These procedures provide child welfare staff with guidelines for intake and intervention service follow-up in cases of physical abuse and risk of non-sexual physical abuse to children in paramour-involved families. Appendix H of Procedures 300, Reports of Child Abuse and Neglect, provides child protection staff with the same information with the addition of procedures for investigating reports involving paramours.
a) Definition of Paramour
For operational purposes, "paramour" means a significant other (e.g.,
· boyfriend,
· girlfriend,
· lover,
· partner,
· friend, or
· putative father)
who is involved in an intimate/romantic relationship with one of the natural parents of the children who come to the official attention of the Department through a child abuse or neglect investigation and/or open case; does not have a legally recognized and/or established relationship with all of the children; and may or may not live in the same household of the natural parent of the involved children.
Although stepparents (parental rights established via marriage) are not included in this definition, the following procedures should also be applied to any stepparent named as a perpetrator of physical abuse to a stepchild if the stepparent has not had a significant, continuous and stable relationship with the natural parent and involved stepchildren.
b) Identification of Paramour Involved Families
State Central Register (SCR) staff shall use the screening and assessment factors listed below to screen calls of alleged paramour inflicted physical abuse. LEADS checks should be initiated by SCR staff for reports of physical abuse or risk of non-sexual physical abuse where a paramour is identified as the alleged perpetrator.
Child protective investigators, Department and purchase of agency child welfare staff should assess single parent households to determine if a paramour is involved with the parent and children regardless of whether there is acknowledgement by the family that a paramour lives in the household or is significantly involved with the parent and children. The assessment must include information obtained from the parent, children, extended family, reporter, paramour, school personnel and other social service personnel in order to make an informed determination essential to the development of viable safety and service plans.
c) Screening and Assessment
The following minimum set of factors shall be considered by child protective investigators, Department and purchase of agency child welfare staff when assessing level of risk for all cases of physical abuse and risk of non-sexual physical abuse involving children of single parent households where a paramour has been named as the alleged perpetrator, or a paramour has been identified as being involved with the family, or a paramour is suspected of being involved with the family. Information gathered shall address the characteristics of the paramour, the dynamics of the relationship between the custodial parent and paramour, the custodial parent's history with paramours and spouses, the custodial parent's capacity to protect his or her children from abuse, and child factors that may increase the risk of abuse by a paramour.
1) Is there a biological relationship o the paramour to the involved children?
Note: There is an increased risk of abuse or neglect if the paramour is not the children's biological parent.
2) Is the paramour's involvement with the natural parent significant, continuous and stable?
A) Do the custodial parent and his or her children refer to the paramour in positive, affectionate terms to others such as school personnel or extended family?
B) Does the paramour refer to each child in positive, affectionate terms?
C) Does the paramour express negative attitudes or behaviors towards specific children in the household (e.g., unrealistic expectations for behavior, demeaning verbalizations, excessive corporal punishment, differential treatment as compared to other children in the home, etc.)?
D) Is the paramour actively involved in child rearing (e.g., child care, transportation, extra curricular activities, school conferences, provider for medical insurance, medical appointments, etc.)?
E) Do persons outside the home refer to the paramour as having a positive relationship with the involved children?
F) Are persons outside the home able to provide examples of the paramour's positive contributions to the involved children's well being?
G) Does the paramour's family recognize his or her involvement as a "parent" to the involved children that are not his or her biological children?
H) Have the paramour and natural parent established a joint residence?
I) Does the paramour provide emotional support to the custodial parent and/or involved children?
J) Does the paramour provide consistent financial support to the family?
K) Is the paramour financially dependent on the custodial parent?
3) Is the paramour misusing alcohol, prescription drugs, over the counter or illegal drugs?
4) Does the paramour have a criminal background established through a LEADS and local law enforcement records check.
5) Has the paramour been previously indicated as a perpetrator of child abuse or neglect?
6) Does the paramour have a history as an indicated perpetrator of child abuse or neglect in another state?
7) What are the custodial parent's and paramour's beliefs concerning child discipline? Have these beliefs been established through methods of discipline used by their parents?
8) Does the paramour have a history of mental illness?
A) Have the paramour ever been hospitalized because of the illness?
B) If yes, what medications are the paramour taking to treat the illness?
C) How are the medications stored in the home?
9) Is there a history of or a suspicion of domestic violence involving the paramour and custodial parent?
10) Does the custodial parent have a history of domestic violence with previous paramours or spouses?
11) Do the paramour have a history of multiple unstable adult relationships?
Note: Blended families involving multiple children with different biological parents often-present situations that prevent bonding between the custodial parent, paramour and children creating a greater risk for abuse.
12) Has the custodial parent and/or children expressed fear of the paramour?
13) Does the family have a current or previous protective service case?
Note: A review of prior CANTS reports must occur. The review must focus on the custodial parent and children's involvement with current and previous paramours or spouses, and whether those individuals abused the children in the family.
