Child Protective Services

Defined as "causing serious physical harm and injury by other than accidental means."

Physical abuse is not injuries that are a normal part of childhood. Bruises, scrapes and sometimes even broken bones can be the result of children taking part in activities that are expected for their age, like learning to walk, riding a bike or playing sports. 

Defined as “any form of sexual exploitation or inappropriate behavior towards a child. It includes sexual intercourse, sexual contact, sex trafficking, or exploitation.” 

In Wisconsin, no child under the age of 15 can consent to sexual contact or intercourse so all reports are sent to law enforcement.

Defined as “serious harm to a child's psychological or intellectual functioning for which the parents have not provided the needed treatment for reasons other than poverty.” 

To be considered Emotional Abuse things such as anxiety, depression, withdrawal, outward aggressive behavior, must be at a “severe degree” and not within the normal range for the child’s age and stage of development.

Neglect occurs when a parent or caregiver seriously endangers the physical health of the child by not providing necessary care, food, clothing, shelter, medical or dental care or supervision for reasons other than poverty.

Neglect can be mistaken when families have complicated problems like substance use, fighting at home, or not having a place to live.   These things alone don’t automatically mean a child is neglected, but when they happen together, it can make a child more likely to be at risk for neglect.

You will speak to an Access Social Worker who is trained to take reports of child abuse and/or neglect. Some questions you may be asked include:

• Identifying information (i.e. name(s), address(s), phone number, race(s), etc.)
• American Indian heritage
• Describe alleged maltreatment - current and past
• Describe any injury or condition as a result of maltreatment
• Child(s) current location (i.e. school, etc.)
• Child functioning (i.e. special needs)
• Family history of domestic violence
• Parents location (i.e. place of employment)

Once all the information is gathered, a supervisor reviews it and applies it to Wisconsin law and State Standards to determine if it meets the threshold for a child abuse and/or neglect investigation called an Initial Assessment. 

State law protects reporter confidentiality. We do not disclose your name to the individuals you report.

For more information:

• What Happens When You Make A Call (Access) (youtube.com)
  
• Access Case Flow Visual

Mandated reporters will receive a letter about the results of their report. The letter will provide basic information about the intervention, if any, and only as state law allows due to family confidentiality. 

You will not receive a letter if you are a non-mandated reporter as state law prohibits this violation of family confidentiality. The only exception to this law is if you are a family member who reported abuse and/or neglect and request, in writing, to know the results of the report.

Our authority to conduct Initial Assessments extends only to those cases where the report provides information that a child may be subject to or threatened with maltreatment that meets the definition of abuse or neglect as defined under Wis. Stat. § 48.02(1), or Wis. Stat. § 48.02(12g). There are constitutional protections against unjustified intervention in family life.

Reports that do not create a reasonable suspicion of maltreatment but describe some behavior or environment you may believe is concerning and/or inappropriate cannot be screened-in for an Initial Assessment. 

Many times, when a report is unable to be screened in for Initial Assessment and describes significant family needs, outreach is made to the family by our social workers or community partners to offer voluntary services.

Sometimes, legal action is necessary to protect the child. Legal action may involve the court system.

If a child is found to need protection and services by the court, an Ongoing Social Worker will work with the family to address the concerns found through the Initial Assessment.  Court intervention does not necessarily mean a child will be removed from their home. 

For more information on Ongoing Services: Ongoing: How we Help Build Safe, Stable Homes for Children | Wisconsin Department of Children and Families

Always call in a report if you are uncertain if a child has been or is at risk of abuse and/or neglect.  For those families that need some help, see the resources below:

IMPACT 211 - IMPACT (impactinc.org) : Free confidential helpline and online resource directory.

The Women's Center | Safety. Shelter. Support | Waukesha, Wisconsin (twcwaukesha.org) : provides safety, shelter and support to empower all impacted by domestic abuse, sexual violence, child abuse and trafficking.

Parents Place (parentsplacewi.org): Focuses on strengthening families and protecting children through Community Education, Supervised Visitation, and Community Response Programs.

Professional Services Group : Provider of clinical services including therapy, substance use services, and psychiatry.

 Family Service of Waukesha (fswaukesha.org): Provides counseling, education & advocacy Services.

Safe Families for Children (safe-families.org) : Support, stabilize, and strengthen families facing crisis by surrounding them with caring, compassionate community.

Wisconsin Family Ties (wifamilyties.org) : variety of resources including the Parent Peer Program which links trained parent peer specialists, who are parents or primary caregivers of children with social, emotional, behavioral, or mental health challenges, who use their experience and training to help families navigate the complex systems that serve children.

The Wisconsin Department of Children and Families has many resources available on their  website, below are two documents that do a good job explaining the Child Welfare system:

An Introduction to Child Welfare - For Parents, By Parents

Understanding the Language of Child Welfare