​Although Child Protective Services (CPS) do not become involved with families until after an allegation of abuse or neglect already exists, CPS agencies have long recognized the importance of prevention, early intervention, family support, and community engagement to break the cycle of abuse and neglect.
 
Family preservation programs focus on providing intensive support and services to families at risk of having their children removed from their care. These programs aim to strengthen families, address underlying issues contributing to abuse or neglect, and prevent unnecessary removals. They offer a range of services, such as counseling, parenting education, substance abuse treatment, and assistance with housing and employment. By addressing the root causes of family challenges, these programs aim to keep families intact and reduce the likelihood of future abuse or neglect.
 
Differential Response (DR) models offer an alternative approach to CPS investigations by providing differentiated responses based on the level of risk and needs identified in a reported case. Rather than following a traditional investigative approach for all cases, DR models allow CPS workers to engage with families in a more collaborative and supportive manner when the risks are lower. This alternative response approach promotes early intervention and emphasizes the importance of providing services and support before situations escalate. By tailoring responses to the unique needs of each family, DR models aim to prevent future incidents and promote positive outcomes.
 
Family Group Decision-Making (FGDM) involves engaging extended family members, close friends, and other significant individuals in the decision-making process for child welfare cases. CPS workers facilitate meetings where families and their support networks come together to develop plans and make decisions that prioritize the safety and well-being of children. This approach encourages family empowerment, collaboration, and shared responsibility. By involving the broader community in decision-making, FGDM aims to build stronger support networks and increase the likelihood of successful outcomes for children and families.
 
Community-based prevention programs aim to address the underlying factors that contribute to child abuse and neglect at a systemic level. These programs often work in collaboration with community organizations, schools, healthcare providers, and other stakeholders to provide education, resources, and support to families. They may include home visitation programs, early childhood development initiatives, trauma-informed care training, and parenting support groups. By targeting the broader community, these programs strive to create a nurturing environment that promotes child well-being and prevents abuse and neglect before they occur.
 
Recognizing the impact of trauma on children and families, CPS agencies are adopting trauma-informed approaches. This involves training CPS workers and other professionals to understand the effects of trauma, respond empathetically, and provide trauma-informed care. Trauma-informed approaches focus on creating safe and supportive environments, promoting healing and resilience, and addressing the underlying trauma that may contribute to abusive or neglectful behaviors. By addressing trauma at its root, CPS agencies aim to break the cycle of abuse and promote healthier outcomes for families.

​Child Protective Services (CPS) investigations involve a complex set of procedures, guided by a legal framework, to ensure the safety and well-being of children. CPS workers face numerous challenges as they gather evidence, assess risks, and make critical decisions. Here are some insights into this intricate process and the difficulties faced by CPS workers:
 
CPS investigations often begin with reports of suspected child abuse or neglect. These reports can come from various sources, such as concerned community members, friends, neighbors, mandated reporters, or other professionals working with children. CPS workers must carefully assess the credibility and urgency of each report to determine the appropriate response. CPS investigations operate within a legal framework that outlines the rights of children and families and the responsibilities of CPS agencies. Implementation of laws and regulations may vary by jurisdiction but generally focus on ensuring child safety, promoting family preservation, and balancing the rights of all involved parties. CPS workers must navigate all of these things while also adhering to protocols that dictate the steps of the investigation process.
 
Gathering evidence is a crucial part of CPS investigations. It involves conducting interviews with the child, family members, and other relevant individuals, as well as reviewing records, documents, and medical reports. However, obtaining accurate and complete information can be challenging. Some families may be uncooperative, and there may be language barriers, cultural differences, or limited access to records or witnesses. CPS workers must navigate these obstacles to gather sufficient evidence to inform their assessments and decisions.
 
