Child Safety FrameworkChild Safety Framework Central to our core mission

Child Safety FrameworkChild Safety Framework Informs and guides child safety decisions throughout the life of a case. Provides precise language and clear definitions. Strengthens child safety assessments and planning. Guides appropriate placement decisions.

The likelihood (chance, potential, prospect) for parenting behavior that is harmful and destructive to a childs cognitive, social, emotional and/or physical development and those with parenting responsibility are unwilling or unable to behave differently.

Safe Child Children are considered safe when there are no present danger or impending danger threats or the caregivers protective capacities control all known safety threats. Definition:

Unsafe Child Children are considered unsafe when they are vulnerable to present or impending danger and caregivers are unable or unwilling to provide protection. Definition:

Present danger is immediate, significant and clearly observable severe harm or threat of severe harm occurring in the present. Definition: Present Danger

Impending Impending Danger Parenting behavior that is harmful and destructive to a childs cognitive, social, emotional or physical development that is likely to occur in the immediate or near future that could result in one or more of the following outcomes: Serious or severe harm Injury requiring medical attention Life endangering illness Death Definition:

CapacitiesProtective Capacities Behavioral, cognitive and emotional characteristics that can specifically and directly be associated with a persons ability and willingness to care and keep a child safe. Definition:

Risk is concerned withSafety is concerned with Whether a family is more or less likely to have another incident of abuse or neglect without agency intervention Current dangerous family conditions and behaviors The assessment of future maltreatment on a continuum from low to very high Severe forms of maltreatment only and the certainty of the severe effects on the child Characteristics of family functioningFamily conditions that meet the safety threshold Current and historical information, patterns, and behaviors Specific threats to a childs safety now or in the near-future Family conditions and behaviors that impair parenting capacity Family conditions and behaviors that are currently out-of-control Evaluation of conditions and behaviors that may need services and treatment Conditions and behaviors that require control and management A limited number of validated characteristics that are related to the likelihood of future abuse or neglect A limited number of specific factors threatening child safety

Parent parks her car in front of the pharmacy and leaves her 2-year- old and 6-month-old in the car in their car seats while she gets prescriptions filled for the children. She watches them from the front door of the pharmacy while she waits for her prescription. Safety Threat Risk or Safety Threat?

Dad is depressed. He is reluctant about taking his medication because it makes him feel out of it. He cant stand his job; doesnt see how things will be different; has little energy to spend time with the children. Dad is inconsistent in providing some meals but the children are generally fed. Children go to school dirty and tired because the Dad is inconsistent about cleaning their clothes and getting them to bed. Safety Threat Risk or Safety Threat?

Parent is picked up by police for drunk driving and has children in the car. Safety Threat Risk or Safety Threat?

Threats to Child Safety are very different than Risk of Maltreatment Having a real and practical understanding of the differences will have a profound effect on the safety decisions you make daily.

Immediate and significant Clearly observable Occurring in the present Child MUST be protected from the present danger Child may or may not need ongoing protection Assess for Impending Danger Present Danger

Responding to Present Danger vs. Responding to Imminent Danger 1. Present danger threats are controlled by immediate protective actions 2. Impending danger threats are controlled by safety plans: Impending danger threats are identified through a comprehensive safety assessment Safety plans are developed with families and other child safety supports

Present danger is immediate, significant and clearly observable severe harm or threat of severe harm occurring in the present requiring immediate protective response. Definition: Controlling Present Danger with Protective Actions

Immediate, short-term and sufficient to protect a child while the comprehensive safety assessment is completed. The parents or caregivers are not relied upon to ensure that the protective action is effective. Includes the participation of others committed to the safety of the child. Controlling Present Danger with Protective Actions

Those responsible for protective actions are reliable, committed, available, trustworthy, allied to the childs safety and implementation of the plan Describable, provides clarity on how protective actions will work Includes timeframes and logistics, who will do what and when Not voluntary

Martinez Case Scenario Answer and Identify the following: 1.Present danger threats 2.Necessary protective actions 3.Next steps Present Danger Practice

Mother of 1 month old twins has post partum depression which is untreated. She sleeps most of the day while her husband is at work. She has not shared her feelings with her husband because he just thinks she is lazy. Example of Present Danger

The father of three small children (ages 1, 5 and 6) is high, incoherent and physically disoriented when you show up for the initial contact. Example of Present Danger

A child has a broken arm and cracked ribs and the injuries are assessed to be the result of physical abuse.

