Chart 1 Time Line for AssessmentAn initial assessment consists of:
The Illinois DCFS model of assessment consists of four components:
The service plan is derived from a focused analysis of the above four components. The CERAP is used to determine immediate safety of the child. It answers the question, "Is the child likely to be harmed immediately or in the near future?" The CERAP is completed by the child protection services worker (CPSW) within 24 hours of seeing the child victim(s), by the permanency worker within 5 days of case opening, and at other case milestones. This instrument documents the presence of any safety factors, describes any family strengths or circumstances that mitigate the safety factor and, when the child is determined to be unsafe, details a safety plan to address the safety issues.
The Risk Assessment Protocol is used to determine the likelihood of any degree of future harm. This Protocol is completed using the Expanded Risk Factors Examples as a guide. The CPSW completes the risk assessment prior to closing an investigation. The answers to the questions listed in the "Assessment Analysis Leading to Case Disposition" drive the decision regarding case disposition. The permanency worker completes his/her risk assessment within 30 days after case opening and answers the questions in the "Assessment Analysis Leading to the Development of the Service Plan" section. These questions guide the permanency worker in determining the level of intervention, the permanency goal, service needs and outcomes that are documented on the service plan.
The purpose of the Risk Assessment Protocol is to:
1. Guide a comprehensive assessment of family and child factors. The Protocol guides the worker to the most critical risk factors that should be evaluated, providing an organized manner in which to record findings. It is a structured process that is designed to assist with assessment, interpretation and service recommendations.
2. Provide a basis of information that will provide a strong foundation for client service plans. The client service plan should be a negotiated agreement between the Department and the family regarding what tasks and activities will be needed to resolve an identified problem. The purpose of the assessment is to identify the problems, strengths and needs of the family in order to identify the services necessary to provide a safe, stable family life. The Risk Assessment Protocol enhances the capacity of service staff to make a more focused assessment of service needs.
3. Standardize the documentation of assessment information. Child welfare staff spend a large percentage of their time assessing family risk, service needs and progress. The Protocol provides an organized way to periodically record the findings that result from these efforts. The standardized format provides supervisory staff and other professional staff with access to the most current assessment information as well as the ability to compare the current assessment ratings with those recorded from prior assessments. The use of the Risk Assessment Protocol allows the availability of the cumulative assessment knowledge to remain consistent from case to case. The Protocol also provides a common frame of reference and terminology in which risk-related assessment information can be shared between staff, offices and agencies statewide.
Upon thorough evaluation, the assessment factors that appear on the Risk Assessment Protocol lead to the development of an effective, focused client service plan. The Protocol ensures that the immediacy, method of contact and extent of service intervention are consistent with the assessed level of risk. Consequently, in service planning, the factors that are identified as contributing to or having an impact on the maltreatment incident will be addressed through appropriate services.
The Expanded Risk Factor Examples is a guide for workers in determining whether a risk factor impacted or contributed to the maltreatment. It contains examples or illustrations of situations that, if present, constitute moderate to high risk of harm to a child. It is not intended to be exclusive of all possible situations that may arise. If a worker is confronted with a scenario that is not noted on the Expanded Risk Factor Examples, the worker should consult his/her supervisor for direction on how to conduct the risk analysis for that factor.
Specialty indicators, to be used along with the Risk Assessment Protocol, assess the possible presence of substance abuse, mental illness, domestic violence, developmental disabilities and history of sex abuse. If the indicator points to the presence of any of these conditions, the worker will refer for further screening or assessment.
Specialty assessments are those assessments completed by professionals outside the department with expertise in specialized areas. For appropriate cases the CPSW refers the child or family to these experts for assessment and diagnosis. The specialty assessments include:
The social history, completed within 30 days of case opening and documented on the Social History format, provides an in-depth assessment of the child, caretaker, paramour and family functioning that will aid the worker in developing a service plan with the family. In the social history, the permanency worker focuses on the significant risk factors that contributed to or impacted the maltreatment as well as other pertinent factors: gathering information in these areas, analyzing the information and developing a service plan which addresses the safety and risk factors.
