Neely Atkinson

Fall 2000

Dr. Jammie Price

Sociology Internship

with New Hanover County Department of Social Services

As a sociology major, I have always known that as a career I want to work with children. More specifically, children that are in need. I decided during my freshman year at UNCW that education was not what I wanted to pursue. My goal of working with children and helping them had not changed, just the means of doing so.

When it came time for a sociology internship, practicum, or senior project- I chose an internship. My reason was because I really did not know exactly what I wanted to do after graduation. I figured an internship would give me the best experience for what a certain place of work was all about.

I chose New Hanover County Department of Social Services because I thought I might be interested in social work, and I wanted to see what it was like. Being a social worker seemed like a great way to not only help kids but also do a bit of counseling- another field I am interested in. Another factor that played a big part in my choosing The Department of Social Services (DSS) for my internship is that I am neighbors with Wanda Neidig, the Assistant Director with DSS. Wanda helped me get my internship approved and planned. My time at Social Services consisted of shadowing workers in Child Protective Services Intake, Investigation, and On-Going Treatment. I also started helping Wanda put together a workshop for the social workers. The workshop will educate the workers about the rapidly growing Hispanic culture in our area.

I was at The Department of Social Services from May through the end of July. During my time there, I learned so much about child welfare in New Hanover County and it became clear to me that a career in social work is in my future.

Literature Review

For my internship, I spent most of my time in Children’s Protective Services- Investigations Unit. I intend to pursue a career in investigations and that will be the focus of my paper. As a sociology student, I am interested in both counseling and helping at-risk kids- the two main purposes of child welfare investigators of abuse and neglect reports.

For my literature review, I chose five articles concerning Social Services Investigations. The articles are diverse in their views of investigations units and whether they are working. The literature review provided a way to familiarize myself with current issues on the subject of investigations.

Focus of Previous Research

Nelson and Saunders (1993) studied families where child neglect was a significant problem. They studied three groups of people: families known to DSS, new families to DSS, and unsubstantiated reports of neglect. Drake (1996) proposed that unsubstantiated reports on children involve some form of maltreatment. Sheppard and Zangrillo (1996) studied the relationship between the police and the American Public Welfare Association for reporting child abuse. Drake and Johnson-Reid (2000) looked at “substantiation in the context of the early intervention decision points faced in state child welfare, the conceptual complexities underlying these interventions, and how substantiation does or does not play a role in the intervention.” Kolko (1998) examines the problems of case operations of child welfare workers with families referred to Child Protective Services.

Nelson and Saunders (1993) main concept was how certain social factors affect the risk of child neglect. They looked at factors such as: demographics, financial and housing status, psychological profile and interactional patterns. Drake (1996) had three objectives for his article. Those three points were: to review current empirical and polemic uses of substantiation data, to evaluate the degree to which prevalent conceptualization of substantiation are consistent with empirical literature, and to suggest means of reconceptualizing CPS investigations outcomes.

Sheppard and Zangrillo (1996) had three objectives for their project: to examine joint investigations at the local level with a national survey on law enforcement and CPS units, identify elements of effective joint investigations by studying innovative programs, and development of joint investigation program models to enhance the existing programs. Drake and Jonson-Reid (2000) central concept was to “replace the substantiation characterization with more practice-relevant characterizations that will be consistent with the nature of child welfare services” and to explore different policies to help with the child welfare interventions. Kolko (1998) believes empirical studies are needed to document various aspects of the service delivery system available to abused children and their families.

Methods and Measurement

The methods used for the five articles relied largely on existing data, but also included interviews and surveys. Nelson and Saunders (1993) conducted a longitudinal cohort case study in Allegheny county, PA from 1986 through 1989. They studied 182 families. The families were interviewed at the beginning of the study, then six months later, and then one year after intake. Drake (1996) used the Harm/ Evidence Model to explain his objectives. The Harm/ Evidence Model “highlights the heterogeneity within unsubstantiation reports, suggesting that the prevalent conceptualization of unsubstantiated reports as invalid and unnecessarily intrusive cannot be sustained empirically (1).” The goal of the model is to “serve as a starting point for a new and more informed discussion of the nature of unsubstantiated reports (1).”

Sheppard and Zangrillo (1996) surveyed police agencies, law enforcement agencies, and child welfare agencies. After analyzing the surveys, a case study was conducted in seven random counties in the US. Then they used the results to develop guidelines for a joint program. Drake and Jonson-Reid (2000) studied DSS agencies across the US and their policies in substantiation. They used innovative intervention strategics instead of substantiation data. Kolko (1998) conducted the Pittsburgh Service Delivery Study that documented the service delivery experiences and outcomes of 90 families referred to DSS. They used a random selection of DSS records for their study.

