Child Protection Investigation Specialist (CPIS) Practice Exam

What two elements must the court demonstrate at the Shelter Care Hearing?

1. Parental rights and visitation schedules

2. Urgent necessity for removal and reasonable efforts

3. Court fees and child advocacy involvement

4. Educational needs and community resources

The correct answer is: Urgent necessity for removal and reasonable efforts

A Shelter Care Hearing is a critical step in the child protection process, where the court assesses the immediate safety and well-being of a child who may have been removed from their home due to concerns of abuse or neglect. The two essential elements that must be demonstrated during this hearing are the urgent necessity for the child's removal from their current environment and the reasonable efforts made to prevent that removal. The urgent necessity for removal highlights the immediacy of the situation, showing that the child is in a dangerous environment that poses a risk to their safety or well-being. This element ensures that the court is acting in the best interest of the child and that any action taken is justified based on specific, pressing concerns. The reasonable efforts component focuses on the actions taken by child protective services to try to maintain the child in their home or provide supports before resorting to removal. This affirms that there has been an attempt to rectify the situation without disrupting the child's life unnecessarily. Together, these two elements ensure that the child's rights are safeguarded and that the court is thoroughly evaluating the necessity and justification for intervention into the family unit. The other answer choices do not pertain directly to the court's requirements to protect the child's immediate safety or the procedural integrity of the hearing.