Reports on an alternative to risk assessment in child protective services that builds on advances in multicultural practice. Features of this approach include analyzing child, family, and community as well as staff resources, and differentiating between internal and external factors limiting family functioning. Chapter 1 broadly describes the report and modifications to the Washington Risk Matrix. Chapter 2 discusses assessing family strengths and risk factors in child abuse and neglect. Chapter 3 presents a checklist for use in training or in case assessment. Chapter 4 reviews the literature on cultural norms and risk factors in connection with families of color. Chapter 5 offers multicultural practice guidelines referenced to risk area. Chapter 6 contains both the preliminary risk assessment matrix and selected guidelines. Chapter 7 contains summary assessment forms. The risk assessment approach encourages child welfare workers to build upon family strengths – rather than focusing on negatives -to address problems or needs. The risk factors may require modification to address ethnic, geographic, and cultural differences, and the risk-factor rating scales need to be validated.
