DFPS CPS Handbook §12240
Face-To-Face Contacts

CPS November 2023 The caseworker must make regular contact with the following people: - Each child receiving services and the child’s parents or caregivers. - Non-offending or noncustodial parents who are not part of the household where the allegations occurred. - Parental child safety placement (PCSP) caregivers. In all Family-Based Safety Services (FBSS) cases, the caseworker uses the risk level of the most recent Risk Assessment or Risk Reassessment tool to determine the minimum number of face-to-face contacts to make each month with the parent or caregiver and child receiving FBSS. The table below describes the minimum number of face-to-face contacts required for each risk level. Risk Level Minimum Number of Face-to-Face Contacts Very High or High - At least three per month with a parent or caregiver. - At least two per month with each child. Moderate - At least two per month with a parent or caregiver. - At least two per month with each child. Low - At least one per month with each parent or caregiver. - At least one per month with each child. The caseworker completes at least one face-to-face contact with each parent or caregiver each month. For example, in a case with a risk level of Very High , the caseworker can make two face-to-face contacts with one parent and one with the other, but not three contacts with one parent and none with the other. Caseworkers conduct private face-to-face contacts with verbal children at least once a month. If the child is not the subject of a parental child safety placement (PCSP), then the FBSS caseworker makes most face-to-face visits with the parent and child in the family’s home. The supervisor may approve a change in the frequency of face-to-face contacts with the family due to a short-term change in the family’s situation. For example, if the parent is incarcerated for 30 days, the caseworker may only need to see the parent once during that time. The caseworker documents this short-term approved change in IMPACT. If the caseworker believes that the risk level within the family has changed, the caseworker completes and submits a Risk Reassessment tool in IMPACT. A supervisor approves this Risk Reassessment tool in IMPACT. If the supervisor approves the change, the supervisor includes the reasons why risk has been reduced or increased. When the risk level changes on a Risk Reassessment tool, the frequency of contact changes accordingly. When a Child Is in a PCSP If the child is in a PCSP, then most visits with the parent must be in the parent’s home, and at least one visit per month with the child must be in the PCSP caregiver’s home. Regular contact with PCSP caregivers helps ensure that the living arrangement has continued and remains safe and allows the caseworker to address any issues that arise. See 3213 Required Ongoing Contacts after Implementing a Safety Plan and Family-Initiated PCSP .