Why does the child welfare system get involved with families?

To ensure the safety of children—The major role of the child welfare system is to ensure the safety, permanency, and well-being of children. The law in most states gives the child welfare system the responsibility for responding to and following up on reports and calls about the safety of and risk of harm to children in the community.
To provide services—If a child is not safe or has been harmed at home, the child welfare agency will provide services to ensure that the child is safe. It will also offer services to the family to help them if the child is at risk of harm.
In some states, children and youth are identified as “in need of assistance,” “in need of services,” or “in need of supervision” if their behavior is out of their parents’ control. In these states, the court can order the child welfare agency to provide services and supervision to these families. This might be done to keep children and youth out of the juvenile justice system. States may use different names to identify these children and youth. For example, children in need of supervision might be referred to as “CHINS” in one state or as persons in need of supervision, “PINS”, in another state. Sometimes a family will ask the child welfare system or the court for services, even when no one has reported a concern about their child’s safety. This may happen when a family has tried unsuccessfully to obtain the right services for their child who may have a serious emotional disorder, a developmental disability, and/or a physical disability. Some families have found that this is the only way they can get the services their children need. When children are placed in the care of the child
welfare agency, the state is responsible for providing the services they need.

✓The child welfare system is very complicated. You should feel free to ask questions and to
ask the same questions over and over if you need to.
✓Check to see if there is a family organization in your community that can give you
support and information about the child welfare system.
✓If there is not family organization, try to find other parents to talk to who have been
through the child welfare system.