Child Welfare Assessments

Inventory and Resources

Assessment Title Assessment Description AOG Review Status
Decision-Making Assessments
Child and Adolescent Needs and Strengths-Family (CANS-F 2.1) The Child and Adolescent Needs and Strengths-Family Screener (CANS-F) is a Transformational Collaborative Outcomes Management (TCOM) Tool designed to support effective interventions to address the needs of families who are at risk of child welfare involvement.

Not yet reviewed

Casey Life Skills

Casey Life Skills (CLS) assesses the independent skills youth need to achieve their long-term goals (e.g.  daily living and self-care activities; maintaining healthy relationships; and work and study habits). It aims to guide youth toward developing healthy, productive lives.

Not yet reviewed

Children’s Functional Assessment Rating Scale (CFARS)

The Children's Functional Assessment Rating Scale (CFARS) is used to assess cognitive, social and role functioning for youth who have higher behavioral needs and require intensive services and placement in Qualified Residential Treatment Programs (QRTP).  The youth become eligible for QRTP placement if they score 60 or above. 

Not yet reviewed

Division of Licensing Resources-Child Protection Services (DLR-CPS) Risk Assessment

This risk assessment is used to assess child abuse or risk of neglect in a variety of facility types. It accounts for the current situation/people involved and the facility in general.

Not yet reviewed

Foster Care Rate Assessment

The Foster Care Rate Assessment is used to determine how much to reimburse a foster parent by asking them how much time it takes them to do certain tasks (assigning a level 1-4).  In 2024, it is scheduled to be replaced by a new tool that will assign 7 different levels of foster care reimbursement and support for a caregiver.  The levels will be based on how much support a youth requires from a caregiver, based on their physical, developmental, and medical conditions. 

Not yet reviewed

Family Reconciliation Services (FRS) Assessment

The FRS is used to determine family and youth strengths, needs and supports for family and youth (age 12-17) in crisis referred to DCYF or requesting FRS. 

Not yet reviewed

Intake Structured Decision Making (SDM) Manual

The SDM for intake assists workers and supervisors in correctly screening intakes. The guide helps staff determine if the allegations meet sufficiency and walks them through the specific steps in determining whether the allegations meet the legal definition of Child Abuse or Neglect.

Not yet reviewed

North Carolina Family Assessment (NCFAS)

Materials are copyrighted

The NCFAS assists case practitioners using intensive family preservation service strategies to effect family reunifications where children have been removed following substantiated abuse and or neglect, juvenile delinquency, or to receive mental health services.

Not yet reviewed

PCI Feeding-Teaching Scales Assessment

The PCI Feeding & Teaching Scale is used to gather information about the parent-child dyad; assess parent-child interactions; and match to appropriate evidence-based interventions for parents with infants and toddlers age birth to three.

Not yet reviewed

Present Danger Assessment

The Present Danger Assessment is used in Family Assessment Response (FAR) cases to identify present danger and is required whenever a child is physically seen by a DCYF case worker. The tool guides staff response when there is an immediate, significant, and observable severe harm or threat of severe harm occurring.  When present danger is identified, the worker takes an appropriate protective action while gathering relevant information on impending danger.

Not yet reviewed

Safety Assessment/
Safety Plan

The Safety Assessment measures a child’s safety in relation to their caregiver and environment through identification of safety threats, safety planning, or (in cases where safety plan criteria are not met), request for removal and out of home placement recommendations.

Not yet reviewed

Substance Abuse Wizard

This tool is used by Licensing Division/Child Protective Services staff to assess for prior and current drug/alcohol issues of identified subjects in a child welfare investigation. It is based on self-disclosure.

Not yet reviewed

Structured Decision Making Risk Assessment SDM(RA)

Materials are copyrighted

The Structured Decision Making (SDM) is a household-based assessment that estimates the likelihood that a child will experience abuse or neglect in a given household based on the characteristics of the caregivers and children. Law requires that if the risk score is moderately high, services may be offered and, if high, services must be offered.

