cps parent interview questions

How do your parents react when you get hurt Have your parents ever left you alone? Social workers employed by their state's child-protective services, or CPS, program provide a variety of important services to help abused, neglected or abandoned children and their families. Once I dealt with an allegation that a client’s daughter had taken white pills to school. I came in for 2 interviews. Child protective investigators are responsible for ensuring the safety of children by screening claims of neglect, gathering information on abuse cases, and assessing the risk of further harm to children. Let’s In this article, we explore some of the most common interview questions asked during a cps social worker interview along with some great answers to help you win the job. A follow-up question would have revealed that the dad “gave” little Johnny bruises that time he tripped over the dog while carrying the child on his shoulders. I interviewed at CPS (Chicago, IL (US)). Your neighbor down the street. You have the absolute right to tell her no. Learn about the key requirements, duties, responsibilities, and skills that should be in a Field Investigator Job Description. Are you sitting comfortably? Tests the … You can’t know for sure what will help or hurt your situation. (3) an interview with the child’s parents and an interview with and medical, psychological or psychiatric examination of any child in the home. The investigator will want talk to your child about: • Whether she was abused or neglected • What happened • Whether she feels safe now So I should call CPS and have him investigated, right? In almost every case we handle, when the social worker requests permission to interview the children, we ask what questions they want to ask. Careers in child-protective services … Nonetheless, a CPS investigator’s authority is limited by law to certain activities. Her ability to intrude into your life is not, I repeat, not open-ended. She wants a drug test. General Information Child’s name: Male Female Name at birth if different from above: Resident Address: City/Town/Village: Province/Territory: Postal code: Child’s date of birth (yy/mm/dd): Age: ... there are 10 specific practice questions in A Day in the Life of a CPS Social Worker. 5. But the investigator has no right to interrogate your child alone. If the investigator doesn’t do it, you do it. Interview. Questions could include things like these: Are you hungry? They may ask what the child does when he/she does when scared. PO Box 6747, Lubbock, TX 79493 • Phone: 806.744.4441 • Fax: 806.744.4446, Handling CPS Child Interviews (What Not to Do). Knowing what CPS is legally allowed to do can put your mind at ease during an investigation. CPS can ask invasive and “nosy” questions. If the child denies the account, what’s to keep the agency from accusing the parents of coercing the child to change his story? Nothing on the list does that. The allegation is that the parents may drink while caring for their daughter—not that they do drink while caring for their daughter. As a parent, you have rights even during Child Protective Services (CPS) investigations. Section 261.301 states in relevant part that “the department [CPS] shall make a prompt and thorough investigation of a report of child abuse or neglect allegedly committed by a person responsible for a child’s care, custody or welfare.”. • Have the parents or caregivers failed to provide Interviews to include parents, ministry social worker, foster parents, Project Parent worker and Support worker from the Band (family is Aboriginal). That has been called child neglect by CPS investigators. Be aware that CPS investigators routinely ignore this law. They come out of the interview saying whatever they like about what occurred. What are the most common signs of child abuse in a home? Send jobs to 100+ job boards with one submission. Assesses the candidate's work experience. Free interview details posted anonymously by Chicago Public Schools interview candidates. And I strongly recommend you do, in fact, say no. cc07.indd 6607.indd 66 88/7/2012 6:11:53 PM/7/2012 6:11:53 PM However, complex skip patterns using the responses to several questions insure respondents are asked only a very small set of questions about themselves. 22 Chicago Public Schools Teacher interview questions and 21 interview reviews. Go into the interview with a plan for areas to cover during the interview but be prepared to be flexible. The soc. Ever. The parent of another child in your son’s group has been accused of sexual abuse of a child. Be wary of candidates who lack attention to detail or experience with children. If a child finds the interview too distressing, the CPS worker may end the interview for that child’s sake. I’m seeing more and more situations where CPS seeks to determine whether there is concern for abuse—not to investigate an allegation of abuse. And please don’t make the mistake of letting her into your home because you have “nothing to hide.” You don’t know what she’s looking for. Has your house ever been messy? The child had said nothing of the sort. ), Momtrepreneur: Working While Homeschooling, “Johnny, has your daddy ever given you bruises?”, there is concern that parents may be drinking while caring for their daughter, the child “is said to be” sick after dad leaves. Me. Absent Parents She told everyone who would listen that the child confirmed that