4.5.1 Report is a Good Faith Report

4.5 Making the Initial Determination

4.5.1.1 Report is not a Good Faith Report (Initial Only)

After initial contact, the CPSW in conjunction with the supervisor will examine the following criteria to determine whether there is a good faith report:

• A thorough review of the requirements for each assigned allegation;
• The alleged victim(s) must be less than 18 years of age;
• The alleged victim(s) must either have been harmed or is at substantial risk of being harmed;
• There must be an abusive or neglectful incident or set of circumstances that caused the alleged harm or substantial risk of harm to the child.
• For abuse, the alleged perpetrator must be the child's parent, foster parent, guardian, immediate family member, any individual who resides in the same house as the child, the paramour of the child's parent or any person responsible for the child's welfare at the time of the alleged abuse (e.g., school teachers/personnel, day care staff, babysitters, residential staff, etc).
• For neglect, the alleged perpetrator must be the child's parent, guardian, foster parent or any person responsible for the child's welfare at the time of the report.
• All paperwork must be completed within 14 days.
• The alleged victim's environment must be observed for all investigations unless waived.

If a good faith report does not exist, the investigation is unfounded according to the guidelines delineated in the allegations and closed within the first14 days. Remember, some cases do not meet the threshold for a CPSW formal investigation.. However, parents may voluntarily request services, and the the CPSW shall make a CWS referral to the field office.

In addition to verbally notifying the alleged perpetrators of the recommended finding, the CPSW is responsible for notifying Mandated reporter(s),

• enforcement, if applicable
• ad litem, if applicable
• the Office of the Inspector General, if applicable.

When a report is unfounded, SCR notifies by letter the following individuals of the final report's outcome:

• Mandated reporters;
• Custodial parents, personal guardians, and legal custodians of the alleged child victims; guardian ad litem; and
• Alleged perpertartors.
• INSTRUCTIONS: If a physician made the report, consultation regarding the CPSW's recommended finding is to occur PRIOR to any other verbal or written notification to the family. If the medical professional's opinion about the finding differs with the proposed finding, consultation with the immediate supervisor AND the Department's medical director is to occur, with documentation in the case file.

The CPSW, with the consent of the parent and/or alleged perpetrator, informs any collaterals who were contacted during the investigation that the report was unfounded. If the parent approves, then the notification is done via a letter (CFS 459).

If the subject of the report believes that the report was made to harass him or her, he or she may request retention of the report at SCR and local index files. Such records are retained for five years.

Whenever there is an open service case with the Department or POS, it is the expectation that there will be full communication between the two workers around notification, information gathering, and the assessment of ongoing safety of the child(ren). Additionally, the CPSW and assigned permanency worker will review case information to date to determine any additional issues and recommended final finding.

4.5.1 Report is a Good Faith Report

The formal investigation begins as soon as the CPSW makes a determination that there is reasonable cause to believe that child abuse/neglect exists.

4.5.1 Report is a Good Faith Report