Not yet reviewed

Clinical Screening Tools

Ages and Stages Questionnaire: ASQ-3

There are 21 different ASQ3’s depending on the age of the child. Materials are copyrighted

The ASQ-3 is administered during the Child Health and Education Tracking (CHET) screening process to identify young children who may need further developmental evaluation. If developmental concerns are identified, the child is referred to the Early Support for Infants & Toddlers (ESIT) program or to the local school district.

Not yet reviewed

Ages and Stages Questionnaire: Social-Emotional, Second Edition (ASQ-SE2)

There are 9 different ASQ-SE2’s depending on the age of the child. Materials are copyrighted

The ASQ-SE2 is used by both the Child Health and Education Tracking (CHET) and Ongoing Mental Health (OMH) programs to gather information about a child in the areas of personal-social, self-regulation, compliance, communication, adaptive functioning, autonomy, affect, and interactions with people. Scores above the cutoff score indicate a need for a mental health assessment by a qualified professional.

Not yet reviewed

Commercially Sexually Exploited Child (CSEC) Screen

Caseworkers use the tool to screen all children and youth involved in open cases when there is an allegation, suspicion, indication, or confirmation that the child has been a victim of Commercial Sexual Exploitation. Youth 11 and older are screened at the time of becoming dependent, or in response to being missing from care.

Not yet reviewed

Denver Developmental Screening Test (Denver II)

Copyrighted (URL not available)

The Denver II is used during the Child Health and Education Tracking (CHET) screening process with infants, birth to one month old, to identify potential developmental issues in four areas: gross motor, language, fine motor-adaptive, and personal-social. If developmental concerns are identified, the infant is referred to the ESIT program for further evaluation/services.

Not yet reviewed

Global Assessment of Individual Needs – Short Screen (GAIN-SS)

Materials are copyrighted

The GAIN-SS is completed by youth ages 13-17 years to identify a need for a professional chemical dependency, mental health, or co-occurring assessment. The tool identifies internalizing, externalizing, and substance use concerns, in addition to suicidal ideation. Scores equal to or above the cutoff score (or suicidal ideation) indicate a need for a mental health assessment by a qualified professional.

Not yet reviewed

Pediatric Symptoms Checklist 17 (PSC-17)

Also see Pediatric Symptom Checklist 

The PSC-17, used in both the Child Health and Education Tracking (CHET) and Ongoing Mental Health (OMH) programs, is administered to children/youth ages 6-17 years old to assess for psychosocial problems. The PSC-17 has scales to identify externalizing, internalizing, and attention problems, as well as overall scoring. Scores equal to or above the cutoff score indicate a need for a mental health assessment by a qualified professional.

Pending

Plus 4 Trauma Related Screening Questions (Plus 4)

The Plus 4, used in both the Child Health and Education Tracking (CHET) and Ongoing Mental Health (OMH) programs, is administered to children/youth ages 3-17 years old to assess for potential social-emotional and somatic symptoms related to trauma. Scores equal to or above the cutoff score indicate a need for a mental health assessment by a qualified professional.

Not yet reviewed

Screen for Child Anxiety Related Emotional Disorders Trauma Tool (SCARED)

The SCARED is used in both the Child Health and Education Tracking (CHET) and Ongoing Mental Health (OMH) programs to screen for anxiety and post-traumatic stress. The screen is completed by each child/youth age 7-17 years old. Scores equal to or above the cutoff score on either subsection (Anxiety or Post Traumatic stress) indicate a need for a mental health assessment by a qualified professional.

Not yet reviewed

Non-Decision-Making Assessments

Family Assessment Response Family Assessment (FARFA)

The FARFA compiles all information gathered during a Child Protection Services-Family Assessment Response case, prior to closure. When the FARFA is completed, there is a disposition listed to close or transfer the case. 

Not yet reviewed

Investigative Assessment (IA)

The IA complies the information gathered during a Child Protective Services Investigation case.  The findings letter, whether founded or unfounded, launches from the IA. When the IA is complete there is a disposition listed to close or transfer the case. 

Not yet reviewed

Visit Plan

The Visit Plan is required for all youth in out of home placements to ensure visits are occurring with their parents, if not legally free, and with their siblings.

Not yet reviewed

Visit Report (Family Time Report)

The Family Time Report is used by individuals providing visit supports to children who are in out of home care.

Not yet reviewed