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Title:

Child Welfare Manual

Section 2:

Intake

Chapter 4:

Investigation Response

Effective Date:

March 29, 2018

• Child Welfare Manual

Investigation Response

Section 2 Overview

Section 2 focuses on intake, or the point of entry for a family. The information in this section will assist staff in understanding the procedures throughout the entire intake process, from initial contact with the Child Abuse and Neglect Hotline Unit (CANHU), through the process of an investigation or family assessment. Completing a thorough family assessment or investigation will help staff identify the service needs of the family.

Chapter 4 Overview

This chapter contains information pertaining to Child Abuse/Neglect (CA/N) reports that are screened as investigations and the process county staff members should follow in response to the report.

Table of Contents

• 4.1  Investigation Response
  • 4.1.1  Preparing for the Investigation
    • 4.1.1.1  Informing Law Enforcement
    • 4.1.1.2  Reviewing Prior History
    • 4.1.1.3  Involving the Non-Custodial Parent
  • 4.1.2  Initiating the Investigation
    • 4.1.2.1  Contacting the Reporter
    • 4.1.2.2  Contacting the School Liaison
    • 4.1.2.3  Additional Initial Contacts
  • 4.1.3  Face to Face Safety Assurance of Victim
    • 4.1.3.1  Investigations Involving Reported Physical Injuries and Sexual Abuse
    • 4.1.3.2  Investigations Involving Children Under the Age of Four
    • 4.1.3.3  Investigations Involving Child Fatality or Serious Physical Injury
  • 4.1.4  Interviewing
    • 4.1.4.1  Interviewing the Child(ren) Alone
    • 4.1.4.2  The Non-Perpetrating Parent(s)
    • 4.1.4.3  Contact with Household Children
    • 4.1.4.4  Collaterals
    • 4.1.4.5  The Alleged Perpetrator(s)
  • 4.1.5  Safety Assessment
    • 4.1.5.1  Chief Investigator
  • 4.1.6  The Home Visit
    • 4.1.6.1  Assessing the Need for Services
    • 4.1.6.2  Interface with Family-Centered Services (FCS)
    • 4.1.6.3  When the Family is Uncooperative
  • 4.1.7  Referral to Juvenile Court
    • 4.1.7.1  Protective Custody
    • 4.1.7.2  Children Under the Age of Four Diagnosed as a Victim of Physical Abuse
  • 4.1.8  Reaching a Conclusion
    • 4.1.8.1  Determining Child Abuse or Neglect by a Preponderance of Evidence (POE)
      • 4.1.8.1.1  The Laws on Child Abuse/Neglect
      • 4.1.8.1.2  The Legal Elements of Child Abuse or Neglect
      • 4.1.8.1.3  The Law on the Preponderance of Evidence Standard
      • 4.1.8.1.4  Application of the Preponderance of Evidence Standard
      • 4.1.8.1.5 Determining Sex Trafficking by a Preponderance of Evidence
      • 4.1.8.1.6  Determining Labor Trafficking by a Preponderance of Evidence
      • 4.1.8.1.7  Determining Educational Neglect by a Preponderance of Evidence
      • 4.1.8.1.8  Determining Child Abuse or Neglect by a Preponderance of Evidence on an Unknown Perpetrator
      • 4.1.8.1.9 Determining Child Abuse or Neglect by a Preponderance of Evidence on Juvenile Perpetrators
    • 4.1.8.2  Unsubstantiated-Preventive Services Indicated
    • 4.1.8.3  Unsubstantiated
    • 4.1.8.4  Home Schooling
    • 4.1.8.5  Unable to Locate
    • 4.1.8.6  Located out of State
    • 4.1.8.7  Court Adjudicated
      • 4.1.8.7.1  Central Registry for Court Adjudication without a CA/N Report
      • 4.1.8.7.2  Updating FACES for Court Adjudication
      • 4.1.8.7.3  Appeal of Court Adjudication Determination on a POE Finding
    • 4.1.8.8  Child Abuse/Neglect Present, Perpetrator Unidentified (Unknown Perpetrators)
