Today’s technology is an important tool that can help safeguard families living in difficult or sometimes violent life situations, as well as the professional staff who work to protect families in vulnerable situations.
CCWIS Functionality
The automated functionality of the Comprehensive Child Welfare Information System (CCWIS) may support child welfare workers to do the following more effectively:
- Obtain alerts and safety notifications that provide professional staff with critical information about a family’s situation, such as bringing awareness to a family member’s violent history, previous protective orders, or former domestic violence charges
- Provide information to become familiar with a family’s case history, which helps protect family members and the professional staff working with them
- Locate other family members to care for children or youth who may need to be removed from an unsafe environment
- Create a safety plan for children or youth who need to be separated from a potentially harmful setting
- Produce a case plan with specific options, such as not having the child’s current address shown on it, to prevent a noncustodial parent from finding out where the child lives
- Complete referrals, along with the necessary documentation, to help families who are experiencing violent home situations receive services and assistance
- Promote efficient collaboration with police, hospitals, and legal advocates to support victims and reduce retraumatization
CCWIS functionality can also support private communication to notify appropriate resources in case of an emergency. For example, the CCWIS mobile app can offer a silent alarm that notifies police about a social worker’s safety concerns when working in situations where family violence is an issue.
For more on CCWIS, refer to the following information.