Risk Assessment and Child Safety
About Risk Assessment and Child Safety
Risk assessment is a cornerstone of child welfare practice, crucial for ensuring children’s safety while supporting family stability. It involves evaluating risks, understanding family dynamics, and making informed decisions to protect vulnerable children. Despite its importance, risk assessment is not yet universally or widely adopted in direct practice.
At IHS, we explore the goals and methodologies of risk assessment, compare approaches, and address misconceptions. We analyze how risk assessment informs decision-making throughout a case’s lifecycle, while challenging language and concepts that may impede effective application.
Who Can Benefit?
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Enhancing decision-making skills for effective risk assessment and management.
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Supporting staff in navigating complex cases and ensuring consistent application of risk protocols.
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Understanding how risk assessment shapes child welfare outcomes.
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Teaching best practices in risk evaluation and child safety.
How Can It Help You?
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Learn to evaluate factors impacting child safety and develop targeted intervention strategies.
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Apply decision theory to ensure consistent and informed choices throughout a case’s lifecycle.
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Use evidence-based strategies to protect children while fostering family resilience.
By integrating these tools and approaches, professionals can create safer environments for children and empower families to overcome challenges effectively.
Key Resources
To learn more about Risk Assessment and Child Safety, and to download the resources below, visit the Child Maltreatment Policy Resource Center.
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Issues in Risk Assessment
Formal risk assessment has become tightly woven into the fabric of child welfare practice. The majority of child welfare agencies in North America have adopted and institutionalized some form of conventionalized risk assessment to address a variety of case-specific and system-related practice problems.
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Risk Assessment Throughout Life of a Case
Although the goal of assessing risk is assuring children's safety throughout the life of a case, the objectives of each assessment change from decision point to decision point, and distinct tools must be implemented in a logical sequence to promote ongoing attention.
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Decision Theory in Promoting Child Safety
Utilizing decision theory and the existing safety and risk assessment research, we make several recommendations for evidence-based decision making in child protective services. Find out more about these recommendations.