Ventura County Grand Jury • 1995-1996

Public Social Services Agency Children’s Protective Services Division

5 pages

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⚠️ Este contenido ha sido traducido automáticamente. El texto original en inglés es la versión oficial. La traducción puede contener errores.

Findings 10 findings

When a Social Worker receives a call reporting possible child abuse: a. Specific facts are requested from the caller and written on a form. b. The Supervisor is notified. c. The Worker goes out immediately if it is determined that there may be imminent danger. Otherwise meetings are scheduled between the worker and the family. d. The child may be removed by the Worker to a "shelter home" on a temporary basis. e. A Court date is set for hearing and the court decides on the placement of the child.

When visiting a family about which little is known, the Worker often takes a cellular phone to call for help quickly, if necessary, and to arrange needed referrals for the family. A limited number of phones are kept in the office to be shared by all the Workers.

In cases where the family does not speak English, a translator is provided.

A plan for improving the family situation or for Family Reunification is drawn up by the Worker and agreed to by the family.

The parents must show that they are complying with the plan and following the assignments. These may include: a. Attending drug/ alcohol rehabilitation programs b. Anger management classes c. Personal counseling d. Homemaker skills and/or parenting classes e. Additional professional services may be ordered by the court.

The Worker monitors the family by making visits and writing reports during the next 6 months. The case is placed on inactive status when the family meets the requirements of the plan.

If the police answer a call reporting child abuse, a) it may be necessary to take the child to the police station, b) the social worker is notified and comes to evaluate the child, c) the social worker may take the child to a shelter home immediately, or d) in other instances, the Social Worker calls the police if there is violence in the home that she is visiting.

Doctors, teachers and other caregivers who work with children are mandated by law to report suspected abuse and/or neglect.

According to law, homelessness by itself is not sufficient reason to remove a child from its parents.

F10

A case can be opened if the social worker determines that a child is at risk from danger, neglect or abuse. COURT PROCEEDINGS

Recommendations 11

R1

Add staff to the Emergency Response Shift so that more calls can be answered, particularly between 6:00 PM and 11:00 PM during the week and in the afternoon and evenings of weekends and holidays. There should be a Worker available to handle an additional incident of "imminent danger" as well as to respond to less serious calls.
R2

Gather statistics to show the number of calls, serious and otherwise, that come in at specific hours of the evening, weekends and holidays. This will help determine the number of personnel needed to handle high priority calls effectively.
R3

Set up more programs of cooperation and information sharing with local police departments.
R4

Revise the procedures to allow Social Workers to contact the police directly in certain emergency situations, rather than having to obtain permission from the Supervisor.
R5

Provide an adequate number of individual cellular phones for emergency use while making home visits. Individual phones would provide the Worker with added protection and safety. Management controls should be established to assure that phones are used only for essential, official calls.
R6

Recruit more "shelter homes" that can be used on short notice.
R7

Obtain fully qualified community/county service providers in sexual abuse counseling, particularly for perpetrators, the non-offending parent and the victim. There should be a provider in the East County as well as the West County.
R8

Recruit more community/ county service providers for professional family counseling coordinated with personal counseling and classes in "parent education".
R9

Increase the efficiency of the County Foster Care Licensing Department so the public will be better informed regarding the need for long-term Foster Homes. Information regarding the acute need and the qualifications, responsibilities and financial arrangements should be sent to the media and public/ private agencies.
R10

Review PSSA Adoption Services procedures in certain cases to shorten the time a child is "in the system."
R11

Parents who have inflicted serious injury or cruelty to their children should also be limited to less than the current 12-18 months of public services to reunify the family. 87