Call: 1.800.400.0902 to Report Abuse (24-hour response)

Child Welfare Services

The major system of intervention of child abuse and neglect in California is Child Welfare Services. Existing law provides for services to abused and neglected children and their families. The goal is to keep the child in his/her own home when it is safe, and when the child is at risk, to develop an alternate plan as quickly as possible.

Immediate/Emergency Response (IR/ER)

When a referral is received, the social service staff obtains facts from the person making the referral to determine if the referral alleges abuse, neglect, or exploitation. The Emergency Response staff determines if an in-person response is indicated. Whenever a report indicates the need for protection, Children’s Services will:

• Accept the case
• Intervene in the crisis, if required
• Apply Family Preservation and Support Services for some families
• Assess or identify problems, gather facts and clarify the problems
• Plan and provide services, set goals, identify resources and time frames
• Document the case
• Terminate the case or transfer it to another program

Family Maintenance (FM)

Approximately 12 months of services are provided to children who remain safely in the home while the family receives services. If it is determined that a child cannot remain in the home, even with family preservation and support services, then foster placement is arranged in the most family-like setting, that is located close to the parent’s home, consistent with the best interests of the child.

Family Reunification (FR)

Up to 18 months of services are provided to children and their families when a child has been removed from the home and the family is making progress toward reunification.

Permanent Placement (PP)

When a child cannot be returned to a safe home after services have been delivered, the child must be provided with a family-like living arrangement as soon as possible.

For whom these services are available to children and their families when children are victims of, or at risk of, abuse, neglect, exploitation, or parental absence.

California law defines child abuse as any of the following:

• A child is physically injured by other than accidental means
• A child is subjected to willful cruelty or unjustifiable punishment
• A child is abused or exploited sexually
• A child is neglected by a parent or caretaker who fails to provide adequate food, clothing, shelter, medical care or supervision

Presumptive Transfer (AB1299)

To provide children and youth in foster care, who are placed out of county of original jurisdiction access to Specialty Mental Health Services in a timely manner a prompt transfer of the responsibility for the provision of, or arranging of payment for services from the county of original jurisdiction to the county in which the foster child resides.

For all other questions, comments or concerns please use