Assessing the level of risk to a child's safety is a critical task for CPS workers. This involves evaluating various factors, such as the severity and frequency of alleged abuse or neglect, the child's age and vulnerability, the presence of protective factors, and the caregivers' ability and willingness to make changes. However, assessing risk is a complex process, as it requires synthesizing multiple pieces of information, considering subjective judgments, and making predictions about potential harm. The inherent uncertainty involved can create difficulties in accurately assessing and predicting risk.
 
CPS workers face the challenge of striking a delicate balance between ensuring child safety and preserving family unity when possible. The decision to intervene or remove a child from their home is a weighty one, as it can have significant and lasting consequences for the child and the family. CPS workers must carefully consider the best interests of the child while also working to engage and support families to address the root causes of abuse or neglect. These decisions often involve difficult ethical dilemmas and require thoughtful judgment. CPS agencies often face limited resources and high caseloads, which can put strain on workers and impact their ability to conduct thorough investigations and provide adequate support to families. Heavy workloads can lead to time constraints, increased stress levels, and potential difficulties in meeting the needs of all involved parties.
 

​Collaboration and coordination between Child Protective Services (CPS) workers, law enforcement, healthcare professionals, and community organizations play a vital role in ensuring the safety and well-being of children.
 
Effective collaboration allows for the exchange of crucial information among different entities involved in child welfare. CPS workers, law enforcement officers, healthcare professionals, and community organizations each possess unique perspectives and knowledge that, when combined, provide a more comprehensive understanding of a child's situation. Sharing information enables timely and informed decision-making to protect children from immediate and ongoing risks.
 
Collaboration brings together the diverse expertise and resources of each stakeholder involved. CPS workers, for example, specialize in child safety interventions and family support, while law enforcement officers are trained in investigating criminal activities. Healthcare professionals contribute their knowledge of medical and mental health issues, and community organizations offer various support services. By pooling these resources, a holistic approach to child protection can be achieved, addressing a wide range of needs and ensuring a coordinated response. It also allows for the development of more effective safety plans and intervention strategies. CPS workers can work closely with law enforcement to assess immediate safety threats and implement protective measures, such as emergency removals or supervised visitation. Healthcare professionals can provide valuable insights into the physical and mental health needs of children and families, informing appropriate interventions and referrals to specialized services. Through collaboration, interventions can be tailored to address the unique circumstances of each case, maximizing the safety and well-being of children involved.
 
Collaboration not only addresses immediate safety concerns but also supports prevention and early intervention efforts. By partnering with community organizations, CPS workers can connect families with valuable resources, such as parenting programs, counseling services, substance use treatment, and housing assistance. Early identification of risk factors and access to preventative measures can help mitigate potential harm to children and support families in building healthy and stable environments.
 
Collaboration among these stakeholders fosters a collective effort to identify systemic issues and advocate for policy changes that strengthen child protection services. Through sharing experiences and expertise, these collaborations can shed light on gaps, challenges, and areas for improvement within the child welfare system. Together, stakeholders can work towards policy reforms, resource allocation, and coordination improvements that better support CPS workers and the children and families they serve.
 
Collaboration and coordination between CPS workers, law enforcement, healthcare professionals, and community organizations are essential for the safety and well-being of children. By leveraging collective expertise, resources, and perspectives, these collaborations enhance information sharing, safety planning, interventions, prevention efforts, and systemic improvements, ultimately working towards the shared goal of protecting and nurturing children in our communities. At CCDJFS, we value our strong working relationships with our partners and appreciate that we all work together to help children and families in our community.

​As the director of the Champaign County Job and Family Services, I am honored to witness the unwavering dedication of our Child Protective Services (CPS) workers. They tirelessly advocate for vulnerable children and families, providing essential support in times of crisis. However, it is vital to acknowledge the challenges they face, including the concept of compassion fatigue. In this blog post, I aim to shed light on compassion fatigue and its impact on CPS workers, recognizing the emotional exhaustion, decreased empathy, and potential burnout that can occur.
 
