§4 ch1: Recommending Placement
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1.5 Factors in Recommending Out-of-Home Care
The Children’s Service Worker and supervisor shall determine, through assessment and evaluation of the child and the family, that a referral to the juvenile court is necessary to protect the physical/emotional well-being of the child.
A preliminary screening is required on all cases when a Children’s Service Worker plans to recommend the removal of child(ren) except in the following situations:
- When a child cannot be adequately protected during the referral and assessment process and must be removed on an emergency; or
- When all caregivers have indicated that they will not cooperate with IIS.
A preliminary screening is defined as a conference between the Children’s Service Worker and Supervisor to determine if the case is appropriate to refer for Intensive In-Home Services.
The following factors should be considered when determining the need to make a referral to the juvenile court for removal of the child from the home:
- Safety Assessment (CD-17)
- Is the child in immediate danger or living in hazardous conditions that cannot be immediately remedied and may result in serious bodily harm;
- Is a crisis situation occurring which results in the temporary inability of parent(s) to give adequate care to the child;
- Do conditions of gross physical, emotional neglect, or abuse exist which cannot be immediately remedied or significantly reduced, or which can be expected to result in significant harm to the child;
NOTE: Serious danger or harm to the child should result in a recommendation for immediate placement.
- Is the strength of parent/child relationship so poor that the parent is providing inadequate support and guidance to the child;
- Is the mental and/or physical capacity of the parent(s) of such a nature that improving parenting skills to a minimally acceptable level becomes an extensive time-consuming process which interferes in the child’s normal growth and development. Are community resources non-existent that could substitute for or mediate the parent’s care;
Pursuant to 211.031 RSMo., an individual’s disability or disease cannot be the basis for a determination that a child is in need of care or it is necessary to remove a child from a parent's custody without a specific showing that there is a causal relationship between the disability or disease and a substantial and significant risk of harm to a child.
- Have all appropriate and available community/agency resources been offered to the family to prevent placement;
- Does the child have special needs that cannot be met if the child remains with the parent(s);
- Do problems reoccur which affect the well-being of child and interfere frequently with his/her growth and development;
- Has the parent(s) requested out-of-home care placement? Does evaluation of this request confirm the plan to be appropriate; or
- Has the Division made the required diligent and reasonable efforts to maintain the child in his/her own home?