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31 Cards in this Set
- Front
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Your supervisor overrides your recommendation that a child should be removed from home and placed in foster care; the supervisor has already told teh mother that the child will be coming home today. What do you do? How do you handle this situation? |
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If you are hired as a child welfare social worker, tell us what you think you would need from your supervisor in order to be successful in the position. Please be specific. |
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Describe your strengths and relative weaknesses (using only one word adjectives). |
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Identify the five most important risk factors that you would consider in assessing risk and safety for a child? |
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Under what circumstances would you remove a child? |
The social worker's authority to remove a child or receive a child who has been taken into temporary custody is defined in the Welfare and Institutions Code (WIC) § 305 & 306 and in the California Department of Social Services (CDSS) Division 31 Regulations.
Pursuant to WIC § 272, the Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors has authorized child welfare social workers to take non-dependent children into temporary custody under the provisions of the WIC § 306, which defines the specific situations under which this may occur. The WIC states that a social worker may, without a warrant, take a minor into temporary custody, when a social worker has reasonable cause to believe the following: The child is a person described by Section 300 (b) or (g) of the WIC AND The social worker has reasonable cause to believe that the child: Has an immediate need for medical care or Is in immediate danger of physical or sexual abuse or The physical environment poses an immediate threat to the child's health or safety. A social worker may not place a child into temporary custody without parental consent, a court order or exigent circumstances. Exigent circumstances refer to immediate need, immediate danger or immediate threat. (Mabe v. San Bernardino County DPSS (1/24/01, 9 th Cir., San Bernardino) 237 F3d. 1101 For further information regarding parental consent and exigent circumstances, see Home Entry Orders. If the removal is voluntary, the parent must give written consent (Division 31 Regulations, 31-135.11). For further information, see Voluntary Short-Term Placements. |
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What are the pros and cons of placing the child in out of home care?
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Please tell us how you would approach working w/ a voluntary client as compared to working with an involuntary client?
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Describe how your education, experience, and training have prepared you for thi s position?
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Describe a challenging/stressful situation you handled well? What did you do?
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Describe the fundamental principles of child welfare services?
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Identify a child welfare policy that you consider to be significant and why?
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How do you feel about child removal from home?
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Please tell us the one thing that would differenciate you from the other candidates and would convince us that you are the best candidate for the position?
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how do you assess for Domestic Violence?
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In the assessment of children, the social worker:
Assesses for: Physical abuse Children in domestic violence households are more likely to be physically abused than in non-violent households. Consider that the battered person may over discipline the child in an effort to control the child’s behavior to protect them from what they see as greater abuse from the batterer. See OPP Chapter 3-14: Assessing Allegations of Physical Abuse. Neglect Consider that the battered person may give full attention to the abusive partner in an effort to appease and control the level of violence and survive, leaving the child’s emotional, medical, social and physical needs unmet. Consider that the battered person may be emotionally unavailable to the child due to the trauma and fear. Consider that it is not uncommon for battered persons to use alcohol/drugs/over the counter medication to anesthetize the pain arising from the battering situation. Sexual abuse. Consider that children in domestic violence homes are at high risk for sexual abuse. Emotional abuse. NOTE: Based on the Heather A. case in California law, the witnessing of domestic violence by a child is sufficient cause to substantiate a petition under Welfare and Institutions Code (WIC) § 300 (c). Considers the age of the child in observing reactions, symptoms and level of risk. Children 0-5 years old are more vulnerable to accidental injury during incidents of battery. Children 0-5 years old may exhibit sleep disturbances nightmares, loss of skills (self-care, wetting in pants) separation anxiety, failure to thrive, and tantrums. Children 6-12 years old may exhibit eating disturbances, seductive or manipulative behavior, fear of