Child Protective Services
Handbook Revision, December 2013
This revision of the Child Protective Services Handbook was published on December 4, 2013. Summaries of new or revised items are provided below.
Legal Services (PATS 6012)
Section 5000 Legal Services and all of its appendices is restructured, revised, rewritten, and amended in its entirety, except for a section on court actions related to adoption that will be published separately.
See the conversion table for references to the old and new locations of policy in the revised section.
CPS staff were informed about the policy explained in 5310 The Requirement for Staff to Elevate Certain Court Orders and its subitems, with the issuance of PSA 12-038 on October 17, 2011.
CPS staff were informed about the policy explained in 5520 The Family’s Service and Visitation Plans: Filing and Review Requirements, with the issuance of the following PSAs:
• 12-003, issued on September 6, 2011
• 12-070, issued on March 5, 2012
CPS staff were informed about the policy explained in 5530 Permanency Hearings for Children Under Temporary DFPS Conservatorship and 5580 Placement Review Hearings for Children Under Permanent DFPS Conservatorship, with the issuance of PSAs:
• 11-078, issued on July 18, 2011
• 14-002, issued September 3, 2013
See:
New Section 5000
New Section 5000 Appendices
In other sections of the handbook, the items below were revised to reflect updated policy in section 5000. See:
2520 Determine the Basis of Authority for Removing a Child
2531 Provide Notice and Gather Information Following a Removal
2532 Notification at Removal
2532.1 [new item] Who Gets Notice of a Removal and When
2532.2 [new item] Contents of Notice of Removal
2532.3 [new item] Delivering Notice of Removal
2533 Gather Information About Child and Family
2534 Form 2279 Placement Summary
2535 Form 2626 Family Information
2535.1 [new item] A Child Adopted From a Foreign Country
2536 Form 2625 Child Caregiver Resource
2537 Establish Relationships Using Family Tree in IMPACT When Children Are Removed
2537.1 [new item] Using Family Tree to Establish Relationships for Each Child Who Has the Role of Principal in a Case
2537.2 [new item] When to Start and Finish the Family Tree in IMPACT
4271 Court-Ordered Placements in Unapproved Facilities
6717 Working With the Foreign Consulate
Cross-references were updated in the items below:
1243 Right to Refuse Services and Consequences of Refusal
1431.1 References for Detailed Case Recording Requirements
2364.2 Identifying and Locating Parents and Guardians
2421 Removing an Alleged Perpetrator From the Home and Developing a Corresponding Safety Plan
2467 Requesting That the Court Order FBSS
2542 The Contents of the Notice to Relatives Following the Removal of a Child
2724 Investigating Cases Under the Baby Moses Law
2744.5 Concurrent Judicial Bypass Proceedings
2745 Removal Involving a Minor Who Wants or Had an Abortion Without Her Family Knowing
2799 When a Custody Order or Abduction Suit Involves a Foreign Country
3110 Philosophy, Goals, and Objectives
3113 General Criteria for Providing FBSS
3610 Children in DFPS Conservatorship Living at Home
3732 Documenting the Removal of a Child From His or Her Home
4121 Required Issues to Consider
4131 Discussing the Move
4272 Abuse and Neglect Investigations of Placements Regulated by RCCL
4272 Abuse and Neglect Investigations of Placements Regulated by RCCL
6110 Before Removing a Child and Placing the Child in Substitute Care
6123 Locating Relatives and Providing Notice of Removal
6131.1 Documentation of Monthly Contacts and Visits
6132 Documentation of Legal Activity
6212.1 Family Reunification
6214.2 Documenting the Permanency Plan
6218 Discussion of Efforts Made to Achieve the Permanency Goal
6251 The Child’s Service Plan
6252 The Family's Service Plan
6252.6 Filing the Family Service Plan With the Court
6260 Case Plan Review
6263 Enforcement of the Family Service Plan
6265 Participation in the Case Plan Review
6271 Periodic Review
6314.1 Minor Child Missing from Foster Care Placement
6314.2 When a Missing Child Returns to Care
6412.3 Review the Family Service Plan
6414 Ongoing Efforts to Achieve Permanency When DFPS Obtains Permanent Managing Conservatorship Without Termination of Parental Rights
6415.1 The Right to Regular Contact
6417 Working With Military Families
6418.2 Locating a Parent Who is Incarcerated
6491 Services Preceding Discharge
6512 Notifying Persons Outside of DFPS When a Child Dies While in Substitute Care
6524.4 Meeting and Consulting With TJJD Staff
6910 Criteria and Types of Service
6923 Assessing the Child's Readiness
8521.31 Identifying Required Services
9311.3 Information About the Child for an ICPC Placement Request
10421 Within 90 Days Before the Youth’s 18th Birthday
10422 As Soon as Possible After the 18th Birthday
10442.1 Department of Aging and Disability Services (DADS) Guardianship
10462 Casework Activity
10491 Planned Discharge From Extended Foster Care
10510 Trial Independence
10575 Restarting Court Reviews
10641 Marriage of Youth in Conservatorship
11130 Medical Consent by Minor Youth
11751 When a Youth Is Pregnant
11752 The DFPS Requirement to Inform Parents and Caregivers About Abortion-Related Information
11753 When a Physician May Perform an Abortion on a Youth in Conservatorship
11754 When DFPS Is Appointed as Guardian Ad Litem for a Youth Who Has Applied for Judicial Bypass
Appendix 3620: Services to Abused or Neglected, Unmarried, School-Age Parents (Practice Suggestions)