Grandpa had sexually molested her. • Inform the support person at the beginning of the interview that information obtained during the interview is confidential and that release of this information has civil and criminal penalties. Second, the investigator has the authority to interrogate any person in the home, including all parents and children. And then she closed the investigation without talking to my client or any of her children. But CPS investigators’ refusal to ask follow-up questions is the stuff of legend. The Child Interview. Also available at www.cps.ca. • Obtain consent and necessary signatures on the DHS-860, CPS Support Person Letter. Should I Teach Computer Programming in My Homeschool? They still have the right to ask those questions. Parent Questionnaire | Page 1 of 7 PARENT QUESTIONNAIRE A. Affirmative answers to the following questions may indicate that a child’s physical and medical needs are unmet: • Have the parents or caregivers failed to provide the child with needed care for a physical injury, acute illness, physical disability, or chronic condition? The CPS would ask permission to conduct it in your house. Not even a little. If you pass the 2nd interview, you will receive a personality test to complete. When interviewing a child remember to: Slow down your rate of speech and shorten your sentences Allow the child time to process questions and allow them time to respond, avoid interrupting them None. Why? ... Interaction Method (MIM) is a play-based, structured technique for observing and assessing the relationship between a parent/caregiver and child > You can find out more information about this and take a training here. is required in a CPS abuse/neglect investigation whether or … Now let’s switch and make the assumption that we’re dealing with a valid allegation, that the daughter did take illegal drugs to school, that the parents do care for their children while falling-down drunk. What is CPS allowed to do while investigating? Learn about the key requirements, duties, responsibilities, and skills that should be in a Caseworker Job Description. Rapport building and developmental assessment Setting q The place of interview should by a neutral place, quiet and secure, there should not be too many toys in the room, this distracts the child. One investigator, who I understand is a rockstar in the agency, had a child removed from her grandparents and shoved into foster care for six weeks based on the interview of the child. As a result, they may ask questions that you are not comfortable with. Here’s another one. Shared on September 1, 2020 - Conservatorship Specialist IV, DFPS - San Antonio, TX This means that even you, their parent, will most likely not be allowed to even listen to the interview. The allegation must, if true, constitute abuse or neglect. Assesses the candidate's work experience. The allegations, which in this case likely came from a feuding relative looking to settle a score (this happens a lot), were: The point on this list that came closest to a legitimate allegation was the fifth one—but not nearly close enough. She wants you to place your kids with friends or family—and agree to be supervised around them—while she carries out her investigation at what will turn out to be a leisurely pace. Across the country, most CPS investigations begin the same way: a social worker asks (or demands) to talk to the parents, privately interview the children, and inspect the home. So he may get drunk, and he may even get drunk while taking care of his kids. Interviewing the child's parent/immediate caregiver (i.e., the person who has physical custody of the child, generally one or both parents, a legal guardian, legal custodian, relative caregiver, etc.) Top 5 Child Protective Investigator interview questions with detailed tips for both hiring managers and candidates. Nitpicking? When interviewing child protective investigators, the best candidates will be exceptional judges of character and have excellent communication and interpersonal skills. And what she wants is a child saying, “Daddy hit me.”. CPS was well on its way with a suit to terminate his rights to the child (he had previously been named conservator) when, six weeks later, we finally obtained a copy of the interview tape. Find 91 questions and answers about working at Child Protective Services. Every parent may be abusing or neglecting her child. But I never, ever allow the investigator alone with a child. Some investigators are honest, objective professionals. You. She spit and fumed and threatened. The process took a week. This means even you, the parent, would not be privy to the conversation. The interviews with parents are to allow investigator an opportunity to ask questions and ‘check on things,’ with the inquiries often being very direct, limited, and brief. What exactly is a CPS investigator interested in? The first interview was with the manager of the division and then the 2nd interview consisted of the manager and the other recruiters that were in that division. (No, that wasn’t a mistaken word choice—it’s an interrogation, not an interview.) The investigator will tell you differently, but it’s not true. Speaking from years of experience with Texas Child Protective Services (CPS), THSC’s special counsel for CPS Investigations walks you through handling CPS’ unwarranted intrusion into your homeschooling family. 