If so, a CPS social worker will respond to the situation. A child is removed from the home ONLY as a last resort. In such cases, CPS social workers do not act alone. They must have court approval to remove a child from a parent's custody. Usually, approval occurs before the child is removed, however, in extreme emergencies, the court may approve after the removal.
Every attempt is made to place the child with family members or relatives.
If that is not possible, the child is placed in a temporary foster home. Children 7 and under should not be left alone for any period of time. Child Protective Services has published Child Supervision Guidelines which provides information on when a child may be left unsupervised. Many of our social workers are bilingual. We also use interpreters from community organizations specializing in multicultural services.