Certified Case Manager Practice Test

What does the Adoption Assistance and Child Welfare Act require?

1. Immediate removal of children from homes

2. Demonstration of reasonable efforts before child removal

3. Provision of therapy to all families

4. Closure of cases without justification

The correct answer is: Demonstration of reasonable efforts before child removal

The Adoption Assistance and Child Welfare Act focuses on ensuring that efforts are made to maintain families and prevent unnecessary separation when it comes to children who may be at risk of being placed in foster care. This legislative act emphasizes that before a child's removal from their home can occur, there must be a demonstration of “reasonable efforts” to preserve the family unit. This means that case managers and child welfare professionals must actively work to provide support and resources to families in crisis, aiming to address the issues that might lead to a child's removal. The requirement for reasonable efforts is designed to safeguard the welfare of children by prioritizing family stabilization when possible, thus ensuring that the state intervenes only when absolutely necessary for the child's safety and well-being. This prevention-focused approach reflects a belief in the importance of keeping children with their families and only utilizing removal as a last resort, aligning with the broader purposes of child welfare legislation. Deliberately, the other options do not align with the objectives of the Act: immediate removal without prior efforts undermines family integrity; therapy provision is not a blanket requirement under the Act; and case closures without justification would contradict the need for thorough assessments and interventions for at-risk families.