Answer: Allegations in Out-of-Home Care includes assessment child abuse and neglect allegations on Day Care Facilities, Children Care Providers, certified foster  and relative caregiver homes, and residential treatment (including BRS homes and treatment facilities).  OSM requires a comprehensive family assessment. 

It is true that an investigation of abuse in a day care facility or with a care provider has an incident-based focus.  So, regarding those, we will NEVER have an identified safety threat on those incidents because the investigation is focused only on whether or not abuse occurred. However, if the abuse that occurred in a day care facility or with day care provider is such that it may impact the children who live in the home of the abuser, then there is a bigger issue with that individual’s behaviors, conditions and circumstances which needs a comprehensive safety assessment completed in the individual’s family. 

Regarding certified foster and relative caregiver homes.  In these assessments, absolutely, OSM applies.  The CPS worker is conducting a comprehensive assessment on the certified family.  The CPS worker is assessing whether there is an identified safety threat, if the child/ren is/are vulnerable to the safety threat, and if the foster parent or relative caregiver is willing/able to protect.  Gathering the safety related information is the same as with a biological family assessment, except the CPS worker is able to contact lots more people who have first-hand knowledge of this family (certifier, other caseworkers, etc.).  Child Welfare has more knowledge of the child's functioning (through the caseworker, the child’s service providers such as teacher, Dr., therapist, etc., and the case record).  If the child is determined to be unsafe (remember 3 things apply: safety threat, vulnerable child, caregiver unable or unwilling to protect), the child must removed from the certified home.  The child's ongoing safety plan may remain the same (except the substitute caregiver will change) because it has already been determined that an out of home safety plan is the least intrusive intervention able to manage the child’s safety. The process of the comprehensive safety assessment is still the same.