Family Services
The division strives to accomplish its mission by focusing
on four broad goals:
Child Safety
The child welfare system must protect children. All child welfare protective
activities and intervention must be toward the goal of protecting the
child from harm. In the provision of services the safety of the child
is always the first consideration in performing risk assessments, developing
case plans, and identifying services for children and families. Safety
of the child is paramount in all decisions effecting children.
Permanency for Children
Child welfare services must promote permanence for all children. All
children have a right to a permanent and safe home environment. The most
desirable plan for a child is to work with the family to remedy the conditions
that led to the child's safety concern. The Division has a firm commitment
to the concept of permanency planning and will strive to maintain the
child in his/her own home whenever possible, and when it is not possible,
the division will work steadfastly to promote an alternate permanent
home for the child. When appropriate, concurrent planning will be implemented
to expedite permanency for the child.
Cultural Continuity for Children and
Families
Child welfare services must be culturally competent. Cultural competence
is the capacity to relate with persons from diverse cultures in a sensitive,
respectful, and productive way. Sensitivity to a child and family's culture
is important throughout the child and family's experience with the Division.
As the state agency responsible for making decisions on behalf of children
and families from different cultural backgrounds, the Division has a
firm commitment to cultural competence. The Division's practice is guided
by the Indian Child Welfare Act of 1978, the Multiethnic Placement Act,
and the NASW Code of Ethics. Preference is also given to culturally relevant
services, where available.
Child and Family Well-being
Child welfare services must be child-focused and family centered. It
is always in the child's best interests to remain with his or her own
family, if the family can be helped to provide an environment that provides
basic care and nurturance, and is safe from abuse and neglect. When children
have experienced maltreatment in whatever form or duration, they will
require remedial or treatment services. The Division is committed to
creating and maintaining strong linkages to the variety of service providers
who are partners in remedying the effects of abuse and neglect on a child
and changing the conditions in the family that led to the Division's
involvement with the family.
Child Protective Services
The purpose of Child Protective Services (CPS) is to identify,
treat, and reduce child abuse and neglect, as well as to ensure that
reasonable efforts are made to protect and maintain children in their
own homes.
The OCS staff provide protective services for children by:
- Assisting families in diagnosing and resolving problems.
- Investigating reports of harm.
- Referring families to community resources.
- Initiating legal intervention if children are unable to remain safely
in their own homes.
- Providing out-of-home placements and permanency planning when necessary
The licensing of community care facilities is a preventive service that reduces predictable risks to the health, safety and well-being of children in out-of-home care. Licensing requirements establish acceptable standards of care, while the licensing and monitoring processes provide support and quality control services to the care providers.
OCS has statutory responsibility for the licensing of:
- Foster Homes/Foster Group Homes.
- Child placement agencies.
OCS may enter into an agreement with a local agency to evaluate and inspect community care foster homes.
Residential Care for Children and Youth
Residential care facilities provide treatment services within a therapeutic
environment that is staffed 24 hours a day. Residential care facilities
may offer short-term emergency shelter as well as more long-term residential
treatment. Placement in a residential facility is for a specified period
of time, and generally occurs only after less restrictive placement options
have been found inappropriate or have been exhausted.
Child Protective Day Care
Child Protective Day Care services provide day care to children of families
where the children are at risk of being abused or neglected. The services
are designed to lessen that risk by providing child care relief, offering
support to both the child and the parents, monitoring for occurring or
reoccurring maltreatment, and providing role models for the parents.
Interstate Compact On The Placement Of Children (ICPC)
The Interstate Compact On The Placement of Children (ICPC) is a uniform
law in all 50 States that establishes procedures for the interstate placement
of children. The ICPC also places specific responsibilities on those
involved in placing the children. The three principle goals of the ICPC
are to:
- Protect the children being placed.
- Ensure that they receive the services they need.
- Facilitate permanent placements for those children who are in state
custody