Practical Use

The following examples illustrate how professionals across different sectors can apply CSF’s Safety Evaluation Framework within their scope of practice. Each example demonstrates how observing and organizing information through the six safety domains leads to clearer, more actionable reports and interventions.

Profession	Scenario	Application	Reporting Outcome
Teacher	A 9-year-old student frequently arrives at school hungry, tired, and wearing the same clothes. The student becomes anxious when the topic of home arises.	The teacher uses the Household Members, Child Functioning, and Protective Capacities domains to organize observations about unmet needs, caregiver availability, and the child’s emotional state.	Report includes specific behavioral indicators and household context rather than assumptions, improving screening accuracy and referral follow-up.
Nurse	A caregiver brings a child to urgent care with repeated bruises, explaining they “fall a lot.” The nurse notices inconsistent stories from the caregiver and child.	Applies Maltreatment, Adult Functioning, and Discipline Practices domains to assess for injury patterns, caregiver response, and possible disciplinary harm.	Documentation reflects observed inconsistencies, injury type, and caregiver demeanor, supporting a well-founded mandated report.
Police Officer	Officers respond to a domestic-violence call with children present. The children appear withdrawn and fearful of an adult in the home.	Uses Adult Functioning, Protective Capacities, and Household Members domains to evaluate caregiver stability, supervision, and the children’s exposure to violence.	Report details how exposure to violence creates an unsafe environment, aligning law-enforcement documentation with child-welfare safety standards.
Childcare Provider	A parent routinely leaves children at daycare long after closing and appears disoriented when picking them up.	Applies Adult Functioning, Protective Capacities, and Discipline Practices to assess possible neglect, parental stress, or substance use.	Structured observations lead to a report describing patterns of impaired caregiving, supporting early intervention before crisis escalation.