2. Conduct a comprehensive interview with every victim or identified child who is developmentally able to communicate within ten calendar days from the date and time the intake is received if not already completed at the IFF. Send Jobs to 100+ Job Boards with One Submission, Community Services and Development Interview Questions, Child Protective Investigator Job Description. But remember that CPS has its limits and families have rights. And remember that members of the Texas Home School Coalition have a network of attorneys across Texas waiting to represent you during every step of an investigation, whether the allegations concern homeschooling or not. Dirty dishes in the sink? (And note that “abuse” and “neglect” are categories, not allegations. Dealing with Child Protective Services can be a difficult and traumatic time. Learn about the key requirements, duties, responsibilities, and skills that should be in a Child Protective Investigator Job Description. That question is answered by Texas Family Code Section 261.302 which states, in relevant part, that the investigation may include: (1) a visit to the child’s home, unless the alleged abuse or neglect can be confirmed or clearly ruled out without a home visit, (2) an interview with and examination of the subject child, which may include a medical, psychological, or psychiatric examination. Top 5 Field Investigator interview questions with detailed tips for both hiring managers and candidates. You have to decide what information to share, whether to enroll in services, and, if you wind up with a case, whether or not to go to trial. Others, to put it politely, lie. Who stays with you when your parents have to leave? When you’re investigated by child protective services, you have to make decisions every step of the way. CPS taking children away is a terrifying thought for any parent. None. The investigator can ask for access to your child, but you have the authority to deny her that access. For example, you’re in a co-op. She must have the authority to do all this, right? Also included in the referral questions in the report was the parents referral question, which was regarding the return of the children to their care. If you refuse, they can have an interview at their office or the child’s school. The investigation process is designed to be thorough. There’s a knock on the door. What do you usually eat? Let’s break this down. And she tells you that you must comply or there will be trouble. That possibility really concerns me. 3 This ebook consists of two parts: - Part I: Top 80 child protection interview questions and answers (pdf, free download) - Part II: Top 12 tips to prepare for child protection interview 4. 2 Based on: Top 10 child protection interview questions and answers Updated To: Top 80 child protection interview questions and answers On: Mar 2017 3. The latter is a legitimate function of the agency. 24 Questions You Should Ask Your Parents, While You Can As weeks, months and years fly by, we are all missing opportunities to talk about real things -- important things -- with our parents. child may have a stomach ailment that may be psychological in nature. Learn about the key requirements, duties, responsibilities, and skills that should be in a Social Worker Job Description. Will CPS talk to my child? Â. CPS investigations are scary, intimidating times for a family. The parent and the child have the right to refuse talking to the child protective services. He’s a parent, and I’ve seen him drinking. The key element is that the investigator will talk to the child in private. Explores the candidate's ability to diffuse stressful situations and perform under pressure. I will often compromise with the investigator by having someone other than the parent (me or a grandparent, for example) sit with the children. Interview questions that CPS workers/investigators will use during their first meeting with children, parents, and alleged Child Protective Services (CPS) aims to protect children and to act in their best interest. Evaluates the candidate's interviewing and investigative techniques. If the allegation is that dad broke little Johnny’s arm, the investigator has no right to be in your home. The DLR/CPS investigator must obtain the parent’s permission prior to the IFF and interview if the child is not in CA care and custody. My response was: “And?” I told the CPS caseworker to have a nice day, but she wasn’t going to investigate my client. I told her that if that had been the allegation, we’d be having a different conversation. What candidates say about the interview process at CPS It was over 10 years ago but I recall it was a smooth in person interview that asked about my experience. (Not dirty, not filthy, just messy.) CPS may want to interview your child to find out whether the man has done anything to him. And not that they are drunk while caring for their daughter. A CPS investigator can interview any child who is a reported victim of abuse or neglect at any reasonable time or place, including your child’s home or school or daycare. Yep. Learn about the interview process, employee benefits, company culture and more on Indeed. You’re now a target. What are the child’s weaknesses or diffi culties? When you work with CPS, you may be asked to comply with a safety or service plan. It depends on the allegations as well as the age of the child. Top 5 Caseworker interview questions with detailed tips for both hiring managers and candidates. They