Example of Present Danger A three-year-old child in relative care is found wandering on a busy street and the relatives whereabouts are unknown.

Example of Present Danger A dependent six-year-old is last seen by a teacher four days ago. The child was last observed with a black eye and bruise on the neck. Now the relatives are not responding to calls from the social worker and refused to allow the social worker to see the child when the social worker visited the home.

Example of Present Danger A 15-year-old tells her friend that her moms boyfriend has been touching and grabbing at her breasts and that she is afraid of him. The mom has been working swing shift. The boyfriend comes over when her mom is working and leaves before she comes home. He told her that he loves her, not her mom. She told her mom that he had been grabbing at her chest and her mom told her that she was a whore and was probably leading him on. 15-year-old is returning home and boyfriend will be at the residence.

Example of Present Danger A 14-year-old boy in special education classes comes to school with redness and bruising on his jaw and cheek. He tells the teacher that his father hit him last night. He says that his father hits him a lot and has been telling the boy that he likes to fight him. The boy says that usually he doesnt mind but this time his dad hit him all over his head really hard and that he doesnt want to go home.

Can occur at anytime throughout the life of a case Happening right now Must be addressed on a continual basis never stop assessing present danger during the case When identified protective action(s) must be taken immediately to protect the childs safety Follow up with Safety Assessment to determine if child is in Impending Danger Present Danger Summary

CA is responsible for the safety of children and this responsibility cannot be delegated to others. Protective actions, safety planning and continuous safety management are the strategies used by CA to keep children safe. Responsibility for SafetyResponsibility for Safety

Family, friends, relatives, and other child welfare partners are included in the development, implementation, and monitoring of the plan. Analysis to determine the type of safety plan implemented includes assessing the suitability and reliability of potential plan participants. Responsibility for SafetyResponsibility for Safety

Supporting Best Practice Moving Away from Incident Based Practice Information Based Safety Assessment

Gathering Information Gathering Information to determine if Impending Danger Exists 1.What is the nature and extent of maltreatment? 2.What surrounding circumstances accompany the maltreatment? 3.How does the child/children function on a daily basis? 4.How does the parent/caregiver discipline the child? 5.What are the overall parenting and child care practices? 6.How does the parent/caregiver manage his/her own life on a daily basis?

Gathering Questions Gathering Questions This will be documented in FamLink: Investigative Assessment Comprehensive Family Evaluation FAR Family Assessment

Weigh all gathered information Assign significance to the information Determine if safety threats exists Assessing

Impending Impending Danger Parenting behavior that is harmful and destructive to a childs cognitive, social, emotional or physical development that is likely to occur in the immediate or near future that could result in one or more of the following outcomes: Serious or severe harm Injury requiring medical attention Life endangering illness Death Definition:

Threats to a childs safety that are not immediate, obvious, or occurring at onset of CPS intervention Threats are identified and understood through individual and family relationships and functioning Without safety intervention one could reasonably judge potential for severe harm Impending Impending Danger

Safety Threshold In order to determine if a safety threat exists ALL of the 5 criteria must be met: 1.Severe consequences to a child 2.Immediate or will occur in the near future 3.Vulnerable child in relation to the safety threat 4.Out of control 5.Behaviors, conditions, etc., are specific, observable and clearly understood