14) What were the custodial parent's awareness and/or involvement in incidents of child abuse or neglect?
A) What was the severity of the abuse?
B) Did the involved children require medical attention?
15) What is the capacity of the custodial parent to put the child's interest above his or her need for the relationship with the abusive paramour?
16) What steps were taken by the custodial parent to protect his or her children from abuse or neglect by the current paramour?
17) Does the custodial parent have the ability and willingness to continue protective behavior?
18) What are the ages of the children?
Note: Children who are ages 6 through 10 years of age are at high risk and children who are younger than 6 years of age are at the greatest risk of abuse.
19) Are any of the children hyperactive, behaviorally disordered, physically or mentally handicapped?
20) Are there any relational stresses between the paramour and custodial parent?
21) Is there another adult in the home who is willing and able to assist with ensuring the safety of the children?
Note: This person cannot have a criminal history or have been indicated for abuse or neglect as verified through CANTS, LEADS and law enforcement agency checks.
22) Is there a current or pending order of protection against the paramour?
d) During the Investigation
Investigative staff shall conduct weekly monitoring visits with the involve children during the course of all pending formal investigations, which have not yet been referred to follow-up staff, when the following conditions exists
1) a child victim is under ten years of age; or
2) a child victim is vulnerable to physical abuse and injury due to a handicapping condition; or
3) a child victim has been seriously injured.
However, the assigned Department or purchase of service agency caseworker shall conduct the weekly monitoring visit for families with open service cases unless other arrangements are made with the investigator. Monitoring visits shall be documented on the CFS 492.
e) Referral for Services
When possible, families shall be referred for services within 24 hours after identification of service needs and transitioned to follow-up services within 72 hours of the referral. The assigned caseworker shall provide weekly monitoring with the involved children until an investigative finding is made unless other arrangements are made with the child protective investigator. Monitoring visits shall be documented on the CFS 492.
f) Mandatory Case Opening
1) Investigative staff shall refer cases for mandatory case opening when a paramour is indicated for physical abuse and any of the following conditions exist:
A) a child victim is under of ten years of age; or
B) a child victim is vulnerable to abuse and injury due to a handicapping condition; or
C) a child victim has been seriously injured.
Cook County Child Protection Managers may grant an exception to this requirement after consultation with the Child Protection Unit supervisor and investigator. For all other cases, Child Protection and Field Services Managers may grant the exception after consultation with the Child Protection Unit supervisor and investigator. Management consultations and decisions with supporting information shall be documented on the CANTS 17A.
2) A case must be referred for assessment and case opening when a paramour is indicated for physical abuse and any of the following conditions exist:
A) child victims are 11 years of age or older;
B) child victims have no handicapping conditions that make them vulnerable to abuse and injury; and
C) child victims have not been seriously injured.
Child Protection Unit supervisors may grant exceptions to the referral for assessment and case opening requirement with approval from the Child Protection Manager. Page seven of the Family Assessment Factor Worksheet shall be used to document management consultations, decisions, and supporting information.
g) Intervention Services
The following requirements apply to all indicated cases of physical abuse or risk of non-sexual physical abuse where a paramour is the indicated perpetrator.
1) Cases shall be opened for Department services when a child victim is under ten years of age, or a child victim has been seriously injured or vulnerable to physical abuse and injury due to a handicapping condition. A waiver to these requirements may be requested from the appropriate Child Protection Manager (Cook County cases) or appropriate Field Services Manger and Child Protection Manager for cases outside of Cook County.
2) During the first three months of a new intact family case the child victims must be observed weekly for possible injuries and, if verbal, interviewed. Children are not to be interviewed with either the paramour or custodial parent present. This requirement also applies to open reunification cases unless the child victims are removed from the home. Department and purchase of service agency casework supervisors must approve any decrease in the number of monitoring visits and document his or her decision in the case file.
3) Department and purchase of service agency caseworkers must add a risk factor to the CERAP (CFS 1441) to specify that a paramour is the indicated perpetrator.
4) Service plans shall identify those services and programs that will be provided by the Department to natural parent, paramour and involved children to address and reduce the risk of physical abuse, which shall include the periodic observation of the children for injuries. There shall also be a descriptive process for monitoring and evaluating service outcomes.
h) Case Closing
If the case involves reunification of children in placement, the requirements of Policy Guide 98.1, Permanency Initiative - Phase II, Section XV. Reunification must be followed prior to and after returning the child home.
Prior to case closing, in addition to the requirements of Rule Section 315.310, the following procedures must be followed:
1) A multidisciplinary staffing that includes Department and purchase of service agency staff with current or significant knowledge of the family and/or child victims shall occur to evaluate case risk, case progress and to identify any unmet service needs shall be conducted.
2) Child victims shall be observed in accordance with Procedures 300, subsection 300.100(b)(5)(C) and, if verbal, interviewed without the custodial parent or paramour present.
3) Within one calendar week prior to the effective case closing date, child victims shall have a medical physical examination.
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