document evidence of abuse and neglect for use in criminal trials and develop interventions to help victims. Highlights the candidate's experience and problem-solving skills. • It is recommended that parents or other caretakers of the child not be present during the interview, but sometimes a child will refuse to separate; if this occurs, instruct the parent/caretaker not to talk or try to “help” the child during the interview. But the questions are generally as open ended as possible and are used to assess whether or … When was the last time you had a bath? INTERVIEW BY RISE PARENT LEADERS When you’re investigated by child protective services, you have to make decisions every step of the way. There were no other allegations. Social Work Job Interview Questions for Child Protection. First, if the report is not about your child, CPS has no authority to investigate. You see, the rule is that CPS may investigate an allegation that, if it were true, would in fact be abuse or neglect. Let’s assume that it was true that the child took white pills to school. That was all. CPS’ authority to investigate your family is found in Chapter 261 of the Texas Family Code. CPS can demand that you follow a plan. They do everything they can to make children feel more safe. Single-Parent Homeschooling (Can It Really Work? The former is an idea reminiscent of George Orwell or the Soviet Union. Same thing. Top 5 Social Worker interview questions with detailed tips for both hiring managers and candidates. So let’s step waaay back from that nightmare for a moment and examine what the law has to say. I know that seems like common sense, but it’s important. If your child says something out of context or in a way that could be taken different ways by an adult, you just bought yourself your own investigation: “Johnny, has your daddy ever given you bruises?” “Yes.” “Where?” “All over my back.” “But,” said the CPS investigator, “what if the white pills were some sort of illegal drug?” (They weren’t.). Be mindful of the attention span of your client. It’s a parent’s nightmare come to life. Third, make sure someone is taping that interview. A CPS investigation is serious business and can have life-altering consequences if things go wrong. It’s not to be taken lightly. Has your dog ever pooped on the carpet? Specialty Interview Questions. You are entitled by law to know the details of what you are accused of doing.) That guy coaching little league? By She’s from the government, after all. But let’s look at it in detail. First, note that CPS may not enter your home without an allegation that something about the home itself is a danger to your child. No, I am not kidding. Do not let them in. How would you approach a child who has been abused and refuses to speak? Because the allegations being investigated by a CPS agent are just the starting point for her. She will not limit her questioningof the child to the allegations against the other father. • Suspected offenders should not be … She’ll pry into your family’s business as long as she’s there. If your child says something out of context or in a way that could be taken different ways by an adult, you just bought yourself your own investigation: Boom. CPS interview details: 10 interview questions and 9 interview reviews posted anonymously by CPS interview candidates. Yes, that’s a scary list. CPS is in the business of helping children, not harming them. A subtle but huge difference. You open the door. Practice Guidelines 1. She’ll stop when she has what she wants. It is useful to keep the paper and crayons ready. The CPS program similarly focuses on helping families by focusing on strengths: … the ultimate objective of CPS is to protect children by stabilizing and strengthening families whenever possible through services, either direct or purchased, to the parents or other responsible adult to help them to effectively carry out their parental A lawyer can be present for a CPS interview of a parent. CPS quietly dismissed the case. Please list any specifi c questions or concerns for which you would like help: What are the child’s greatest strengths? It’s CPS. Interview Questions for Child Protective Investigators: 1. If you answered “yes,” you need to read a history of the Salem witch trials to understand where that thinking leads. When the parent or child refuses to talk, it can raise suspicion and make the caseworker raise more questions and investigate further. Tests the candidate's communication skills and experience with children. Why was I able to do that? There’s a lot parents don’t know about what CPS can and cannot do. On the other hand, if CPS wants to interview your child at school they must first get your permission to do so if you are at the school during the time of the interview. Second, if the allegation doesn’t include a legitimate allegation of abuse or neglect of a child, CPS has no authority to investigate. The computerized questionnaire for just the labor force portion of a CPS interview consists of more than 200 questions. They may ask if the child ever gets scared. Yes. A final note on child interviews: the investigator is required by law to audiotape or videotape the interview unless the recording equipment malfunctions or the child is unwilling to allow the interview to be recorded. But even if true (it was), that fact does not prove child abuse. The investigator demands access to your house, to your kids, to your doctor.