Child-Protective Service Workers

A Child Protective Service worker is someone that is responsible for the safety of multiple children that have been abused and neglected. A CPS worker must be able to identify signs of abuse and neglect in order to help the child and place them in a safe environment or help the family stop neglecting that child. There job duties may include: counseling and support services for the children and parents, referring the children and family to additional services, placing children in foster care, and finding adoptive homes for the children. Their focal point is to ensure the safely of that child. A CPS workers job is stressful, time consuming, and heartbreaking but overall rewarding. The major reward for a CPS is knowing they are saving lives,

In addition to court process they also work with other professionals and community partners. CPS workers are accountable for at least 50 children every single day, which are about 20-30 investigating reports. The following steps after being assigned a case is the CPS worker has to investigate the conditions and talk with the people involved in that case and other significant individuals. After looking through the case and talking to every individual it is time to make a decision regarding the child’s safety. You make this decision by talking with your supervisor and other community partners. Making this choice can be very tough because that choice will impact that child and family eternally. Child Protective Services work with children to make sure they are in a secure environment. “Every year there are more than 3.6 million referrals made to child protection agencies involving more than 6.6 million children (a referral can include multiple children).” (Child Abuse Statistics) If the child is not safe CPS will follow a standard protocol when taking action to a child abuse case. First, they must look into the child safety. Secondly, if the child is a risk CPS will get involved and discuss with the family about how to diminish future mistreatment. Then help the child develop good coping skill due to the following abuse. On the other hand, if

Families may receive in-home care or out of home care. In-home care consists of parent education, safely planning and counseling. They also may receive housing, food, and clothing assistance, therapy and parent training. In-home care is essential for a child that has been mistreated. In-home services main goals are to make sure the child is safe, improving caretaking skills, and enhancing the potential for permanency. They are located in the community, a family’s household, or counseling facilities. Out- of-home care is when they are placed in residential settings. Out-of-home care is set up for reunification and to avoid potential