5.3.6 Face to Face Safety Assurance of Victim
The Children’s Service Worker shall assure the safety of the alleged victim within structured decision making timeframes through direct observation of the child.
NOTE: While a multi-disciplinary team member’s face to face contact with an alleged victim may be used to assure initial safety in Family Assessments, every effort should be made by the Children’s Service Worker to assure for the child’s safety through direct observation whenever possible. The Children’s Service Worker shall be responsible for ensuring that a multi-disciplinary contact used for the purpose of assuring safety is sufficient for the interim until the worker will see the child directly.
If the family/child is not seen within the first 24 hours, as it has been determined through multi-disciplinary contacts that the child is safe in the interim, documentation of the factors indicating how the child’s safety was assured must be recorded in the CPS-1 and CPS-1A. All household children, including the alleged victim, must be seen by the Children’s Division within 72 hours in all cases.
If the worker is unable to otherwise assure the safety of the alleged victim(s), face to face contact by the Children’s Service Worker with all children named as victims on the CA/N-1 must be made within 24 hours (or within 3 hours if Response Priority is 1).
Safety of any child located in another county or State must be assured by direct contact with the child by courtesy request of that county, or State. Additionally, any county assuring safety must complete a safety assessment, and when necessary, a legibly signed safety plan, which must be sent to the requesting county within specified timeframes.
Chapter Memoranda History: (prior to 1/31/07)
CS03-51, CD05-35, CD05-72, CD06-34