Definitions
What is a caregiver entrusted with?
responsibility for a child's safety and well-being
What are two scenarios when an intake requires a Screening Team Meeting?
• reports on a parent(s)/caregiver(s) or child(ren) involved in a currently open case; and
• reports that involve 3 separate 51A incidents in 12 months.
• reports where there is a disagreement between the Screener and the Supervisor about the screening decision;
• reports recommended to be screened-out when the reviewing APM intends to overturn the decision;
• reports involving a parent(s)/caregiver(s) or child(ren) as the subject of a response conducted within the last 2 years that did not result in an open case;
• reports involving a parent(s)/caregiver(s) or child(ren) involved in a case that has been closed for less than 2 years;
• reports involving a parent(s)/caregiver(s) involved with the Department (or another state’s child welfare system) as a child(ren);
• reports involving a parent(s) subject to a prior protective custody order and/or Termination of Parental Rights (TPR) in Massachusetts or another state, if known; and/or
• any other report that the Screener, Intake Supervisor, or APM believes could benefit from Screening Team review and input.
How long do RWs have to see the home for a non-emergency response?
Within 3 working days
Name 3 professions that are Mandated Reporters
Physicians, medical interns, hospital personnel engaged in the examination, care or treatment of persons, medical examiners;
• Emergency medical technicians, dentists, nurses, chiropractors, podiatrists, optometrists, osteopaths;
• Public or private school teachers, educational administrators, guidance or family counselors;
• Early education, preschool, childcare or afterschool program staff, including any person paid to care for, or work with, a child in any public or private facility, home or program that is funded or licensed by the Commonwealth and provides child care or residential services. This includes staff of childcare resource and referral agencies, family childcare providers and child care food programs;
• Childcare licensors, such as staff from the Department of Early Education and Care;
Protective Intake Policy Revised 6/22/2020
DCF Policy Manual, Chapter I: Intake 4
• Social workers, foster parents, probation officers, clerks, magistrate of the district courts, and parole officers;
• Firefighters and police officers;
• School attendance officers;
• Allied mental health and human services professionals licensed pursuant to MGL c. 112, § 165;
• Psychiatrists, psychologists, clinical social workers, and drug and alcoholism counselors;
• Persons in charge of a medical or other public or private institution, school, or facility or any agent acting on behalf of such persons;
• Clergy members (including priests, rabbis and accredited Christian Science practitioners), who are ordained or licensed leaders of any church or religious body, persons performing official duties on behalf of a church or religious body, or persons employed by a church or religious body to supervise, educate, coach, train or counsel a child on a regular basis;
• Animal control officers; and
• The Child Advocate.
Timeframes for response begin when the report is received, not when the Response Worker is assigned.
True.
Emergency
A situation where the failure to take immediate action would place a child at substantial risk of death, serious emotional or physical injury, or sexual abuse.
What are the 2 things that Screeners are required to do during screening?
CORI and SORI checks
Local Law Enforcement Check
Name 2 conditions under which a Response Worker may request additional time beyond the standard 15-day non-emergency response window?
Waiting for completion of a SAIN interview.
Awaiting pertinent medical or lab information.
Receipt of a new 51A with new/different allegations.
At DA/law enforcement request.
Family temporarily out of state/country.
What happens when there is a conflict or disagreement between the RW and Supervisor on response outcome?
The APM is consulted and is responsible for final decision-making. The APM documents the final decision.
A Screener may extend the screening timeframe by up to two working days without approval if waiting for collateral information.
False. Only one additional working day is allowed, and it must be approved by the ACM/designee
Risk
The potential for future harm to a child
A 51A Report is filed on an license kinship foster home. The child is open on a case out of the Berkshire Area Office, as the parents live in Pittsfield. The foster home is in Greenfield. Who is responsible for screening the report?
SIU
When does an Early Intervention referral have to be made?
When there is a Support or Substantiated Concern finding involving a child under age 3
When the Department receives a report that alleges a child who is a resident of another state was abused or neglected in her/his home state and the child is currently in Massachusetts, the Department should...
Collaborate with the child protective service agency in the child’s home state to obtain sufficient information to determine whether the Department must: (1) screen in the report and coordinate a response; and/or (2) file a report on behalf of the child(ren) with the child(ren)’s home state child protective service agency.
Parents or caregivers may be asked to sign releases to permit collateral sources to disclose information relevant to the family’s situation to DCF. If a parent or caregiver refuses to sign a release the RW still contacts any collateral likely to have relevant information. True or False?
True
Danger
A condition in which a caregiver’s actions or behaviors have resulted in harm to a child or may result in harm to a child in the immediate future.
What is the definition of Invalid Allegation?
If the Department determines based on the information obtained during screening that no abuse or neglect has taken place and the report is frivolous
Name a child vulnerability
Age of child
Diagnosed medical or mental/behavioral health disorder
School age, but not attending school
Intellectual, developmental or physical disability
Limited visibility in the community and/or access to other adults
List 5 Parental Capacities
Knowledge of Parenting and Child Development
Building Social and Emotional Competence of Children
Parental Resilience
Social Connections
Concrete Support in Times of Need
“Residence” for jurisdictional purposes is determined by where the child last stayed, even if less than 30 days.
False. Residence is established after 30 days with no plan to relocate.
Reasonable Cause to Believe
A collection of facts, knowledge or observations which tend to support or are consistent with the allegations and when viewed in light of the surrounding circumstances and the credibility of persons providing relevant information, would lead a reasonable person to conclude that a child has been abused or neglected.
When is a discretionary DA referral made?
when the Screener, in consultation with the Supervisor, determines that the report or information gathered during screening identifies other serious criminal activity that may impact the safety or well-being of any child(ren) or a serious threat to public safety
The Protective Intake Policy outlines the procedures for gathering information from the family and gathering additional information. Who is the last person that policy outlines should be interviewed?
The person alleged to be responsible for the abuse or neglect.
When can a RW discontinue a response?
If the Response Worker obtains information during the response which would have resulted in a decision to screen out the 51A report, the Response Worker, in consultation with the Supervisor, may request permission from the APM to discontinue the response. The APM approves the request, and the Response Worker ceases response activities and enters a decision of Unsupport into the electronic record.
“Danger” refers to a potential for future harm, while “risk” refers to immediate threat of harm
False. It’s the opposite: Danger = immediate threat, Risk = potential future harm.