Child Protective Services, or CPS, is a state agency charged with investigating reports of suspected child physical abuse, sexual abuse and neglect of children under the age of 17. Generally speaking, a CPS investigation begins in one of two ways: a detective notifies CPS that a police investigation has begun or CPS receives a report or “tip” on a hotline. The primary responsibility of a CPS worker is to determine whether or not abuse has occurred in the home by parents, family members, or other household members