The immediate and ongoing safety and risk issues are paramount and are always the basis for decisions. The assessment must also evaluate the well-being and permanency needs of the child(ren) for whom the Department has legal responsibility. The assessment addresses whether the safety factors are controlled sufficiently to allow the child to remain at home or to return home, or whether protective custody is required. Ongoing assessment aids the family and worker in knowing when the child can return home. The initial assessment is completed by the permanency worker within 30 days of case opening. This initial assessment forms the basis for the initial service plan and the determination of service needs. The comprehensive assessment (to be completed within 45 days after case opening) involves obtaining the results of any specialty assessments that may be needed while continuing the in-depth exploration of family functioning and the underlying conditions that led to the incident of maltreatment. Ongoing assessment throughout the life of a case explores any changes in safety or risk factors, measures reasonable progress by the family in the service plan as well as reasonable efforts on the part of the worker, and describes the child's well-being needs.
Chart 1 illustrates the timelines for completing certain documents in the assessment process.
Chart 1 Time Line for Assessment
At different points in the assessment process the worker will be collaborating with other professionals to determine whether court involvement is appropriate, medical conditions requiring treatment exist, the child's educational program is appropriate, etc. The following Table of Department Resources provides the worker with a list of resources available within the Department, what their specific roles are and how to contact these resources.
Department Resources
Resource |
Role |
How to Contact |
Nurse specialist |
Consultation on medical issues |
Assigned to field office; located in each regional office |
Educational Access Project |
Provides support to child welfare staff through Educational Advisors and Educational Liaisons to accomplish the goals of quality education. It includes the Educational Advocates Program, which provides training and support for DCFS foster parents and caregivers |
Education and Transition Services 1115 N. North St. Educational advisors and liaisons are located in the regional offices |
Developmental Disabilities Program |
Coordinates the transition of aging teens with developmental disabilities to Department of Human Services-funded adult living arrangements. |
Developmental Disabilities Specialist |
Education Coordination Program |
Provides statewide technical assistance to surrogate parents, local school district staff, child welfare staff on educational issues involving DCFS youth and the Alternative Schools Network Project. |
Education Coordinator |
Pregnant and Parenting Teen Programs |
Provides all services that address their needs both as children and as parents. Contracts with Uhlich Children's Home (Teen Parenting Service Network) and several other agencies to provide comprehensive services to pregnant and parenting teens in Cook County. |
Project Coordinator-Cook County Project Coordinator-Downstate |
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Department Resources (continued)
Resource |
Role |
How to Contact |
Transitioning to Adulthood Services |
For youth ages 14-21 years old. Provides services that help teens transition to adulthood and independence. Under this program are the Youth in Transition Program, Youth in College, Youth in Employment, the Department's Scholarship Program and Statewide Independent Living Coordination placement review. |
ILO Transition Admin. & Youth in College Spec. Cook ILO Coordinator Downstate Transition Coordinator; Downstate ILO Coord. |
Educational advisors |
Consultation on special education, ensuring that children receive appropriate educational services |
Located in each regional office |
Domestic violence |
Provides direction and clinical consulta-tion on cases involving domestic violence. Establishes policy and procedure guidelines related to families the Department is involved with. |
100 W. Randolph, 6-200 |
AIDS Project |
Manages resources and clinical consultation for HIV-affected children and families who are involved with DCFS. Access to community HIV programs can be facilitated and counseling and legal services for any parent who HIV who wishes to make permanency plans for their children is offered. The AIDS Project also offers training for potential foster parents and staff. |
1921 S. Indiana, 8th floor |
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Department Resources (continued)
Resource |
Role |
How to Contact |
Sexually Abusive Children & Youth Program |
Provides clinical consultation and oversight to caseworkers, supervisors and caregivers working with a child whose sexual behavior is problematic or abuse of others. Also provides training for DCFS and private agency staff to better educate the child welfare community about children who abuse other children. |
Statewide Coordinator Regional SACY coordinators located in each regional office |
Early Childhood |
Promotes early literacy for children of teen parents and very young children in foster care. The program's goal is to increase the time parents spend on literacy activities with their children and to have every eligible child acquire their own library card. |
Statewide Project Director |
Behavioral Health Services |
Provides an administrative umbrella for many existing and future clinical activities and is responsible for developing, implementing and coordinating the Department's diverse behavioral health activities. |
Office of Behavioral Health Services |
Regional clinical specialists |
Consultation on emotional, mental health and behavioral issues of children and adults; residential placement; psychiatric hospitalizations. |
Assigned to field office; located in each regional office |