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Home > Responding to Child Abuse & Neglect > Overview
Overview
Responding to child abuse and neglect involves protecting children from harm and supporting families to reduce the risk of future harm to children. Reports from professionals and concerned citizens are received by child protective services (CPS) staff alerting them to concerns about a child's welfare. CPS staff may initiate an investigation to determine if a child has been or is at risk of being harmed. Staff may also assess the child's and family's needs or engage in other interventions to support the family's efforts to provide a safe, nurturing environment for their children. CPS professionals may work with law enforcement, courts, other professionals, and community members to protect children and support families.
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A Coordinated Response to Child Abuse and Neglect: The Foundation for Practice
Office on Child Abuse and Neglect (HHS) User Manual Series (2003)
Overview of prevention efforts and the child protection process from identification and reporting, through investigation and assessment, to service provision and case closure. (PDF - 4110 KB)
How Does the Child Welfare System Work?
Child Welfare Information Gateway (2005)
Purposes and functions of child welfare from a national perspective, including what happens when a report of possible abuse or neglect is made, when a report is screened in, and when a case is substantiated. (PDF - 254 KB)
National Resource Center for Child Protective Services
Provides training, technical assistance, and other support to State, local, and Tribal child welfare agencies to assist with achievement of safety, permanency, and well-being for children and families.
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Child Abuse: Types, Signs, Symptoms, Causes, and Help
Helpguide (2004)
Information on consequences and help for children, parents, and adult survivors.
Child Abuse and Neglect: Guidelines for Identification, Assessment, and Case Management
Peterson, Strachan, Durfee, Michael, Coulter, & Kevin (Eds.) (2003)
View Abstract
Child abuse and neglect, risk factors, intervention, child fatalities, prevention, and administrative issues.
Child Protection in Indian Country: A Handbook for Indian Health Service and Bureau of Indian Affairs
Center on Child Abuse and Neglect (2005)
Provides an overview and discusses incidence, reporting process, duties of child protection teams, and related topics.
A Child's Journey Through the Child Welfare System
The Pew Commission on Children in Foster Care (2003)
Discusses the impact of decisions made at each stage of the child protection and foster care process. Typical procedures are identified and statistics of children in custody during 2001 are highlighted. (PDF - 80 KB)
CWLA Standards of Excellence for Services for Abused and Neglected Children and Their Families
Child Welfare League of America (1999)
View Abstract
These goals for continuous improvement of child protective service systems address services to be provided, social work practice, the role of the community, cooperation with civil and criminal justice systems, program organization and administration, and child placement.
A Family's Guide to the Child Welfare System (PDF - 846 KB)
Georgetown University Center for Child and Human Development (2003)
Addresses many questions families face when involved with the child welfare system.
Also available in Spanish: Guía Para la Familia Sobre el Sistema de Bienestar Infantil (PDF - 889 KB)
Leaving Your Child Home Alone
Every parent eventually faces the decision to leave their child home alone for the first time. This factsheet provides some questions for parents to consider before leaving their children home alone, as well as tips to help make the experience safe and successful for all.
National Center for Children Exposed to Violence
A comprehensive website providing Internet resources and a bibliographic database of information on the effects of violence exposure on children. The center also provides training and technical assistance to a variety of collaborative community programs that respond to children and families exposed to violence.
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