NCJ Number
129509
Date Published
1987
Length
35 pages
Annotation
This handbook lists procedures for investigation of cases of child abuse and neglect in out-of-home care settings.
Abstract
Guidelines are provided for the identification and reporting of abuse by staff in institutional settings and cover the who, what, when, how, and to whom of the incident. The 2-step process of the investigation is then described. The first stage is the responsibility of the county department of social services, and the second stage is the responsibility of the licensing or certifying authority. The corrective action planning, negotiation, and monitoring is completed by the second stage investigator and a corrective action agreement is developed and signed by all parties concerned. Causative factors of child abuse in out-of-home setting such as inappropriate child placement, lack of training of child care staff, lack of administrative support for care givers, and selection and screening of childcare staff are examined and appropriate actions are recommended. Resources including a list of indicators of child abuse, report samples, a list of licensing and certifying authority in Colorado, investigation proceedings, summaries, and interviewing techniques are appended.