There were over 76,000 calls into counties about possible child abuse and maltreatment in 2021, according to the most recent public data. That’s over 200 calls per day.
Most reports are made by mandated reporters, such as teachers, law enforcement and social workers. However, the vast majority of reports are never investigated.
That’s because the decision of whether to assign a case to Family Investigation or Family Assessment Response is made quickly, and often with limited data about a child’s immediate safety and risk factors.
We believe counties should assess allegations of abuse and neglect prior to assigning a case to either Family Investigation or Family Assessment Response. The ability to gather more information leads to better decision-making – and safer children.
Family assessment shouldn’t be the default. It should be the “alternative response” it was intended to be.
Join us this session as we educate legislators about the work that needs to be done to improve the child protection system. We’ll provide all the training you need.
Well written and a really good point!