY, COGNITIVE ABILITY, DEVELOPMENTAL STATUS AND MORE...) ALL CHILDREN IN HOME

Vulnerability Out of Control Severity Immediacy Observable CAN BE SEEN AND DESCRIBED HAS BEEN OBSERVED BY FAMILY AND OTHERS PERSONAL OBSERVATIONS FEELINGS OR PERCEPTIONS EVIDENCED BY SPECIFIC BEHAVIORS, SITUATIONS OR VERBAL STATEMENTS

 Critical thinking  Five criteria for evaluating information sufficiency  Importance and process of reconciling and validating information  Safety threshold criteria

a. Information that gives us a full picture b. Is relevant to the particular information domain c. Is pertinent to the information domain d. Is adequate and gives us confidence about conclusions e. All of the above

a. Information that gives us a full picture b. Is relevant to the particular information domain c. Is pertinent to the information domain d. Is adequate and gives us confidence about conclusions e. ALL OF THE ABOVE The correct answer is (e) all of the above. Information sufficiency is dependent upon these four standards and a fifth one – being able to describe principal or core issues associated with each domain - being met which ensures you that you have all the necessary information you need to make the appropriate safety decision.

a. Other children in the home, victim, non-abusing parent, alleged perpetrator b. Alleged perpetrator, victim, other children in the home, non- abusing parent c. Victim, other children in the home, non-abusing parent, alleged perpetrator d. Victim, non-abusing parent, other children in the home, alleged perpetrator

a. Other children in the home, victim, non-abusing parent, alleged perpetrator b. Alleged perpetrator, victim, other children in the home, non- abusing parent c. VICTIM, OTHER CHILDREN IN THE HOME, NON-ABUSING PARENT, ALLEGED PERPETRATOR d. Victim, non-abusing parent, other children in the home, alleged perpetrator The correct answer is (c). Because of a combination of factors - safety concerns, children generally being more open and honest, or at least easier to recognize when they are being deceptive, we almost always interview all children in the home prior to the adults. And, the last adult we want to interview is the alleged perpetrator so we can be as prepared as we can with the most information available to us at the time of that interview.

a. Quoting exactly what the parents said b. Knowing only what maltreatment occurred c. Determining the evidence that is necessary for prosecution d. Settling or resolving differences in information in order to have a true understanding of each information domain e. None of the above

a. Quoting exactly what the parents said b. Knowing only what maltreatment occurred c. Determining the evidence that is necessary for prosecution d. SETTLING OR RESOLVING DIFFERENCES IN INFORMATION IN ORDER TO HAVE A TRUE UNDERSTANDING OF EACH INFORMATION DOMAIN e. None of the above The correct answer is (d): settling or resolving differences in information in order to have a true understanding of each information domain. Remember, the foundation for all quality decision making is the accuracy of the information upon which the decision is based so it is essential for you to resolve all critical discrepancies in what has occurred regarding the maltreatment and in what you know about the family in terms of their day to day functioning which reveals impending danger.

a. Immediate b. Potentially Severe c. Out Of Control d. Protective Capacity e. Observable

a. Immediate b. Potentially Severe c. Out Of Control d. PROTECTIVE CAPACITY e. Observable The correct answer is (d) protective capacity. The other four choices, along with vulnerable child, are the five safety threshold criteria. Protective capacity, on the other hand, has to do with an adult caregiver’s ability to protect a child from an identified danger threat in the household in which the caregiver and child reside. It is a key component in the determination of safe or unsafe but is not one of the safety threshold criteria in identifying whether a present or impending danger threat exists or not.

a. True b. False

a. True b. FALSE The correct answer is (b) false. In terms of the safety threshold criteria “observable” simply means someone in the family or any second party observer, neighbor, teacher, or any collateral contact has personally seen the action, behavior or circumstance being described. Skilled investigators and case managers try to validate this information from another source whenever possible.

Module Three: Critical Thinking in Safety Decision Making Congratulations!

1. Log into FSFN. 2. Click Create > Worker Training > Individual Training Plan. 3. Click Search within the Assigned Training in Progress group box. 4. Enter E-Learning 3: Critical Thinking (or simply enter “E“ followed by *) and then click search. 5. Click Select next to the course when it appears. 6. Click Continue at the bottom of the page. 7. When the selected course title is displayed on your Individual Worker screen, indicate that the status is “Completed” and record the completion date. 8. Click Save. To receive credit for this course, you will need to: This should then be displayed in your “Individual Training History”.