Compassion fatigue is a natural response that can develop in CPS workers due to the repeated exposure to traumatic events, intense emotions, and overwhelming responsibilities they encounter in their line of work.
 
CPS workers experience repeated exposure to traumatic events. They often find themselves in situations where they witness or learn about traumatic experiences suffered by children and families. These experiences may include abuse, neglect, domestic violence, substance use, or other forms of trauma. The consistent exposure to these distressing events can gradually take a toll on the emotional well-being of CPS workers. They are innately compassionate individuals who genuinely care about the well-being of the families they serve. They invest themselves emotionally in their work, forming connections with the families and children they interact with. As a result, they experience a range of intense emotions, including empathy, sadness, anger, and frustration. Constantly managing and processing these emotions can be emotionally draining over time.
 
Being faced with difficult decisions that impact the lives of children and families is an everyday part of working in Child Protective Services. The workers must assess risks, determine the most appropriate interventions, and make crucial judgments about child safety and family well-being. The weight of these responsibilities, coupled with the complexities of navigating legal systems, community resources, and coordinating multiple stakeholders, can become overwhelming.
 
Another hardship CPS workers experience is they often operate within systems that have limited resources, bureaucratic constraints, and systemic challenges. They may face hurdles in accessing necessary supportive services, finding appropriate placements for children, or addressing underlying issues contributing to family crises. Dealing with these systemic challenges while striving to provide the best care and support can add additional stress and frustration that impacts overall job satisfaction and ultimately overall well-being of these dedicated workers.
 
As CPS workers repeatedly encounter traumatic events, manage intense emotions, and grapple with overwhelming responsibilities, they can become emotionally and physically exhausted. This cumulative strain contributes to compassion fatigue, which manifests as a decrease in empathy, feelings of helplessness or detachment, and a decline in overall well-being. Recognizing and addressing compassion fatigue is crucial to ensure the continued effectiveness and resilience of CPS workers in their mission to protect and support vulnerable children and families. CCDJFS is proud to be an organization that recognizes the impact that repeated exposure to traumatic events has on CPS workers and to provide organizational supports to help them successfully process this.

​Working in Child Protective Services (CPS) is a challenging and emotionally demanding profession. CPS workers are tasked with the crucial responsibility of providing support to families in crisis while also upholding their professional obligations. In this blog post, we will delve into the delicate balance that CPS workers must maintain, exploring the complexities, rewards, and difficulties they face in their role at the Champaign County Department of Job and Family Services.
 
CPS workers understand the importance of empathy in establishing trust and rapport with families. They must navigate the fine line between showing compassion and maintaining professional boundaries.
 
One of the critical responsibilities of CPS workers is to assess the level of risk to children in a family environment. They overcome multiple challenges when evaluating the safety of a child, considering factors such as cultural differences, inconsistent information, and limited resources. Maintaining a balanced perspective is vital to making sound judgments.
 
CPS workers play a pivotal role in providing support and resources to families facing crisis situations. They offer their assistance, such as connecting families with community resources, counseling services, and parenting programs. Balancing the role of a supportive ally while ensuring accountability and progress can be a delicate juggling act.
 
Effective collaboration with other professionals, including law enforcement, healthcare providers, and educators, is essential for CPS workers. Building strong partnerships strengthens the support network for families and promotes better outcomes.
 
CPS workers often find themselves facing ethical dilemmas that require thoughtful decision-making. They examine scenarios where conflicts arise between family preservation and child safety, including cases involving substance use, domestic violence, or mental health concerns. The delicate balance between intervention and respecting family autonomy is a constant challenge.
 
To effectively navigate the complexities of their role, CPS workers must prioritize self-care and maintain their emotional well-being. The CPS workers need to focus on stress management and seeking support within the workplace. Supporting CPS workers themselves is essential in ensuring they can continue to support families in crisis.
Balancing the provision of support to families in crisis with upholding professional responsibilities is a challenging task for CPS workers. The delicate balance they must maintain requires empathy, sound judgment, effective collaboration, and self-care. Recognizing the complexities they face allows us to appreciate the dedication and resilience of these professionals within Champaign County Department of Job and Family Services as they work tirelessly to ensure the safety and well-being of vulnerable children and families in our community.

