Revised 3-26-10

1.  Purpose of KIDS.  The purpose of the KIDS system is to:

(1) provide central storage of information pertaining to reports of child abuse and neglect in Oklahoma;

(2) serve as a tracking system for reports of child abuse and neglect; and

(3) provide raw data for statistical analysis of child abuse and neglect reports.

2.  (a) Inquiring and reporting to KIDS.  Only authorized Oklahoma Department of Human Services (OKDHS) staff may inquire and report to the information system.  Authorized staff and functions are listed in (1) through (4).

(1) CW staff, assessing or investigating reports of suspected child abuse and neglect, must inquire and make reports to the information system.

(2) OKDHS foster and adoptive home staff must inquire into the information system to determine if any persons in the household, applying to become a foster or adoptive home, were involved in any child abuse or neglect situations assessed or investigated by OKDHS.

(3) Reasons CW staff may inquire into the information system are:

(A) for internal administrative purposes;

(B) to respond to inquiries from persons who, as a part of their official duties, have responsibilities directly connected with child abuse laws, prosecution, or delivery of services, such as the district attorney, law enforcement, or another state's child protective services (CPS) agency; or

(C) to respond to an absent parent's inquiry about a child abuse assessment or investigation involving his or her child.  The inquiring parent must provide verification of his or her identity and that he or she is the child's parent.  Verification is in the form of a written, notarized statement or other proof, including the child's birth certificate, court order, or other such document.

(i) When there is a pending investigation or other current CW involvement with the parent's child, the parent is referred to the assigned CW worker and supervisor.

(ii) When the parent is aware that he or she was the subject of a previous assessment or investigation for which the parent did not receive notification of the assessment conclusions or investigative findings, the appropriate letter of conclusions or findings, per OAC 340:75-3-13(a), is sent to the parent.

(iii) The parent is advised that a court order is required to release any other confidential CW information except in the circumstances in OAC 340:75‑3‑12 (c)(3)(C)(i)(ii).

(4) Oklahoma Child Care Services (OCCS) licensing staff may inquire into the information system to determine if any person who signs the application for family child care home license or the owner of a child care center has had a previous report of child abuse, neglect, or both.  OCCS staff may inquire only when the applicant submits a signed:

(A) Form 07LC042E, Request for License – Family Child Care Home and Large Child Care Home; or

(B) Form 07LC004E, Request for License – Child Care Facility.

(b) Assessment or investigation inquiry and reporting.  CW staff involved in child abuse assessments or investigations follow the procedures outlined in (A) through (C) for inquiring and reporting to the information system.

(1) CW staff must inquire into the information system on each report of suspected child abuse, neglect, or both, as soon as possible after receiving the report.  CW staff or authorized clerical personnel access this information by checking KIDS.

(2) The CW worker enters a record of all child abuse and neglect assessments or investigations on KIDS.  Assessments or investigations conclusions or findings that are determined to be the result of an exercise of reasonable parental discipline are not maintained as a permanent record in the information system, per OAC 340:75-3-12 Instructions to Staff #1(1)(C).  All other assessments or investigations are permanently maintained.  When there is an existing or ongoing assessment or investigation and a new report regarding the family is received, the report is entered into KIDS.

(3) When a finding or conclusion of reasonable parental discipline is made, the Children and Family Services Division (CFSD) Child Protective Services (CPS) Section is notified via KIDS.  A review of the assessment or investigation is conducted by the CPS programs staff.  If CPS programs staff determine the finding or conclusion was made in accordance with CPS guidelines, the county office is notified through KIDS that the referral and investigation information will be expunged.  Arrangement for the expunction is made by the CPS programs staff.

(c) All entries on KIDS related to the documentation of the assessment or investigation, particularly in the KIDS Abuse/Neglect Information and Investigation Findings screens, are considered the information system pursuant to the Oklahoma Children's Code.

3.  Inquiries from non-OKDHS entities and out-of-state CPS agencies.  All inquiries and requests for child abuse and neglect background searches or placement assessment for safety planning purposes from non-OKDHS entities within Oklahoma and from out-of state district attorney offices, law enforcement agencies, CPS agencies, or other entities are referred to the CFSD CPS programs office for search purposes and response.