Introduction
Child protective services
Roles and responsibilities of child protective services
Purpose, processes, and strategies of child protective services
Necessary approaches to CPS intervention
Processes of reporting
Stages of reporting and investigation
Steps for investigation and planning in child maltreatment cases
Components of a comprehensive family assessment
Conducting a family assessment
Developing a family plan
Selection and implementation of appropriate interventions
Evaluation of change
Closing a case
Legal context for protective services involvement
Mandatory reporting
Mandatory reporting professionals
Institutional reporting
Rights and responsibilities of reporters
Penalties for failure to report
Caring for a child's needs after reporting
Thresholds and standards for reporting and investigating
Privileged communication
Overview of state-specific laws
Summary
References