Lesson Three - Investigation

• What is CPS?
• Criteria
• CPS Response
• Categories
• Investigation
• Latchkey Children
• CC Partnership
• Creating Policies
• Family Court

The CPS Investigation

CPS goes to great lengths to investigate child abuse/neglect complaints to make sure they are accurate and handled appropriately. The following is a quick overview (most of which we have already covered) of the appropriate actions taken by CPS to ensure the best quality and services to children and their families. 

1) Respond promptly to complaints (usually within 24 hours) of alleged neglect, abuse, exploitation or improper custody of children in order to determine the validity of the complaint. 

2) Determine whether the complaint is to be investigated by CPS staff or referred to the prosecuting attorney for law enforcement investigation.

3) Complete a safety assessment on all families, except those families CPS is unable to locate, or situations in which no evidence of child abuse or neglect is found. 

4) Determine whether there is a preponderance of evidence of child abuse or neglect. 

5) Evaluate the risk of future harm to the children in the home, using factors which present risk of immediate harm (safety) and any interventions which can keep the child safe, and determine whether the children should remain in the home or whether emergency action is required. 

6) Determine and identify the family problems which contributed to or resulted in abuse/neglect and the family strengths which can be built on for the purpose of referring the family to community services.

7) Taking into consideration family strengths, evaluate the potential for treatment of the underlying factors to ameliorate risk factors and assist the family to take adequate care of the child. 

8) Develop a services agreement for those cases in which is confirmed a preponderance of evidence of abuse/neglect AND which fall into Category II or I. It is expected that the service agreement be developed in consultation with the parents/responsible adults and kinship family support network. The goal is to stabilize and rehabilitate the family through services of the agency, purchased services or the use of other appropriate community resources to meet the special needs of the children and parents. In counties with appropriate resources, procedures and training of Family Unity Models, family group decision-making or other family decision-centered meetings may be used. Intensive in-home services including the use of kin support resources must be considered in an effort to prevent out-of-home placement. 

9) For Category III cases (preponderance of evidence confirmed; low or moderate risk), make a referral to a community-based agency or FIA for the provision of needed services. Feedback from the community will help identify those cases in which services, if not received by the family, will substantially increase risk of abuse/neglect to the child. 

10) Utilize the authority of the Family Court in situations where there is serious risk to the children should they remain at home, or where there is active resistance to CPS intervention, and that resistance is placing the child in an imminent risk situation. 

Source: Michigan Family Independence Agency Children’s Protection Services Manual, Sections 711-1

BACK | NEXT