1.The family/facility situation results in no adults in the home/facility performing parenting duties and responsibilities that assure childs safety. 2.The family/facility situation is that the living/child care arrangement(s) seriously endanger the childs physical health. 3.Caregiver(s) are acting (behaving) violently or dangerously and the behaviors affect child safety. Washington Safety ThreatsWashington Safety Threats

4.There has been an incident of domestic violence that affects child safety. If Yes, complete the questions below: The domestic violence perpetrator has caused serious harm or threats of harm against the adult victim/caregiver of the child. The domestic violence perpetrator has seriously harmed or threatened serious harm to the child. The level of violence and/or threats towards either the adult victim or child is increasing so that serious harm is likely to occur. There are other indications of increased dangers from the domestic violence perpetrator such as suicide threats or attempts, substance abuse or threats with weapons. Washington Safety ThreatsWashington Safety Threats

5.Caregiver(s) will not or cannot control their behavior and their behavior affects child safety. 6.Caregiver(s) perceives child in extremely negative terms 7.Caregiver(s) do not have or do not use resources necessary to meet the childs immediate basic needs which present an immediate threat of serious harm to a child. 8.Caregivers attitudes, emotions and behavior are such that they are threatening to severely harm a child or are fearful they will maltreat the child or request placement. Washington Safety ThreatsWashington Safety Threats

9.Caregiver(s) intend(ed) to seriously hurt the child. 10.Caregiver(s) lack the parenting knowledge, skills, or motivation necessary to assure a childs safety. 11.Caregiver(s) overtly rejects CA intervention, refuses access to a child, or there is some indication that the caregiver(s) will flee. 12.Caregiver(s) are not meeting, cannot meet or will not meet the childs exceptional physical, emotional, medical, or behavioral needs. Washington Safety ThreatsWashington Safety Threats

13.Caregiver(s) cannot or will not explain childs injuries or maltreating condition(s) or explanation is not consistent with the facts. 14.A child has serious physical injuries or serious physical conditions resulting from maltreatment. Washington Safety ThreatsWashington Safety Threats

15.A child demonstrates serious emotional symptoms, self- destructive behavior and/or lack of behavioral control that results in provoking dangerous reactions in caregivers. 16. A child is extremely fearful of the home/facility situation or people within the home/facility. 17.Child sexual abuse is suspected, has occurred, or circumstances suggest sexual abuse is likely to occur. Washington Safety ThreatsWashington Safety Threats

Impending Danger Present Danger Gather 6 Gathering Questions Assess 17 Safety Threats 5 Safety Threshold Criteria Analyze 4 Safety Plan Questions Plan Safety Plan

Children in Licensed and Unlicensed Care When children are determined to be unsafe in licensed or unlicensed care, children are removed.

Safety Plan Analysis 1.There is a parent/caregiver or adult in the home. 2.The home is calm enough to allow safety providers to function in the home. 3.The adults in the home agree to cooperate with and allow an in-home plan. 4.Sufficient, appropriate, reliable resources are available and willing to provide safety services (or activities) and tasks.

Operation of Safety Threats Understanding how safety threats operate in an individual family requires consideration of: The degree of protection necessary to keep the child safe. The resources available and accessible to the family. How much effort is necessary to develop and implement a sufficient plan immediately.

Degree of Protection: How much protection is needed for each child? What is the parents awareness and acknowledgement of threats? What do they think their child needs in order to be safe? Operation of Safety Threats

Resources available/accessible to family: Who can help? Relatives, kin, friends, fictive kin Educators, medical providers Service providers What are they willing to do? What is their relationship to the family? What resources are easily available and accessible? Operation of Safety Threats

Effort needed to develop immediate and sufficient plan: Plans should only control and manage identified threats Plans do not attempt to evaluate or treat parents Plans should match the duration, frequency, and severity of identified threats Operation of Safety Threats

Determining Suitability/ Reliability of Safety Plan Participants Participants in the plan must be able to provide a greater level of protection for the children than the parent. Participants in plans are allied with the child and will take action to protect the child and notify the department if threats are present. Social workers will: Interview all potential safety plan participants Conduct background checks (FamLink and criminal history) on all potential safety plan participants

What is a Safety Plan? A Safety Plan is: A written agreement establishing how safety threats will be immediately managed and controlled. Implemented and active as long as threats to child safety exist and parental protective capacities are insufficient to protect and keep a child safe.

