Tamara considered reporting the Anderson family to CPS. Was there evidence in the case to warrant such a call?

Question

Tamara Simms, a 32-year-old school social worker, had worked in a rural community called The Ridge for more than six years, since 1997. She was assigned a case which caught her off balance. There was something going on in the Anderson home that she couldn’t quite grasp. She had concluded from a home visit that the father was neglecting the children. The home had unsanitary conditions. Sarah Jane, a third grader, had the worst case of head lice Tamara had ever encountered and her lips were severely blistered, a condition that hadn’t healed despite treatment. Furthermore, Tamara sensed that there was something more serious going on in the Anderson home. She suspected that Mr. Anderson was involved in internet pornography and she feared he may have involved his children in some way. In spite of her “hunches” she had no clear evidence to report to Child Protective Services. As seasoned as she was, Tamara still “brought her work home” with her. Although her own family needed her, she could not stop worrying about Sarah Jane and her two siblings. Written for a bachelor’s- level capstone or integrative seminar in social work, the case may also be useful for courses in macro- or micro-level practice, diversity, or international social work. The case situation may be useful for discussion of multiple topics such as social work ethics, policy issues (including policy related to crime victims and to undocumented clients), diversity, language, agency settings, crime victimization, and professional use of self. The case also may be appropriate for MSW foundation courses dealing with these topics.

Answer 1

Tamara left the home visit with an uneasy feeling about the welfare of Sarah Jane and Bobby Joe, but she did not have a lot of facts. She knew that Sarah Jane had serious health problems, including blistered lips. The house was in chaotic disarray, but she did not know whether CPS workers would find evidence to substantiate neglect if she made a report.
What worried Tamara more was her suspicion of sexual abuse related to child pornography and Mr. Anderson’s internet sales. Perhaps Sarah Jane’s “blisters” were actually sores that were symptomatic of a sexually transmitted disease. Tamara would need more factual information to report a concern about sexual abuse in the home.