abandonment or loss of control, depression, anxiety, and shame and may attempt to protect the victim. Adolescents feel separated from the family and tend to run away, engage in suicidal or homicidal thoughts, act out sexually, become pregnant, abuse drugs/alcohol, perform poorly in school, or experience violence in dating relationships. Overall, these children exhibit more impulsive, aggressive and delinquent behaviors and are more withdrawn and anxious. These symptoms are often consistent with a diagnosis of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. Determines if the child has a disability (physical, developmental, cognitive and/or mental) or is deaf or hard of hearing. See OPP Chapter 3-13: Assessment of Medical, Educational and Mental Health Needs. Children with disabilities are more vulnerable to all forms of abuse (physical, sexual, neglect, exploitation). They are more dependent on others for their care. They may be limited in their contact with others outside the home. They may be unable to understand what is happening to them or their caregivers. Their ability to communicate may be limited. The stress on resources and finances when caring for children with disabilities may contribute to continued battering. Children with disabilities may express their exposure to abuse or violence in the home by: Sudden changes in behavior, such as increased agitation, distress Loss of appetite Self-harming Soiling Sexualized behavior < Return to OPP Table of Contents | ^ Back to Top of Page -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Assessing the Victim In assessing the victim, the social worker considers if the victim: Has a history of childhood abuse and/or has she found herself/himself in repeated battering relationships. Looks to each new partner for a sense of safety and security. Lacks family support. Lacks access to information. Victims who have experienced chronic abuse may need greater assistance in accessing resources and strong reinforcement for positive service outcomes. Presents as severely depressed. If so, assess carefully for hidden suicidal ideation. Presents as passive and cooperative, yet nothing changes. Depression is symptomatic of trauma and may not subside until safety is achieved. Interventions and services should be decided in partnership with the victim in order to promote a personal sense of competence and power. Further consideration should be given to the following: Does the relationship appear to involve battering by both partners? Does the victim behave in aggressive and violent ways? This can be confusing when trying to ascertain who is the primary initiator of the violence within the relationship. To assess self-defense and other responses to violence accurately, examine who holds the control in the relationships, who has been injured, who is afraid, and who has access to resources. Court records, police reports, and documentation from probation, and the batterer's treatment, may provide critical information. Does the victim blame herself/himself for the violence? Does the victim feel a deep sense of shame and hopelessness? Always assess for the potential of self-harm. Safety planning is critical. Substance abuse may exacerbate but does not cause domestic violence. Consider whether: The victim's substance abuse: Impairs her/his ability to assess the level of danger in the home. Impedes her/his ability to safely plan for herself/himself and her/his children. Is used by the offender to exercise control? The offender offer his substance abuse problem or his partner's as an excuse for bad behavior. Never confront the offender or victim when they are under the influence of substances. Consider that when a victim leaves her batterer, her risk of serious violence or death rises dramatically. Discuss the following issues with the client, when applicable: A majority of homicide victims separated from the batterer prior to their death. Victims are particularly at-risk during the first two months of separation and remain at high risk if they had unilaterally decided to end the relationship. A victim may be reluctant to leave the batterer or may often return to the batterer because of one or more of the following factors: Fear of greater violence or death Intimidation and threats Protection of the children from physical/sexual abuse by the batterer Fear that the perpetrator will kidnap or gain custody of the children Economic dependence on the perpetrator Lack of resources (no support systems, social isolation, no place to go, children may be separated) Difficulty of finding shelter placements with adolescent children, particularly male children (age 12-17) Feelings of failure imprinted by society (family, friends, etc.) Batterer’s promise of change (the cycle of violence) The victim’s love for the partner Cultural/religious belief systems Poor or unsatisfactory experiences with the service delivery system (law enforcement, court, child protection agencies) The victim’s belief that her/his child needs the dominant, aggressive partner for parenting, especially for the acting out/emotionally disturbed child < Return to OPP Table of Contents | ^ Back to Top of Page -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Assessing the Batterer Consider that the underlying dynamic in the relationship between the batterer and victim is one of power and control by the batterer. In order to sustain this dynamic, the batterer will frequently: Intimidate and threaten the victim, the children, other family members and/or pets. When the batterer threatens homicide or