Discussion of Child Welfare

Introduction

Child welfare should be on importance in every situation. Every American state has its social programs to protect children from abuse of adults, and the attitude to this issue is more than dangerous. Among other things, employees of schools and medical institutions are required to report to social services and competent authorities about possible cases of abuse of children, even with the slightest signs of something similar.

The USA, in general, cares about child well-being and protection services to provide the best for children. Primarily Florida has paid close attention to laws, implementation, regulations, legalities, and others to impact child welfare in the state significantly. Howard Dubowitz (2000) acknowledges that child protection comprises a wide range of factors, such as violence, abuse, maltreatment, and others and it is somewhat critical to detect these aspects to build a sound system of child protection services.

State Procedures and Laws

The modern system of Child Protection Services in the United States includes four aspects of activity: report, investigation, intervention, and case completion. It is necessary to know the overall procedures of child abuse report’s route:

  1. An anonymous call from a mandatory reporter, family member or relative through Florida Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-500-1119.
  2. The authorities that got the report to ask relevant and suitable questions to approve the report’s reliability
  3. Child Protective Services specialist will begin an investigation if the report is taken officially.
  4. CPS worker will visit potential offender’s accommodation to talk to a child, his/her family, and other adults, who might help in the investigation. The specialist must answer two questions: are the allegations true and what is the degree of danger to the victim? In the event of confirmation, a child protection case is initiated and maintained as long as necessary. If the charges are not fully confirmed, the case does not start, but the social worker is periodically interested in the position of the child in the family. If the child is in severe danger, the social worker, using staffing legislation, must immediately isolate the child from the family.
  5.  Intervention includes specific service, support, and therapy. A particular function is associated with improving the financial situation in the family. Many experts believe that the cause of child abuse usually lies in insufficient family income. Thus CPS specialist may offer a wide range of social services if a family is low-income, and so on.
  6. It is assumed that the case can be completed within 3-12 months. However, in practice, it lasts longer. The case may be terminated for three reasons. First (the best), the situation in the family has improved, and nothing threatens the child. Second (the worst), there is no improvement; in this case, the children are isolated and placed in foster facilities. As a result, the child protection case is closed, and a new instance is opened on the maintenance of the child in the institution.

Florida laws, as any other states’, are based on the Penal Code since the crime links to mental, sexual or physical abuse, battery, exploitation, neglect, and so forth. There are some essential laws, which focus solely on child well-being. They unite the entire system to provide prominent services, safe protection, and appropriate treatment/decision (FindLaw, n.d.).

Codes § 39.202. Confidentiality of reports and records in cases of child abuse or neglect.§ 39.205. Penalties relating to reporting of child abuse, abandonment, or neglect.§ 39.201. Mandatory reports of child abuse, abandonment, or neglect; mandatory reports of death; central abuse hotline.§ 39.01. Definitions.
The definition of abuse (also, domestic violence) The repeated violence of one partner or relative to another, primarily within the family. It can be expressed in the form of physical, psychological, sexual, and economic violence.
Reporting required by A mental health professional, law enforcement officer, social worker, school teacher, judge
The fundament of report The reasonable basis to suspect offender in child mistreatment, neglect or abuse
To whom reported Department of Children and Family Services
The penalty for failure or 2) false report Misdemeanor in the 1st degree.Felony in the 3rd degree.

FCADV

Notwithstanding with laws mentioned above/statutes, other organizations are aiming to help children in any violence or neglect. For instance, Florida Coalition Against Domestic Violence (FCADV) presents Children Protection Investigations (CPI) Project collaborating with “FCADV, the Department of Children and Families (DCF), the Office of the Attorney General (OAG), local certified domestic violence centers, community-based care agencies, and other child welfare professionals” (FCADV, n.d.). They provide community response to those families that experience re-occurring child abuse and domestic violence.

 In 2015, FCADV provided additional funding to all agencies to expand and enhance CPI Project in 67 member-counties in the state of Florida. According to the estimation, 40 certified domestic violence and child abuse centers have been participating in the FCADV’s CPI Project. FCADV has supported each domestic violence center, together with the partnering CPI Unit, to develop Memorandums of Understanding, referral documents, and releases that are necessary for information sharing (FCADV, n.d.). Due to appropriate and efficient services, FCADV has managed to apply best practices both to children and their families in any misdemeanor. 

Conclusion

Department of Children and Family Services along with FCADV work out and launch more and more projects, laws, and rules to improve the overall child protection welfare system. It is essential to understand the different types of danger in domestic violence and child mistreatment, and how to overcome them as soon as possible. Ultimately, Florida has been deemed as one of the brilliant and influential states embracing all useful statuses and legislations and completing their critical role and duty in child protection services.

References

“FCADV’s Child Protection Investigations (CPI) Project.” (n.d.). FCADV. Retrieved from https://www.fcadv.org/node/2970

“Florida Child Abuse Laws.” (n.d.). FindLaw. Retrieved from https://statelaws.findlaw.com/florida-law/florida-child-abuse-laws.html

“How to Report Child Abuse.” (n.d.). FindLaw. Retrieved from https://family.findlaw.com/child-abuse/how-to-report-child-abuse.html

“Policies and Procedures of the Florida Department of Children and Families.” (n.d.). The Department of Children and Families. Retrieved from https://www.dcf.state.fl.us/admin/publications/policies.asp

Dubowitz, H., & DePanfilis, D. (2000). Handbook for Child Protection Practice. Sage.

The terms offer and acceptance. (2016, May 17). Retrieved from

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"The terms offer and acceptance." freeessays.club, 17 May 2016.

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freeessays.club (2016) The terms offer and acceptance [Online].
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"The terms offer and acceptance." freeessays.club, 17 May 2016

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"The terms offer and acceptance." freeessays.club, 17 May 2016

[Accessed: March 29, 2024]

"The terms offer and acceptance." freeessays.club, 17 May 2016

[Accessed: March 29, 2024]

"The terms offer and acceptance." freeessays.club, 17 May 2016

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