By Sybil Cummin, MA, LPC, ACS

Violence in the home affects all that live there, especially the youngest ones who have no escape.  In these cases, it can be helpful to have Child Protective Services (CPS) involved to help monitor and maintain safety for the children in the home.  CPS can provide resources for housing, childcare, mental health services, and supervised visitation monitoring for the abusive parent/partner.  In theory, these services will help the non-abusive parent leave the relationship and find safety for themselves and children; however, this is not always the case. 

And what about the cases that never make it onto the radar of CPS?  Family Court, due to divorce and custody issues, is also commonly involved with these families.  Many times when judges are trying to determine what is in the best interest of the children, supervised visitation can be ordered to help monitor and assess the safety of a parent.  The goal is to do what is in the best interest of the children; unfortunately, this is also not always the case. 

If your facilitator does not have the proper education and understanding of domestic violence, these supervised visitations can allow abuse to continue.

“Based on what you have shared with me today, I am going to have to call Child Protective Services.”

​This sentence will put the fear of God into any parent’s heart.  “They are going to take my children” may be the first coherent thought after that gut-wrenching feeling.  It doesn’t matter if you have had experiences with child protective services (CPS) in the past or if you have never even known anyone who has had any contact with them before.  This sounds scary.
 
As mandated reporters, it is our job to call CPS if we suspect that there is a situation when children are being put in harm’s way.  It is not our job to investigate the situation and make the determination if, in fact, these children are at risk for abuse, neglect, or even death.  It is solely our job to make the phone call.  

In this video, Sybil discusses Self Care practices for practitioners working with victims of domestic violence as they navigate the -- often frustrating -- legal system.