Child Protective Services: A Guide for Caseworkers 2003

Author(s)Office on Child Abuse and Neglect, Children's Bureau

Year Published2003

(PDF - 2,301 KB)

This manual examines the roles and responsibilities of child protective services (CPS) workers. It describes the purposes, key decisions, and issues of each stage of the CPS process and strategies for casework supervision, training, and support.

Child Protective Services: A Guide for Caseworkers

Table of Contents
Preface
Acknowledgments
CHAPTER 1 Purpose and Overview
CHAPTER 2 Child Protective Services Theory and Practice
CHAPTER 3 The Helping Relationship
CHAPTER 4 Responsibilities of Child Protective Services
CHAPTER 5 Intake
CHAPTER 6 Initial Assessment or Investigation
CHAPTER 7 Family Assessment
CHAPTER 8 Case Planning
CHAPTER 9 Service Provision
CHAPTER 10 Family Progress
CHAPTER 11 Case Closure
CHAPTER 12 Effective Documentation
CHAPTER 13 Supervision, Consultation, and Support
Endnotes
APPENDIX A Glossary of Terms
APPENDIX B Resource Listings of Selected National Organizations Concerned with Child Maltreatment
APPENDIX C State Toll-free Telephone Numbers for Reporting Child Abuse
APPENDIX D National Association of Social Workers Code of Ethics

We also recommend the following
Information Gateway publications:

A Coordinated Response to Child Abuse and Neglect: The Foundation for Practice
Supervising Child Protective Services Caseworkers
Community Partnerships: Improving the Response to Child Maltreatment

Suggested Citation(s): Child Welfare Information Gateway. (2003). Child protective services: A guide for caseworkers. Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Children’s Bureau.

This material may be freely reproduced and distributed. However, when doing so, please credit Child Welfare Information Gateway.

Table of Contents