Investigating Child Abuse

When the county receives a child abuse report, it goes through a multi-step process:

Assignment

When a report meets criteria for assessment it's assigned to a social worker.  The criteria are established under Minnesota Statutes 260E.

Assessment

The goals of an assessment are:

• To determine if the reported abuse or neglect occurred.
• To determine the existence of abuse or neglect other than what is being reported.
• To determine the need for continued social services.​

Notification

When the assessment is over, the parents and guardians will receive a letter. The letter will inform them of the results of the assessment. Mandated reporters also receive notice at the end of the assessment.

Continued services

The county determines if the family needs child protective services. If yes, we work with the family to plan for the continued safety of the child. Otherwise, the county closes the case and provides information on community resources.​