Findings

Nelson and Saunders (1993) found certain social factors do affect whether or not a child is at high risk for neglect. Drake (1996) found that “there is current confusion surrounding substantiation. To better understand substantiation, the Harm/Evidence Model is suggested, accompanied by an exploration of empirical support for that model.” Sheppard and Zangrillo (1996) found a need for three program models: Improved agency based joint investigations using existing agency resources, a multi disciplinary interview center, and child advocacy centers. Drake and Jonson-Reid (2000) found that “researchers must discontinue the reliance on substantiation as a proxy for risk or severity. Substantiation is useful, if at all, as a preliminary step toward family court involvement.” Kolko (1998) found that there is a greater need for empirical documentation of what happens tp families referred to DSS.

Limitations

Nelson and Saunders’ (1993) study was limited to 182 families, all in the same county. Drake (1996) and Kolko’s (1998) articles were both very technical and hard to understand. They used technical language and displayed complicated charts. Sheppard and Zangrillo (1996) did not discuss how to implement the program models they suggest. Drake and Jonson-Reid (2000) propose to eliminate substantiation but offer no clear way for DSS agencies to do that.

Organizational Profile

What is New Hanover County Department of Social Services

The Mission Statement for the New Hanover County Department of Social Services is as follows:

Created by the North Carolina General Assembly and sustained with public funds, the New Hanover County Department of Social Services exists to alleviate emotional and economic distress among the people of the county. Providing a variety of basic and essential services, the New Hanover County Department of Social Services seeks to assist and protect our most vulnerable citizens– the poor, the children, the aged, the disabled, and the sick– and to enhance and maintain the quality of life in our community.

It is the goal of the New Hanover County Department of Social Services to create and sustain a public agency which is:

1. professionally responsive to all clients and sensitive to the uniqueness of each client’s problems and needs;

2. valued by our community and publicly accountable for the effective and efficient management of the public’s funds;

3. professionally stimulating, rewarding and satisfying to our employees; and

4. creatively adaptive to changing demands, laws and regulations without losing sight of our role as an advocate for the vulnerable people in our community and our concern for the plight of the individual client.

For my internship in Children’s Services, I spent time in the three departments: Children’s Protective Services Intake, Investigations, and On-Going. Intake collects all of the reports of child abuse and neglect via phone and walk-ins. The people reporting the abuse are neighbors, child care providers, parents, friends, social workers, the police, schools, etc. Investigations is were I spent most of my time during my internship. Children’s Protective Services Investigators investigate reports, taken from Intake, of abuse and neglect in New Hanover County. On-going Services is for children in temporary or permanent foster care or the adoption process.

CPS- Investigations

The basic goal of CPS-Investigations (CPS-I) is to investigate the reports of abuse and neglect and determine whether or not to substantiate. If a report of abuse is substantiated, then the social worker must take custody of the child, with police protection, and place the child in foster care. If severe neglect is found or if the parent is uncooperative or unfit (drug use, alcohol, criminal activity, etc) a worker would take custody of the child, or children. If the investigation is substantiated and the child is taken from the home, DSS tries to place the child with an immediate family member. If the parent refuses to let the child stay with a family member, the child is placed into foster care.

If the parent is cooperative and the neglect is mild to moderate, the social worker will work out a Protection Plan with the parent(s), such as to attend certain parenting classes, take the child to certain appointments, take the child to the doctor, or see that the child is in school everyday. The Social Worker also has to interview two acquaintances of the family. The parent can provide these contacts and they are usually conducted by telephone. The social workers will check in frequently and inform the appropriate parties (school) to report any failure on the part of the parent. There are also times when there is no abuse or neglect but family turmoil. In this situation, the caseworker will provide the family with help from agencies outside DSS (Southeastern Mental Health, Families First, Health Department, etc.) and within (income maintenance, Work First). CPS-I workers also have to go to court. DSS Court is every Thursday, and social workers who have taken custody of a child must go if that case is to be heard. Only a judge can terminate the right’s of a parent.

The CPS-I workers are Social Worker III’s, which is the highest level for social workers at New Hanover County DSS. The social worker III’s have either worked for DSS for years, starting as a I and working up to a III, or have their Master’s in Social Work and some experience working with children.

“As soon as a social worker is hired in CPS-I as a social worker III, there is a required training that must be completed before that worker can start carrying a caseload or having contact with clients. This training is called Pre-Training. There is also required training after the worker’s first year of employment with the agency. The worker also has to complete Child Sexual Abuse Training prior to receiving CPS reports that contain allegations of sexual abuse. After the second year of employment, 24 hours of training per year is required for each employee (Neidig, 2000).”

Procedures and Policies for CPS-I

On the day the report is issued the worker has 24 hours to talk with the child, all care givers living in the home, and to make a home visit. There is a standard that dictates that the social worker is to communicate with the children in an age appropriate manner. Children are to be interviewed away from the parent (in school, if possible). The CPS-I workers must also complete an Investigative Assessment Family Risk Factor Worksheet if abuse or neglect is substantiated (a copy is on the following page).

