Iowa Administrative Code › Agency 441 - Human Services Department › Title XV - Individual and Family Support and Protective Services › Chapter 175 - Abuse of Children › Rule 441-175.26 - Completion of a Written Assessment Report

Current through Register Vol. 47, No. 3, July 24, 2024
The child protection worker shall complete a written
				  assessment report as follows:
(1)
Completion of a child abuse assessment report. A
child abuse
				assessment report shall be completed within 20 business days of the receipt of
				the child abuse report. In most instances, a child abuse assessment report
				shall be developed in conjunction with the child and family being assessed. A
				child abuse assessment report shall consist of two parts as follows:
a.
Report and disposition data.
				A
child abuse assessment report shall include report and disposition
				data as follows:
(1) Allegations: the report
				of suspected child abuse which caused the assessment to be initiated and
				additional allegations raised after the report of suspected child abuse becomes
				a case that have not been previously investigated or assessed. If the report of
				suspected child abuse was initially accepted as a family assessment, the reason
				why it was transferred to a child abuse assessment shall be
				identified.
(2) Evaluation of the
				child's safety: evaluation of the child's safety and the risk for occurrence or
				reoccurrence of abuse. Criteria to be used in the evaluation of the child's
				safety include, but are not limited to, the severity of the incident or
				condition, chronicity of the incident or condition, age of the child, attitude
				of the person alleged responsible, current services or supports, access of the
				person alleged responsible for the abuse to the child, and protectiveness of
				the parent or caretaker who is not alleged responsible for the abuse.
(3) Findings and contacts: a description of
				the child's condition including identification of the nature, extent, and cause
				of the injuries, if any, to the child named in the report; identification of
				the injury or risk to which the child was exposed; the circumstances which led
				to the injury or risk to the child; the identity of the person alleged to be
				responsible for the injury or risk to the child; an evaluation of the home
				environment; the name and condition of other children in the same home as the
				child named in the report if protective concerns are identified; a list of
				collateral contacts; and a history of confirmed or founded abuse.
(4) Determination regarding the allegations
				of child abuse: a statement of determination of whether the allegation of child
				abuse was founded, confirmed but not placed on the central abuse registry, or
				not confirmed. The statement shall include a rationale for placing or not
				placing the report on the central abuse registry.
(5) Recommendation for services as specified
				in 175.25(8) and a statement describing whether services are necessary to
				ensure the safety of the child or to prevent or remedy other identified
				problems.
1. The statement shall include the
				type of services recommended, if any, and whether these services are to be
				provided by the department, a child welfare service contractor, another
				community organization, other informal supports, or another source.
2. If services are already being provided,
				the statement shall include a recommendation whether these services should
				continue.
(6) Juvenile
				court recommendation: a statement describing whether juvenile court action is
				necessary to ensure the safety of the child; the type of action needed, if any;
				and the rationale for the recommendation.
(7) Criminal court recommendation: a
				statement describing whether criminal court action is necessary and the
				rationale for the recommendation.
(8) Addendum: An addendum to a child abuse
				assessment report shall be completed within 20 business days when any of the
				following occur:
1. New information becomes
				available that would alter the finding, conclusion, or recommendation of the
				report.
2. Substantive information
				that supports the finding becomes available.
3. A subject who was not previously
				interviewed requests an interview to address the allegations of the
				report.
4. A review or a final
				appeal decision modifies the report.