Children deserve our love, support and most of all our protection. Child Abuse and Neglect Cases: A Comprehensive Guide to Understanding the System is roadmap for anyone that wants to help keep children safe.

This guide suggests practice standards to help judges, parents’ attorneys, children’s attorneys, CFS workers, GALs and family members ask the questions that need to be asked in every case. The author of the book, Travis Cushman indicates that if the strategies outlined in the book are followed, it should reduce the chance of costly formal litigation.

This book includes informative checklists such as:

• Receiving an Initial Report of possible Abuse or Neglect
• Danger Assessments – To Remove or Not to Remove
• Family Functioning Assessment
• TIA vs. TLC – Advantages and Disadvantages
• Drafting an Affidavit in Support of a Court Petition
• Show Cause Hearing
• Mediation

Topics covered in the book include:

• What is the “System”
• The Need for a Balanced and Neutral System
• Biases – Inherent, Personal and Avoidable Ones
• Children in the Courtroom
• Show Cause Hearing
• Mediation
• Extension of Temporary Legal Custody
• Hearing to Dismiss/Reunify
• Guardianship Hearing
• Termination of Parental Rights and Appeal
• Roles of Parties Before and During Hearings