suicide, increases. Isolate the victim and/or the children from family, friends, work, which increases the victim’s dependence on the batterer. Following incidents of violence, manipulate the victim by promising change, often presenting gifts, flowers, etc. (honeymoon phase). In assess the batterer, the social worker: Looks for patterns: In language, in which the batterer: Rationalizes/justifies what happened by blaming the victim. Emphasizes the victim’s behavior rather than taking responsibility for his/her own behavior. Minimizes the seriousness/severity of what happened. In behavior, in which the batterer falsifies the reality of the situation by: Calling in false police/child abuse reports. Injuring him/herself to deflect the focus of the situation. Harassing/stalking the victim after the victim has left the relationship to perpetuate the illusion of power and control. Remains aware that the batterer’s mental state effects the degree of risk to the victim and children residing in the home. For example: Acute depression may include homicidal fantasies directed at family members: Actual homicide/suicide may occur when the batterer sees no other way out. The batterer perceives that his/her partner is “owned” by the batterer and therefore the victim has no right to any independent actions: When the victim leaves the relationship and may form another relationship, both people are at high lethality risk. The batterer idolizes his/her partner, has isolated him/herself from all other community and totally depends on the partner to organize and sustain the batterer’s life: When the victim threatens to or leaves the relationship, the batterer feels betrayed and justifies lethal retaliation. See OPP Chapter 3-15.1: Assessing Lethality in Domestic Violence Cases . Recognizes that the batterer who is involved in substance abuse has a potential for greater violence due to poor impulse/anger control and impaired judgment. Considers that a batterer who possesses weapons, has used them and/or threatened to use them in the past in his/her assaults on the victim, the children or him/herself, presents an increased risk for lethal assault. Remains aware that stresses in the domestic violence family contribute to the batterer’s perception that he/she is losing control and this may contribute to intensified violence. These stresses may include: Unemployment, eviction, financial difficulties Severe health problems, disabilities Behavioral changes in the children moving into different developmental stages Separation, divorce |
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Tell me about a time you made a quick decision you were proud of? What was the situation? What action did you take? What was the result?
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Describe a time when you had to use your written communication skills to get an imporant point across.
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Sometimes it's easy to get in "over your head." Describe a situation where you had to request help or asistance with a projec tor assignment.
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Describe a situation in which you had to arrive at a compromise or guide others to compromise.
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Give me an example of a collegue/vendor/customer who was hard to communicate with and tell me how you handled it.
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Give an example of a time in which you had to be relatively quick in coming to a decision.
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We can sometimes identify a small problem and fix it before it becomes a major problem. Give me an example of how you have done this.
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Tell us what knowledge, skills and abilities you think are critical to being successful as a child welfare social worker, and which areas do you need to work on in order to be more effective in this role?
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successfull: engagement skills, analytical, creative problem solving, interviewing techniques. knowlege of DV, substance abuse, education, trauma informed, signs of safety, child development
work on: procedural knowlege, fine tuning court/forensic writing, time management in this office--norms and procedures |
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When you get to work on Monday morning, you realize that you have:
2 court reports to write, 9 telephone calls to return-one from a foster parent asking you to remove the child, a mandatory unit meeting to attend, and 2 scheduled home visits-both with children you are over due to see, How would you go about setting priorities and organizing your workday? |
setting priorities/organizing work day: list of tasks, prioritized by importance, safety is first! SAFETY, WELL BEING, PERMENANCY
1. phone calls: esp. fp asking to remove child. other calls will be prioritized as needed, depending on safety needs. Callers will be made aware of time frames. calls will be assessed for safety concerns 2. Home visits--to assess safety of children, engage families, call to see how they are doing. 3. Mandatory unit meeting-will ask supervisor if able to miss, if not, will attend if no safety concers w/ home visits (may consider calling first) 4. court reports, may need to give supervisor and county counsel heads up |
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Tell us how you would approach a situation where you disagree with your supervisor and the decisions that are being made?
