Current through Register Vol. 39, No. 6, September 16, 2024
(a) Primary
Service. Protective services for children are social services provided to
children and their parents or other caretakers in response to instances of
actual or suspected child neglect, abuse or dependency. The primary elements of
protective services consist of:
(1)
Identifying children at risk;
(2)
Receiving and assessing reports of neglect, abuse or dependency;
(3) Evaluating the degree of damage or risk
to the child;
(4) Cooperating with
law enforcement agencies as required to obtain suitable care and services for
children in or out of their own homes and initiation of court action where
necessary;
(5) Counseling and
planning with the child's family toward the solution and prevention of problems
causing neglect, abuse or dependency; and
(6) Arranging for the provision of, and
assisting families in utilizing appropriate services and community resources
such as foster care, child care, health and mental health services, and
homemaker services as needed. These services are included for runaways, harmed
or threatened with harm by virtue of their status as runaways. Included also
are service activities necessary to carry out statutory responsibility to
approve or disapprove the separation of a child under six months of age from
its parent. The county may provide counseling and therapy for children and
their parents or guardians, training courses for parents or guardians of the
individual child, and services of lawyers to represent the agency where court
action is necessary to protect children.
(b) Components:
(1) A component of protective services for
children is the provision of medical, psychological and medicolegal diagnostic
studies and evaluations where needed to substantiate, find services needed and
assess the circumstances of abuse or neglect are included;
(2) A component of protective services for
children may be the provision of emergency shelter, at county option.
(c) Resource Items. There are no
resource items.
(d) Target
Population. The target population is children (birth through 17 years) in
actual or suspected danger of child neglect, abuse, or dependency.
Authority
G.S.
143B-153;
Eff. February 8,
1977;
Amended Eff. October 1, 1979; October 1, 1977;
Transferred from T10.43D .0223 Eff. July 1, 1983;
Amended Eff.
November 1, 2007; July 1, 1984; December 1, 1983;
Pursuant to
G.S.
150B-21.3A, rule is necessary without
substantive public interest Eff. May 20,
2017.