A Safety Plan contains: Detailed safety activities and tasks provided by suitable and reliable participants, including the social worker. Resources immediately accessible and available. Does not include parental promises. What is a Safety Plan?

Used for children in-home or out-of-home References all children in a family Clarifies role of parents Clarifies protective role of others Addresses all threats identified in the safety assessment What is a Safety Plan?

Manage and Control Developing a Safety Plan Sufficient to Manage and Control Threats A safety plan is sufficient to control threats or substitute for diminished protective capacities when it: Is a well thought-out approach Contains the most suitable people Takes the necessary actions, frequently enough

An Out-of-Home Safety Plan Controls and manages the identified safety threats Describes how the child will be safe during any contact with the parent: Supervised, unsupervised visits, by whom? Where? Transportation, by whom? Services that include contact between parent and child Describes how the child will be safe in placement Visits with social worker Health screens, school, etc.

Establishing Conditions Establishing Conditions for Return Home Use the Safety Plan Analysis to discuss with parents why the out-of-home plan was developed. Any of the four questions that were answered no determined the out-of-home plan. All four questions must be answered yes in order for an in-home plan to be developed. Parents should understand: The specific reasons why their children were removed. How the out-of-home safety plan will keep their children safe.

Conditions for Return HomeConditions for Return Home 1.Threats no longer exist and child is safe or existing threats can be controlled and managed with an in-home safety plan. What must occur for the control and management of the threats? All answers on the Safety Plan Analysis must be yes.

2.Parents recognize, acknowledge, and understand the threats: Acknowledgment that safety threats existed and that children were unsafe in the home. Progress has been made on understanding the identified safety threats and toward strengthening protective capacities. Parents may be able to articulate how the threats endangered their children. Conditions for Return HomeConditions for Return Home

3.An in-home safety plan can be sustained: Components and detail of an in-home plan are reliable. Family home has gained stability and predictability. Natural and other supports are accepted by parents and the resources available are also acceptable. Safety and protection of children will not be disrupted as children transition from an out-of-home to an in-home plan. Conditions for Return HomeConditions for Return Home

Reunification Children are reunified when an in-home safety plan can keep the child safe. Safety planning at reunification must include consideration of the impact of transition on safety, stability, and sustainability.

DifferencesSafety Plans and Differences in Safety Plans and Case Plans SAFETY PLANSCASE PLANS Focus on threats that are identified in the safety assessment Focus on behavioral changes to reduce safety threats and increase protective capacities Remain in place until threats are no longer present Provide the individual and family objectives that address the safety threats and are the basis for ongoing CA involvement

Managing and Monitoring Child Safety the Managing and Monitoring Child Safety throughout the Life of a Case CA staff in every program - CPS, FVS, CFWS, FRS - actively manage and monitor safety plans. Actively means that the social worker is diligent, seeks information, responds promptly to concerns, and follows up on activities and tasks in a timely manner.

Safety management means that CA is responsible for child safety until the parents can assume that role or another permanency option is implemented. Safety is the primary reason for intervention throughout the life of the case. Managing and Monitoring Child Safety the Managing and Monitoring Child Safety throughout the Life of a Case

Placement: Whenever possible discuss safety with children prior to placement Health and safety visits Establish safety expectations with placement providers, service providers, child welfare partners Visitation: Supervised or unsupervised, where should visits take place? Who should supervise? Expectations for safety during visits? Managing and Monitoring Child Safety the Managing and Monitoring Child Safety throughout the Life of a Case Review policy and documentation

Documents

Child Safety FrameworkChild Safety Framework Central to our core mission