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You can tell your boss that you disagree about the way something should be, if at the same time you offer suggestions about how something should be handled
As an EW III...if not agree w/ new procedures, for example, a work flow procedure that felt like more work for line staff...explain and communicate to supervisor why and offer alternate procedures. open dialoage for discussion, at the same time, new decisions need to be enforced. |
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You are interviewing a mother who has issues with substance abuse, lack of food, clothing, and medical care, and school attendance problems with her three children. She refuses to answer most of your questions and some of the answers she does give you, you know to be untrue. She is uncooperative and hostile. What skills would you use to try to elicit the mother’s cooperation?
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Skills used: engaging through listening and empathizing. inteviewing skills, reframe questions.
ask how she feels, what services she feels she needs De-escallate hostlity by listening, feedback, sounds angry, find what services she may need how to meet basic needs. intially assess safety |
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Describe a case from your work experience, which involved a family of a culture different than your own, and explain the skills you used to ensure that your intervention was culturally appropriate.
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asian indian family going through a divorce, were in arranged marriage, possible dv
culturally humble, asked the client for more cultural information. helped engage client to participate in service planning, ie asking what she thought and if cultually appropriate. in engaging, offered similarities in my own culture |
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How has your experience, training and education prepared you for the court-related role of the child welfare worker, including preparing written reports for the court, testifying in court, negotiating with attorneys, and requesting and carrying out court orders?
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experience: court report writing in internship.
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Why should we hire you above all applicants?
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Is there anything you want to add?
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Any questions?
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How do you assess for Substance Abuse?
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http://intranet.ssa.co.santa-clara.ca.us/opp2/03_guide/3-7.html
When assessing the level of endangerment: Social Workers need to aware of how the parents' use of drugs and/or alcohol effects their ability to provide an appropriate, safe environment for their child(ren) and what influence it has on their ability to parent. The mere fact that a parent is abusing drugs or alcohol does not mean that a child should automatically be removed from the home. A referral shall be kept open for the initial assessment and provision of services during which time a determination is made as to whether the parent can provide a sufficient and safe minimal level of care to the child. When making an assessment of a family in which drug or alcohol use is present, the social worker: Includes in the assessment the: Kinds, frequency, and amount of substance used Accessibility of drugs and/or alcohol (and paraphernalia) to children in the home Willingness of the parent to address his or her substance abuse Ability of the family to acknowledge the risks posed by substance abuse Availability of family or extended family support and the willingness and ability of family members to protect the children Documents the assessment in the Contact notebook of CWS/CMS. Include both strengths and risks observed. < Return to OPP Table of Contents | ^ Back to Top of Page -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Direct Observations of Family Members When a social worker observes parents, the following indicators of substance abuse should be assessed: poor physical appearance (clothing, hygiene) reduced motor performance (poor balance, etc.) lethargy or signs of stupor slurred speech the odor of alcohol on the breath pinpoint pupils, or bloodshot eyes or inappropriate use of sunglasses to hide the eyes difficulty in tracking conversation (misunderstanding questions, etc.) excessive nervousness, emotional volatility, hostility, aggressiveness, and/or difficulty with impulse control unusual effort to cover arms, legs (to hide needle marks) When a social worker assesses for common signs of neglect in the child that may be a result of parental substance abuse, the social worker looks for the following conditions, behaviors, and information: poor physical appearance (clothing hygiene) gross thinness unusual affect (e.g., unexplained fear, excessively polite or sullen, etc.) lack of eye contact or excessive eye contact with the parent prior to responding to questions children dressed inappropriately for weather children often unsupervised children asking neighbors for food, or coming to school unsupervised children demonstrating behavioral or academic problems in school the condition of the home little to no food, clothing , furniture, and/or appliances situations which are hazardous to health (e.g., broken windows, hanging electrical wires, extreme clutter, rotten food, etc.) an abnormal number of bottles or cans of alcohol in