1135. Infant Safety Education and Intervention

Applies To: This policy applies to Department of Children, Youth, and Families (DCYF) employees.

Policy Number & Title: 1135. Infant Safety Education and Intervention

Effective Date: August 1, 2023

Purpose

The purpose of this policy is to provide guidance when working with parents or guardians, families, and caregivers who have newborns and infants to reduce the risk of child abuse and neglect.

Authority

PL 111-320 Child Abuse Prevention Treatment Act (CAPTA) Reauthorization Act of 2010

PL 114-198 Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act (CARA) of 2016

Policy

Newborn, Birth to One Month: Plan of Safe Care
Caseworkers must complete Plan of Safe Care DCYF 15-491 forms with families with open cases as required by CAPTA, when newborns meet at least one of the following criteria:
1. Diagnosed with neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS) or neonatal opioid withdrawal syndrome (NOWS) by a health care provider.
2. Identified as having withdrawal symptoms, are substance-affected, or have fetal alcohol spectrum disorder resulting from prenatal drug and alcohol exposure.
3. Born to a dependent youth.
Birth through Six Months: “Period of PURPLE Crying”
1. Caseworkers must discuss with parents, guardians, and caregivers about their knowledge and understanding of “Period of PURPLE Crying” when working with families.
2. Licensing Division (LD) workers must ask parents, guardians, and caregivers if they have previously received information on the “Period of PURPLE Crying,” when investigating, licensing, or approving home studies for families accepting placements.
3. Caseworkers and LD workers must provide educational materials to parents, guardians, and caregivers who have not received the information.
Birth to One Year: Infant Safe Sleep
1. Caseworkers must:
  1. Conduct safe sleep assessments where infants primarily reside, when:
    1. Placing an infant in a new placement setting.
    2. Completing Child Protective Services’ (CPS), Family Voluntary Services’ (FVS), and Child and Family Welfare Services’ (CFWS) interventions involving infants aged birth to one year, even if the infants are not identified as an alleged victim or identified child.
  2. Assess safe sleep conditions during subsequent monthly health and safety visits.
2. LD workers must complete the following when licensing or approving home studies with families accepting placements for infants:
  1. Assess sleeping environments.
  2. Educate families on safe sleep practices.
3. CPS investigators must observe and make recommendations for safe sleep environments for infants in licensed and unlicensed placements during an investigation.