What comes first in the process of the CPS investigation?

What comes first in the process of the CPS investigation?

• A. The referral
• B. The report
• C. The interview
• D. The court order

Answer: (A)

In CPS practice, the investigation starts when the agency receives a referral about possible abuse or neglect. This referral is the initial notification that prompts intake, screening, and the decision to open a formal investigation. The report may be the documented details attached to that referral, but it’s the referral that triggers the process. Interviews with the child, family, or others occur during the investigation, after it has been opened. A court order isn’t needed to begin the investigation; court action may come later if safety or permanency issues require it.

In CPS practice, the investigation starts when the agency receives a referral about possible abuse or neglect. This referral is the initial notification that prompts intake, screening, and the decision to open a formal investigation. The report may be the documented details attached to that referral, but it’s the referral that triggers the process. Interviews with the child, family, or others occur during the investigation, after it has been opened. A court order isn’t needed to begin the investigation; court action may come later if safety or permanency issues require it.