Report 2013-110 Recommendation 32 Responses
Report 2013-110: Child Welfare Services: The County Child Welfare Services Agencies We Reviewed Must Provide Better Protection for Abused and Neglected Children (Release Date: April 2014)
Recommendation #32 To: Orange County Social Services Agency
As part of its responsibility to help children remain safe at all points during the investigation of a referral, the Orange County CWS agency should perform statutorily required background checks and inspections before allowing children to be placed in a home.
1-Year Agency Response
It is, and has been, the Social Services Agency's (SSA's) policy to perform all statutorily required background checks and inspections before allowing children to be placed in a home.
Emergency Response (ER) managers reviewed the required background checks outlined in the Abuse Investigations Protective Interventions P&P Number A-0414 with all supervisors at their supervisor meeting on June 5, 2014. Emergency Response supervisors reviewed background checks outlined in the Abuse Investigations Protective Interventions P&P with all social workers in their June and July 2014 unit meetings. All Differential Response (DR) supervisors and social workers were trained on this P&P by October 2014.
The Quality Support Team (QST) completed two audits of placement files (September 2014 and March 2015) to ensure staff performed statutorily required background checks and inspections before allowing children to be placed in a home.
- Completion Date: March 2015
- Response Date: April 2015
California State Auditor's Assessment of 1-Year Status: Fully Implemented
6-Month Agency Response
It is, and has been, Orange County SSA's policy to perform all statutorily required background checks and inspections before allowing children to be placed in a home.
Emergency Response (ER) managers reviewed the required background checks outlined in the Abuse Investigations Protective Interventions P&P Number A-0414 with all supervisors at their supervisor meeting on June 5, 2014. Supervisors reviewed background checks outlined in the Abuse Investigations Protective Interventions P&P with all social workers in their June and July 2014 unit meetings. All Differential Response (DR) supervisors and social workers were trained on this P&P in September 2014.
QST began an audit of placement files in September 2014 to monitor placement practices and required background clearance. A second audit is scheduled for March 2015.
- Estimated Completion Date: March 2015
- Response Date: October 2014
California State Auditor's Assessment of 6-Month Status: Partially Implemented
60-Day Agency Response
It is, and has been, Orange County SSAs policy to perform all statutorily required background checks and inspections before allowing children to be placed in a home.
Emergency Response (ER) managers reviewed the required background checks outlined in the Abuse Investigations Protective Interventions P&P Number A-0414 with supervisors at their all supervisor meeting on June 3, 2014. Supervisors will review background checks outlined in the Abuse Investigations Protective Interventions P&P with social workers in their June 2014 unit meetings.
QST will complete semi-annual audits in September 2014 and March 2015 to monitor placement practices and required background clearance.
- Estimated Completion Date: March 2015
- Response Date: June 2014
California State Auditor's Assessment of 60-Day Status: Pending
All Recommendations in 2013-110
Agency responses received are posted verbatim.