Effective child welfare case documentation
June 2011
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Let’s begin with a challenge
A seasoned caseworker responded to a report of alleged
abuse of a two-year-old child in a home that was reported
to be "uninhabitable". When he conducted a safety
assessment, the worker found the child to be in imminent
danger of serious harm. Attempts to engage the family
were unsuccessful and, with his supervisor's approval, he
was forced to intervene and placed the child with relatives.
Now, another very important task in good casework begins
- proper documentation.
How should he do this?
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Understand how the purpose of the
document dictates what style to use
Learn guidelines for professional writing
Develop skills needed for clear, concise,
and well-organized case documentation
Develop skills in editing one’s own
writing
3
A.
What’s-In-It-ForMe?
B.
Writing for a
Reason
C.
Ten Rules of the
Road
D.
Application
and Peer
Review
4
Technical Writing
Factual Narrative
Legal/Contract Language
Creative Writing
5
Facts, not judgments
Relevant information only
Summarize in lists
Periodic summary dictation
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Oh, but all those forms!!!!
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Before we begin our how-to
section, take a look at the
following real life case
activity entry

What’s wrong with it?
8
1.Plan ahead
9
2. Use
active
voice
10
An example of the active voice is:
 A vote was taken at the meeting and the
discussion ended
 The formatting of the case record is made
easier with the new software
 The teacher made no excuses for his
temper
 The home was found to be clean at my last
visit
 None of the above
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An example of the active voice is:
 A vote was taken at the meeting and the
discussion ended
 The formatting of the case record is made
easier with the new software
 The teacher made no excuses for his
temper
 The home was found to be clean at my last
visit
 None of the above
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3. Be
specific
13
4. Be brief
14
Which of the following phrases can be
shortened?





By means of
Continue on
Depreciate in value
Are in possession of
All of the above
15
Which of the following phrases can be
shortened?





By means of
Continue on
Depreciate in value
Are in possession of
All of the above
16
Avoid Stretchers
Such as “To Be ... ”



He seems to be upset about something
She considers him to be perfect
This appears to be difficult
Such as “There is, there are, that, it is ... ”





There is one segment of the population which never seeks
employment.
There are many women who never marry.
There is nothing wrong with it (Nothing is ...)
It is his last book that shows his genius best.
It is this that is important.
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approximately
about
 cooperate together
 customary practice
 new beginner

personal friend
 revert back
 advance notice
 long in size
 past experience

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Which of the following is concise?
 Margaret is a painter who never tires
 Mr. Caldwell, who is the Bureau Chief, will
be running for President next year
 I take the subway to work to save money
 Her career in the army was brief
 He treated everyone in a rude manner
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Which of the following is concise?
 Margaret is a painter who never tires
 Mr. Caldwell, who is the Bureau Chief, will
be running for President next year
 I take the subway to work to save money
 Her career in the army was brief
 He treated everyone in a rude manner
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5. Word
order
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Which of the following has a misplaced modifier?
 I’ll check your dictation when you’re
finished for accuracy
 If the directions are accurate, this is a
powerful insecticide
 Mrs. Borden, who later became Mrs.
Gruber, rents the house monthly
 Every time I visit, I come back with cookies
 He’s missed three out of four budgeting
sessions
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Which of the following has a misplaced modifier?
 I’ll check your dictation when you’re
finished for accuracy
 If the directions are accurate, this is a
powerful insecticide
 Mrs. Borden, who later became Mrs.
Gruber, rents the house monthly
 Every time I visit, I come back with cookies
 He’s missed three out of four budgeting
sessions
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6. Choice
of words
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A trite expression to avoid is:





In no uncertain terms
Out of the clear blue sky
Calm before the storm
In this day and age
All of the above
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A trite expression to avoid is:





In no uncertain terms
Out of the clear blue sky
Calm before the storm
In this day and age
All of the above
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Which of the following is jargon and could be
made more user-friendly?





Adjudicate
Appropriate parenting skills
Terminate a case
Staffing
All of the above
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Which of the following is jargon and could be
made more user-friendly?





Adjudicate
Appropriate parenting skills
Terminate a case
Staffing
All of the above
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7. Use
transitions
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Which of the following is
not considered a transitional
word or phrase?





Therefore
Commonly held notion
Accordingly
Meanwhile
On the other hand
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Which of the following is
not considered a transitional
word or phrase?





Therefore
Commonly held notion
Accordingly
Meanwhile
On the other hand
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8. Use
mechanical
devises
sparingly!!!
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9. Ease of
reading
33
“Last but not least, Mr. C. abruptly and without
provocation at the home visit, denounced my
presence with bravado surprisingly that changed
my impression of him now from the first time I
saw him” is an example of:





A run on sentence
Trite expression
Misplaced modifier
Excess words
All of the above
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“Last but not least, Mr. C. abruptly and without
provocation at the home visit, denounced my
presence with bravado surprisingly that changed
my impression of him now from the first time I
saw him” is an example of:





A run on sentence
Trite expression
Misplaced modifier
Excess words
All of the above
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10. Proof
read
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Concise?
Any
Jargon?
Organized?
Active
Voice?
Style fit
Purpose?
Factual?
Relevant?
Summary
List?
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This course was developed by the
Institute for Human Services
for the Ohio Child Welfare Training Program and the
Ohio Department of Job and Family Services.
For more information, please contact:
Pamela Severs, Institute for Human Services
1706 E. Broad St., Columbus, Ohio 43203
(614) 251-6000; psevers@ihs-trainet.com
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