Foster Care System and its Advantages

After a report is filed by either a mandated reporter or a concerned citizen, Child Protective Services begins a screening process. During the screening process, Child Protective Services determines whether the information provided in the report is enough to merit an investigation. CPS also uses this process to ensure that the information provided is accurate and meets the definition of abuse or neglect (stopitnow.org).

After Child Protective Services decides that the case reported is legitimate, they are required to begin an investigation within a time period that is specified by the state.

In most cases, this time period is within twenty-four to forty-eight hours. However, when it is determined that the child is not in any immediate danger, Child Protective Services is given more time before they begin their investigation. Investigations into child abuse and neglect are very meticulous and take approximately thirty days.

These cases are managed by Child Protective Services or the police, and in some cases, both. In cases where criminal actions have taken place, only the police can make arrests. While CPS and the police preside over these investigations, they are far from the only parties involved. Abuse and neglect investigations are conducted by a team of professionals including a protective services worker, a doctor, therapist, social worker, and law enforcement officials. During abuse and neglect investigations, the child and the child's parents are interviewed.

Other individuals who would have information regarding the child's safety such as neighbors, teachers, child care providers, doctors, and therapists are interviewed as well. Another critical part of the investigation is a home evaluation. A home evaluation consists of viewing the home of the child whose safety is in question. This is a critical step because it allows the investigator to get a more comprehensive understanding of the case at hand. The CPS investigation also includes the review of documents including but not limited to: police reports, criminal history, medical reports, and school reports (stopitnow.org).

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