Imagine waking up to find that you will be moving today. You can pack a small bag of what you will take with you. Nobody can tell you for how many days, weeks, or months you will be away from home. You will be living separate from your family, and nobody is sure when they next phone call or in-person visit will be. This will be decided soon. You will live with strangers, likely sharing a room and bathroom with people you have never met. You will have a new workplace to start at tomorrow but will find out more about it tomorrow morning when you go. You will need to cancel any upcoming plans you have. Are you anxious yet? This is the experience of the thousands of children in foster care in Ohio and across the nation.
 
Children who cannot remain safely in their own home don’t just leave their homes and parents. They also leave their pets, schools, friends, and extracurricular activities.  A key component to reducing trauma when a child must be removed from their home for safety is having a caseworker who understands these traumas. CCDJFS caseworkers strive to find foster homes that are as close to the child’s removal home as possible. They work to maintain connections for youth with friends and supportive adults and to find relative connections for the youth. When youth move schools, caseworkers encourage them to engage in sports and extracurriculars in their new school.
 
Sometimes foster homes are hard to find. This can leave youth feeling unwanted or unimportant. A caseworker who can explain to youth the complexities of the system matters. Once, after several hours of a sibling group being at the CCDJFS office while workers were attempting to find a foster home able to take them, one of the siblings asked why nobody wanted them. The worker was able to think quickly on their feet to explain that the problem was not that nobody wanted them but was rather because all the foster homes were full.
 
A caseworker who makes efforts to reduce trauma can make a significant difference in the experience for a child. CCDJFS appreciates the work of our caseworkers to maintain connections for youth in custody and to reduce trauma.  They truly make a difference in the lives of the children we serve.
 
Ohio has a critical shortage of foster homes. For more information about becoming a foster or adoptive parent, please visit www.fosterandadopt.jfs.ohio.gov or visit the It Takes Heart Ohio Facebook page.

​Just as Captain America, Iron Man, or any other Avengers do, CCDJFS comes in after something awful happens to stop the bad guys from hurting anyone again.  Similarly, to the Avengers, CCDJFS is a stronger force with the help of their partners. Although they may not wear a mask, armor, or have a shield, our Children Services team at CCDJFS are everyday superheroes.
 
Our Children Services team works with key partners, including law enforcement, when investigating abuse and neglect of children. CCDJFS caseworkers complete specialized training, including forensic interviewing, for children believed to be victims of child sexual abuse. CCDJFS caseworks consult with agency legal counsel to seek orders from the Court to intervene when safety issues in the home cannot be resolved with less restrictive measures and make active efforts to help the family resolve the safety issue for their children to return home.
 
Collaboration is important in child protective services. We’ve often heard the adage that it takes a community to raise a child; it also takes a community to protect a child. A common misperception about child protective services is that it should intervene before any abuse or neglect happens, but unfortunately this is not how child protective services is federally designed. Children services must have an allegation of child abuse or neglect already occurring to be allowed to investigate or assess the child and family. The design of children services is then to intervene to prevent further or additional abuse or neglect of the child, a process in which the children services worker must show evidence to a Court for the intervention.
 
This means that primary prevention, the prevention of child abuse or neglect before it ever occurs even once, cannot occur within the framework of children services investigations. Because of this, CCDJFS offers the opportunity for families and caregivers to reach out for assistance before the family is in crisis. It is also why CCDJFS stresses the importance of connections within the community; it is in the community where families can feel supported and primary prevention can occur. CCDJFS joins many community collaborations that help families get the resources they need to support the work of primary prevention in the community. These collaborations are a true demonstration of a community working together to protect children and to build better futures for families.