the house or yard an unusual number of people in the home or coming to the door, for which no reasonable explanation is given no functioning utilities Assessments are documented in a CWS/CMS Contact and include both strengths and risks observed. < Return to OPP Table of Contents | ^ Back to Top of Page -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Conducting Interviews with Family Members When a social worker conducts interviews with family members Other than direct observations, the interview is the basic tool by which the social worker obtains information about the family. Although the social worker may have excellent interviewing techniques, a common characteristic of many substance abusers is manipulation and denial. As a result, the degree of cooperation and/or truthfulness will vary from client to client. As part of the assessment, the social worker needs to explore various socioeconomic issues with the client, which can reveal patterns of behavior, level of functioning, and possible stressors or supports. When a social worker conducts an interview with family members, elicit information in the following areas of concern: Does the family have sufficient income to meet its basic needs but has a pattern of unpaid bills, reflected in such things as evictions, repossessions, utility shut offs, missed appointments, lack of medical care, etc.? Poor erratic or no employment history may also reflect dysfunction due to substance abuse. These issues are not to be confused with a poor family that cannot meet primary financial responsibilities, has no health insurance, no money for or access to transportation, and/or no training or employment skills. Is a "significant other" a member of the household? By clarifying who is living in the home or has access to the child and parent, it may be determined if the relationship is conflicted, involves domestic violence, or that the "significant other" is also abusing drugs/alcohol and is a negative influence on, rather that a positive support to, the family. In addition, significant stressors, such as divorce, separation or death, may contribute to substance abuse. Is the family isolated, violent, and/or unstable moving frequently and unable to sustain housing? All of these factors could reflect an underlying substance abuse problem. Many substance abusing families do not have support systems in place with relatives, friends, religious and/or community organizations etc., Does the child have frequent school changes, unexcused absences, or tardies or is (s)he not enrolled in school? Inability of the parent to follow through on required school meetings for special needs child may be a reflection of the parent's substance abuse. Does the family have missed required and routine medical and dental care (childhood immunizations, physical check-ups) as well as inability to deal with extra ordinary medical or mental health needs? This may be an indicator of the parent's substance abuse. If a client acknowledges that (s)he has a problem with drugs/alcohol: determine the client's ability and willingness to participate in treatment. evaluate any prior attempts at sobriety, the duration of use, frequency, and type of substance(s) used. When allegations involve an infant prenatally exposed to drugs/alcohol: obtain medical documentation, which may include, but is not limited to, toxicology screens and descriptions of specific symptoms or conditions in the newborn which are indicative of prenatal exposure (e.g., withdrawal, fetal alcoholism. etc.). determine if the parent had any prior children who were prenatally exposed to drugs. Note: An infant's prenatal exposure is not an automatic reason for removal and detention of that infant from the parent(s). A thorough assessment must be completed to reach a decision which ensures the infant's safety, as well as the safety of any siblings residing in the home. Consider the availability of other services (including Voluntary Family Maintenance, Differential Response, extended family support, etc.) that could adequately protect the child and prevent removal. Assessments are documented in a CWS/CMS Contact and include both strengths and risks observed. < Return to OPP Table of Contents | ^ Back to Top of Page -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The Parent/Caregiver is Unavailable When the parent/caregiver is unavailable: If at all possible, the assessment described in this policy should be followed. However, there are some emergency situations (see examples below) that prohibit an extensive in-depth inquiry at the point of removal. Children may be in imminent danger requiring immediate removal and the parent may be unavailable. The child's immediate safety is the first priority and must be the focus for intervention by the social worker. Referrals from law enforcement, when a parent has been arrested for criminal activity regarding the selling or the manufacturing of drugs, such as methamphetamine. A neighbor or relative calls, alleging that the parent has been gone for days, whereabouts unknown, and the child is alone in the residence; or the parent is in the home, but unconscious, or unable to function due to drug/alcohol intake and the child is present. School personnel refer a child who is to fearful to go home because of parent's longstanding substance abuse and the parent cannot be located. Hospital staff refers a newborn with a positive toxicology screen for drugs and the mother has left the hospital and her whereabouts are unknown. Hospital staff or law enforcement refers a parent who has overdosed, resulting in death or serious medical complications. |
