Family Assessment and Safety Planning Flashcards

In child welfare safety assessment, what does the term 'present danger' refer to?

Answer: An immediate, observable threat that is actively occurring or about to occur

Present danger refers to a threat that is immediate, observable, and occurring right now or is about to occur, requiring immediate protective action.

Which assessment approach in child welfare examines strengths, needs, and risks across multiple domains including individual, family, and community levels?

Answer: Ecological systems assessment

An ecological systems assessment examines the child and family within multiple interacting contexts—individual, family, community, and societal—to understand strengths, needs, and risks comprehensively.

A safety plan in child welfare must include which essential component?

Answer: Specific, concrete actions that will control threats to child safety

A safety plan must include specific, concrete, and actionable steps that will immediately control the identified safety threats and protect the child.

In the Structured Decision Making (SDM) model, what is the purpose of a safety assessment?

Answer: To identify whether a child is in immediate danger requiring protective action

The SDM safety assessment is designed to identify whether a child is in immediate danger and determine whether a safety plan or protective action is needed right now.

Which factor is considered a safety factor in child welfare assessment, requiring immediate protective action?

Answer: Caregiver is unable or unwilling to protect the child from identified danger

A caregiver who is unable or unwilling to protect the child is a safety factor requiring immediate intervention, as the child has no protection from present danger.

What is the difference between a safety factor and a risk factor in child welfare assessment?

Answer: Safety factors indicate immediate danger; risk factors indicate the likelihood of future maltreatment

Safety factors identify conditions creating immediate danger to a child right now, while risk factors predict the probability that maltreatment will occur in the future.