Child
Protection
Child protective supervisors in eight Maine regions decide the
next step in following up on reports to the child protective 800 line (central
intake). They have two options:
* They can refer the report to a
community intervention agency, private agencies contracted to Child and Family
Services. These agencies offer services or coordinate services designed to
reduce the risk of child abuse or neglect - such as counseling, substance abuse
treatment or parenting education.
* When risk is severe,
supervisors assign a child protective caseworker from Child and Family Services.
Caseworkers do a safety assessment, looking specifically at whether each child
in the home is safe and, if not, what must be done to keep each child safe.
Before this work begins, caseworkers provide A Handbook for Parents, explaining
the rights of parents and children and key points about safety
assessment.
The safety assessment and other follow-up
assessments identify parental behaviors and family factors that influence the
likelihood of a child being abused. Research shows that understanding these
factors produces the most accurate decisions about child safety and potential
for future maltreatment.
The child protective caseworker also
makes a determination about whether child abuse or neglect has occurred or is
threatened to occur. This is called the substantiation decision. The decision is
based on whether a preponderance of the evidence establishes that abuse or
neglect has occurred or is threatened to occur. If abuse or neglect has not
occurred and is not threatened to occur, the report is unsubstantiated and the
involvement of Child and Family Services ends. If abuse or neglect has occurred
or is threatened to occur, Child and Family Services must consider several
options.
Community
Intervention
Community intervention agencies are private agencies
contracted to Child and Family Services to help families reduce the risk of
child abuse or neglect. The eight agencies currently providing these services
are Community Concepts, Community Health and Counseling Services, Families
United, Home Counselors, Waldo County Preschool, Youth and Family Services,
Youth Alternatives (Cumberland County), and Youth Alternatives (York
County).
Office of Child and Family Services
221 State Street
Augusta, Me 04333
Phone: (207) 287-5060
FAX: (207) 287-5031