When CPS comes into your home, it’s not always clear what they’re looking for. Whether they’re in your home by court order or you’ve let them in on your own terms, they’re in and they’re looking around. Even if you believe you have a safe home, that doesn’t mean CPS believes the same. It’d be a lot easier if you knew what CPS was looking for before they showed up. Let’s take a deep dive into what a safe home looks like in the eyes of CPS and some of the remedies CPS may suggest. It should not be unreasonably hot or cold. Heating should be functional.
General Housekeeping
The home should be reasonably clean, without mold or vermin. The home should be navigable in an emergency, meaning clutter should not interfere with ingress and egress. Power tools, firearms and medications should be stored securely and out of reach of minor children- ideally in a secured device such as a lockbox or safe. Heating grates should not be exposed in such a way that a child could get hurt on them and if in an apartment or condominium with a child 7 years or younger, window guards on all windows are standard practice. There should be functional smoke and carbon monoxide detectors placed as recommended by the fire code throughout the home (this might mean one, but it could mean more depending on how large the residence is). An A/B/C fire extinguisher is also expected by CPS, usually by the kitchen and depending on the size of the home, you may need a second one.
Alcohol should also be stored securely and there should be no odor of alcohol, tobacco marijuana or any other drug present in the home. If you have smoked something while your child(ren) have not been present, have some charcoal hidden that you can put in a bowl in an emergency, as charcoal is an excellent odor absorber, but do not have charcoal visible when CPS is inside your home, as CPS will make note of it as evidence to substantiate. CPS will see the mere presence of odor of drugs as potential inhalation of secondhand smoke by the child(ren).
Kitchen
The floor should be clean, there should not be excess dirty dishes, and there should be sufficient food and drink for the household. All appliances should be functional and safe.
Dining Room
The room should be clean, easily navigable in an emergency and have appropriate furniture for the purpose. CPS is unlikely to find safety concerns in the dining room.
Living Room/Family Room
The room should be clean, easily navigable in an emergency and have appropriate furniture for the purpose. Furniture should not have tears or have any materials CPS may deem unsafe for children.
Bedrooms
Each child should have an age-appropriate place to sleep consistent with safe sleep practices as recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics. There should be adequate clean clothing present for each child. There should not be overcrowding and the bedrooms should be reasonably clean (it is understood these are children’s rooms).
Bathrooms
Bathrooms should be clean, without mold and have functional plumbing. Water should be safe for use.
Laundry Room (If Applicable)
A laundry room should have a working washing machine and dryer. However, if it’s unused and there is nothing unsafe about its condition, CPS will not mark the non-functioning washer and/or dryer as a safety concern, as long as the children still have access to clean clothing. There should be no mold and like the rest of the home, it should be navigable and without clutter. The lint traps should be cleaned out (as crazy as it sounds, CPS does occasionally check this).
Entrance & Property
The front door (and all doors that function as entrances or exits to the residence) should have a secure lock (ideally with a deadbolt, as well). There should not be any toxins or unsafe objects on the property accessible to children. Residences should be up to code and there should be no broken furniture, peeling paint or unstable structures that CPS could define as a safety concern.
What CPS looks for in the home assessment to determine child safety is independent of what is and is not in your control. If you’re a renter and your landlord hasn’t fixed something and CPS labels it a safety concern, CPS will still hold you responsible. They may recommend you go to a shelter or hotel until it can be fixed. While we at Heartwork Defense see it as blatantly unreasonable not to take a parent’s efforts to resolve safety concerns and the authority they have to resolve the safety concerns themselves into account, it is how CPS assesses a home. Before you consent to CPS (or a contractor on behalf of CPS) assessing any part of your home, make sure it meets these standards. With the way CPS operates, you can never be too careful. These recommendations should also be considered standard practice for custody evaluations in divorce or custody battles. While the home assessment may be less punitive than that of CPS and in dependency cases, the stakes are still high and the case should be treated accordingly.