Services for Families

CWS provides a variety of services tailored to each individual family, and developed with their input, in order to address their specific needs. These services are categorized as:

Emergency Response

Emergency Response provides in-person response, 24 hours a day, seven days a week to reports of abuse, neglect, or exploitation. It is at this stage in a family’s involvement with CWS that referrals are investigated and it is determined if the allegations are:

  • Unfounded – refers to a report that is determined by the social worker who conducted the investigation to be false, to be inherently improbable, to involve an accidental injury, or not to constitute child abuse or neglect, as defined by the Penal Code.
  • Inconclusive – refers to a report that is determined by the social worker who conducted the investigation not to be unfounded, but the findings are inconclusive and there is insufficient evidence to determine whether child abuse or neglect occurred, as defined by the Penal Code.
  • Substantiated – refers to a report that is determined by the social worker who conducted the investigation to constitute child abuse or neglect, as defined in the Penal Code, based upon evidence that makes it more likely than not that child abuse or neglect, as defined, occurred.

Inconclusive and substantiated allegations of child abuse, neglect or exploitation are required by law to be reported to the Department of Justices’ Child Abuse Central Index (CACI). Persons who are reported to the CACI have the right to grieve the decision. For more information, click here.

It is also during the Emergency Response stage that it is determined if the child is safe and at low-to moderate risk of future harm and if the family as likely to make changes and mitigate risk voluntarily, and could therefore be offered “voluntary services”, or if court intervention will be necessary.

Voluntary services may be provided in either of the categories (Family Maintenance or Family Reunification) that court ordered services are. Voluntary services are provided on a time-limited basis with an emphasis on crisis intervention and avoiding further CWS involvement. Court intervention may become necessary if the family is unwilling to make needed improvements or the situation deteriorates, endangering the child.

Family Maintenance/Family Preservation

Family Maintenance provides time-limited protective services to prevent or remedy neglect, abuse, or exploitation while the child remains at home.

Family Reunification

Family Reunification provides time-limited foster care services to prevent or remedy neglect, abuse, or exploitation, when the child cannot safely remain at home, and needs temporary foster care while services are provided to the family.

Permanency for Youth

Permanency planning provides an alternative permanent family structure, such as adoption, guardianship, or long-term foster care, for children who, because of abuse, neglect, or exploitation cannot safely remain home and who are unlikely ever to return home. CWS strives to ensure that each youth in this situation has at least one permanent connection to a caring adult and that they are adequately prepared for self-sufficiency and success as an adult.

Adoption

Tehama County works with the California Dept. of Social Services (CDSS) Adoptions Division located in Chico which recruits and evaluates families for adoption of children whose parents have relinquished the child or whose parental rights have been terminated by the Juvenile Court.

If you are interested in becoming a resource family for a child, click here.

If you would like more information regarding becoming an adoptive parent or information regarding adoption, click here.