  • 4.1.9  Minimum Contact Standards after a CA/N Report has been Concluded
    • 4.1.9.1  What Minimum Contacts Should Address
  • 4.1.10  Conclusion Timeframes
    • 4.1.10.1  Steps to Ensure Timely Completion
    • 4.1.10.2  Delayed Conclusions
      • 4.1.10.2.1 Safety Re-Assurance in Delayed Investigations
      • 4.1.10.2.2 Significantly Delayed Preponderance of Evidence (POE) Investigations
  • 4.1.11  Inappropriate Report Conclusion Code (G)
  • 4.1.12  Determining the Level of Intervention
    • 4.1.12.1  Ex-Parte Issues
    • 4.1.12.2  Community Involvement
    • 4.1.12.3  Referral to Early Childhood Intervention
  • 4.1.13  Compiling the Investigative Record
    • 4.1.13.1  Updating the FACES Conclusion Screens
  • 4.1.14  Notifications for Investigation Dispositions
  • 4.1.15  Notifying the Non-Custodial Parent
• 4.2  Involving Law Enforcement and the State Technical Assistance Team (STAT)
  • 4.2.1  State Technical Assistance Team (STAT)
    • 4.2.1.1  Definition
    • 4.2.1.2  Types of Situations Investigated by STAT
    • 4.2.1.3  Making a Referral to STAT
    • 4.2.1.4  The Role of STAT and CD Co-Investigating
    • 4.2.1.5  Resources Available to STAT
    • 4.2.1.6  Delayed Conclusions Involving STAT
• 4.3  Special Investigations
  • 4.3.1  Juvenile Court Employee
  • 4.3.2  DYS/DMH Employee
  • 4.3.3  Adoptive Family
  • 4.3.4  Law Enforcement Official
  • 4.3.5  CD Employee/Family Member Involved in a CA/N Report
  • 4.3.6  Educational Neglect/Home Schooling
  • 4.3.7  Out-of-Home Care Providers
  • 4.3.8  Fatality CA/N or Non-CA/N
    • 4.3.8.1  CA/N and Non-CA/N Fatality Review
    • 4.3.8.2  Child Fatalities During a Pending Investigation
    • 4.3.8.3  Fatality/Critical Event Reporting and Review Protocol
      • 4.3.8.3.1  Critical Event Categories
    • 4.3.8.4  Critical Event Report (CS-23) Procedure
    • 4.3.8.5  Critical Event Response
    • 4.3.8.6  Critical Event Tool Kit
  • 4.3.9  Baby Doe Cases
  • 4.3.10  Reports Made out of Harassment or Retaliation
    • 4.3.10.1  Harassment Indicators
  • 4.3.11  Childcare Referral to Department of Health and Human Services
• 4.4  Change to Family Assessment
• 4.5  Alleged Perpetrator Appeal Process Overview
  • 4.5.1  Administrative Review Process
    • 4.5.1.1  Cases that are Ineligible for an Administrative Review
    • 4.5.1.2  Notification to Alleged Perpetrators who are Ineligible for Administrative Review
    • 4.5.1.3  Local Child Abuse/Neglect Administrative Review
      • 4.5.1.3.1  Administrative Review Reverses Preponderance of Evidence (POE) for Child Abuse or Neglect
      • 4.5.1.3.2  Administrative Review Upholds POE of Child Abuse or Neglect
    • 4.5.1.4  Possible Scenarios of the Administrative Review Process
    • 4.5.1.5  Release of Records When There are Pending Criminal Charges
  • 4.5.2  The Child Abuse/Neglect Review Board (CANRB)
    • 4.5.2.1  CANRB Liaison
    • 4.5.2.2  CANRB Participants
    • 4.5.2.3  CANRB Process
    • 4.5.2.4  Tips for Presenting a Case to CANRB
    • 4.5.2.5  CANRB Reverses POE
    • 4.5.2.6  CANRB Upholds POE
  • 4.5.3  De Novo Judicial Review
    • 4.5.3.1  Judicial Review Results/Subsequent Actions
      • 4.5.3.1.1  Judicial Review Sustains the Division’s Finding of Child Abuse or Neglect
      • 4.5.3.1.2  Judicial Review Does Not Sustain the Division’s Finding of Child Abuse or Neglect
  • 4.5.4  Case Re-Opening
    • 4.5.4.1  Case Re-Opening Procedure
  • 4.5.5  Office of the Child Advocate
    • 4.5.5.1  Office of the Child Advocate Authority
    • 4.5.5.2  Children’s Division/Office of the Child Advocate Agreement

