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Child Welfare Investigation Issues and Best Practices
Length: 1.5 Hours
Youth today are exposed to, and often experience, multiple forms of family violence throughout their childhood. In addition to maltreatment youth may themselves experience, they are also exposed to violence against their siblings, sexual assaults and intimate partner violence (IPV) against a parent. Child welfare systems have been developed to respond to the needs of children and families, with the goal of maintaining family relationships when possible. This session will discuss the numerous modifications seen in child welfare investigations throughout the decades, and the current recognition of the need for multidisciplinary responses that are evidenced-based, culturally appropriate and trauma-informed. This session will also examine risk assessment techniques and resiliency factors for children.
Objectives:
- Discuss general considerations for CPS practice in child welfare investigations.
- Analyze cultural issues and challenges in child welfare investigations.
- Explain protection and resiliency factors in the child welfare system and community.
Orignally recorded at IVAT's 25th San Diego International Virtual Summit
Amy Russell, MSEd, JD, NCC, Executive Director, Arthur D. Curtis Children's Justice Center
Ms. Russell serves as the executive director of the Arthur D. Curtis Children’s Justice Center in Clark County, Washington. Ms. Russell is a licensed attorney, a nationally certified counselor and experienced forensic interviewer. Ms. Russell serves as an expert witness on child abuse issues in multiple state and federal courts, and provides training on state, federal and international levels on the investigation, interviews and litigation of child abuse cases. She has previously served as a pro bono attorney for children in dependency court, a forensic interview specialist with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security / Immigration and Customs Enforcement and as an adjunct faculty member in the Child Advocacy Studies Program at Winona State University. She obtained her B.A. from Hope College in sociology, her M.S.Ed. in counseling from Western Illinois University and graduated magna cum laude from SUNY Buffalo Law School with her J.D. Ms. Russell has worked with victims of violence and trauma in several capacities, including extensive counseling and support work with child victims of sexual abuse and exploitation; director of victim services and counselor for survivors of homicide victims; and executive director of and consultant for multiple children’s advocacy centers and multidisciplinary teams regarding child abuse investigations and prosecution. In addition, she has authored multiple articles on forensic interviewing, child maltreatment and vicarious trauma.