A copy of the Children’s Services Standards for Service Delivery is also found on the following pages. “The state of North Carolina has mandated policies or standards for CPS that were recently revised and put into effect July 1, 2000. Standards 1-27 apply to investigations. If abuse or neglect is found, a risk assessment is to be completed on the day the case is substantiated (#28). If the case is transferred to CPS Case Planning/Management services, 29-40 of the standards apply. Case Planning services are provided when abuse or neglect is found but the child can remain in the home with additional services provided to the family. If the children are removed from the home, 41-110 apply (Neidig, 2000).”

The final decision to substantiate is not made by the CPS Investigator alone. There is generally a staff meeting between the worker and his or her supervisor. Furthermore, if the supervisor feels there are areas of concern, he/she will contact their Chief or the Assistant Director for a decision.

Methods

What I Did

Most of my time at DSS was spent in Investigations. There I shadowed workers and witnessed first hand what CPS-I is all about. I went on many different cases and experienced different kinds of neglect and abuse cases. Here are some examples of the substantiated abuse/ neglect cases I worked on:

1. Three kids asleep on the floor in the middle of the night. Discovered by the police when they responded to a domestic violence call at the address. Evidence of serious domestic violence, blood was all over the walls and bed in the master bedroom. Mom was found on College Road when she flagged down a car for help. Boyfriend disappeared for a few days. Mom was released from the hospital and would not admit to domestic abuse. Children were taken away and placed with grandmother. The oldest child found prescription drugs at the grandmother’s and gave them to his two younger siblings. They overdosed and where flown to Chapel Hill for treatment. Oldest child went into foster care immediately. When the two younger children were released from the hospital, they were also placed in foster care. All of the children were separated.

2. Two teenage parents arrested for marijuana possession. Baby was neglected because of drug use. Took custody of the child. Placed in foster care because of family feud.

3. Social worker had an appointment with a child’s mother, who was under investigation. When we showed up at the client’s house for the appointment, we found the six year old child home alone. Took the child back to DSS and left a note at 1:30 for the mother to contact DSS. Mom had not called by 5pm and the child was placed into foster care.

4. Termination of a mother’s parental rights due to giving birth to a baby while being an admitted crack addict. Picked up the baby from the hospital and took him to foster care.

I went out with many different social workers in CPS-I and learned many different techniques for interviewing and observing children and parents. One of my favorite workers to go on investigation’s with was Johanna Leigh. She has a four year degree in criminal justice, and was the director for a children’s shelter in Iowa. She has been in Wilmington, working for New Hanover County DSS, for about a year. She had thought that she wanted to go into law enforcement but instead got a job in CPS-I and likes the combination of social work and police work. She is great to go out with because she really loves her job, and it comes across in the way she communicates with children and accused parents. Johanna taught me a lot about CPS-I procedures, challenged me with hypotheticals, and quizzed me on the appropriate questions for interviewing children and adults.

Applied Sociology

Sociology and in-class learning helped me a lot with my internship. I was able to study the way people work in different settings and groups. I now have a better understanding of a professional workplace and have witnessed how individual workers cooperate, build teams, and divide labor to accomplish goals (Price, 2000).

I also witnessed parents’ reactions to allegations of abuse or neglect and the child’s reaction. My internship gave me a better understanding of others with different social, economic, and ethnic backgrounds. I learned of the stigma related to social work and analyzed society’s reaction to child abuse.

My Applied Sociology skills helped me to be more confident and proactive. I made great contacts for a future career in social work, practiced networking, and conducted many informal informational interviews with different social workers at the Department of Social Services.

Personal Reflections

After spending a few days in the CPS-I unit at DSS, I realized that I want a career in social work. CPS-I is fast paced and exciting. There is never a dull moment. To keep up, you must be extremely organized, which I am. You are helping children, but do not work with them long enough to get attached. Investigators are constantly out in the community investigating abuse and neglect, following up on cases, taking children to the doctor, etc. There is very little office time, which is a feature I am looking for in a job. I want to be out in the community helping children, and I can do that in CPS-I. It is also an excellent introduction to counseling, which is my career goal for the future. I had a phenomenal experience at DSS because I learned so much and discovered that it is my desire to be a social worker.

Works Cited:

Drake, Brett. “Unraveling ‘Unsubstantiated.’” Child Maltreatment 1:3 (1996): 261-272.

Drake, Brett and Melissa Jonson-Reid. “Substantiation and Early Decision Points in Public Child Welfare: A Conceptual Reconsideration.” Child Maltreatment 5:3 (2000): 227-236.

Kolko, David J. “CPS Operations and Risk Assessment in Child Abuse.” Child Maltreatment 3:3 (1998): 262-274.

Neidig, Wanda. Personal Interview. 1 September 2000.

Nelson, Kristine and Edward J. Saunders. “Chronic Child Neglect in Perspective.” Social Work 38:6 (1993): 661-672.

Price, Jammie. Sociological Skills. 1 November 2000. www.uncwil.edu/people/pricej

Sheppard, David I. and Patricia A. Zangrillo. “Coordinating Investigations of Child Abuse.” Public Welfare 54:1 (1996): 21-32.