Attachments:

Attachment A:

SAFE-CARE (Sexual Assault Forensic Examination- Child Abuse Resource and Education ) Network

Attachment B:

Videotaping of CA/N Victims

Attachment C:

Courtesy Requests

Attachment D:

Reporter Contact

Attachment E:

Decision Making - Investigative Conclusion Guidelines

Attachment F:

Safety Analysis and Risk Assessments - was Deleted per CD05-72 dated 12-9-05
See Section 2 Chapter 9 Safety Analysis and Risk Assessment.

Attachment G:

Collection of Evidence

Attachment H:

Guidelines for Letter to Suspected Perpetrator Regarding Delayed Notification of CA/N Status Determination Rescinded by Memo CD14-54

Attachment I:

Indicators of Physical Violence in the Home

Attachment J:

Meth Lab Emergency Response Protocol

Attachment K:

Moved to Section 2 Chapter 8.3.1 per CD05-31 dated 5-31-05 (Guidelines for Letter to School Districts on Reports Concluded as Home Schooling).

Attachment L:

Preponderance of Evidence

Attachment M:

Intensive In-Home Services (IIS)

Attachment N:

Child Fatality Review Panels

Attachment O:

Deleted per CD05-34 dated 5-23-05 - See Section 7 Chapter 4.3.9 Baby Doe Cases

Attachment P:

Deleted per CD05-34 dated 5-23-05 - See Section 2 Chapter 4.5.1 CANRB Guidelines

Attachment Q:

Deleted per CD05-34 dated 5-23-05 - See Section 2 Chapter 4.1.11 Inappropriate Report Conclusion Code (G)

Attachment R:

Deleted per CD05-34 dated 5-23-05 - See Section 7 Chapter 28 Physical Abuse

Attachment S:

Deleted per CD05-34 dated 5-23-05 - See Section 7 Chapter 29 Sexual Abuse

Attachment T:

Deleted per CD05-34 dated 5-23-05 - See Section 7 Chapter 30 Neglect

Attachment U:

Deleted per CD05-34 dated 5-23-05 - See Section 7 Chapter 31 Medical Neglect

Attachment V:

Deleted per CD05-34 dated 5-23-05 - See Section 7 Chapter 32 Educational Neglect

Attachment W:

Deleted per CD05-34 dated 5-23-05 - See Section 7 Chapter 33 Emotional Abuse

Attachment X:

Deleted per CD05-34 dated 5-23-05 - See Section 2 Chapter 4 Attachment L Preponderance of Evidence

Chapter Memoranda History: (prior to 1/31/07)

• CS03-46,
• CS03-51,
• CD04-69,
• CD04-79,
• CD04-89,
• CD05-35,
• CD05-40,
• CD05-50,
• CD05-51,
• CD05-68,
• CD05-72,
• CD06-09,
• CD06-15,
• CD06-34,
• CD06-67,
• CD06-78,

Memoranda History:

• CD07-25,
• CD07-51,
• CD08-22,
• CD08-51,
• CD08-71,
• CD10-58,
• CD10-69,
• CD10-97,
• CD11-75,
• CD12-102,
• CD13-38,
• CD13-80,
• CD15-50,
• CD16-63,
• CD16-64

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