Assignment #2
Due 2/13/2026
Papers must be a minimum of four pages and no more than five; Title & Reference page do not count for page numbers and Abstract not required. You must use APA Publication Manuel Seven for formatting and you may use tables or other visuals to supplement your written reflection. For this assignment using your textbook and at least one other peer reviewed research article (either one you find on your own or one offered in this course) you are going to create a case plan for a family where domestic violence has been identified as occurring the home.
Vignette: You are a case working in your community Child Protection Services Department. You are given a new case. The night before a call came into the State Mandatory Child Protection Hotline from a therapist working at the intake center for a local community mental health center.
The Therapist provided the following information:
· Three children in the home, ages 18 months, four and six years of age
· Mother was seeking services for her six-year-old who has been in discipline at her school for acts of inattention, distraction and acting out (including hitting other children at recess) in her kindergarten class.
· Mother denies any physical harm from her six-year-old to the other children in the home however when directly asked the six year old stated “I don’t mean to hurt them but they won’t listen.”
· Mother recently separated from the father of the 18-month-old due to escalating domestic violence. Mother denied any physical or other violence in the presence of the children. However, she did state that they verbally argued “all the time.” When asked directly the six-year-old stated “He scares me” while looking at the floor. Mother has a restraining order and has been living with family. She is unclear about the next court dates but in the month since she left him, he has not reached out seeking any contact with her or the children. She does not know where he is staying but she and a friend were able to go to their apartment last week to gather some more belongings and he was not there at that time.
· Mother and father of six- and four-year-old separated years ago, he is currently in prison.
· When the intake therapist asked the six-year-old if anyone hurts her or has hit her, the six-year-old says no but does not provide any eye contact other than to look at her mother.
· Mother works as a waitress at the dinner in town. Family helps provide support for the 18-month-old and the four-year-old – she stated, “I can’t afford childcare.”
· Intake therapist advised family she would be making a mandatory report and advised that Child Protection may reach out with resources and support.
Topics to Cover in your paper
· Outline and substantiate the cause of the investigation.
· Initial Assessment: What will you be looking for, keeping in mind, asking to inform your initial assessment(s) and how will you conduct them. Include any timelines and who you will report/communicate your findings to.
· Create an initial family plan (case management plan, initial intervention plan, use the term that best fits your community. This can be paragraph format, a table or other visual but should be the bulk of your overall assignment.
· What resources will you include and offer to the family?
· What concerns do you have about follow through and engagement and how will you mitigate that in the delivery and follow up on your case management plan?
