Exam Practice Questions And Correct

Child Welfare Specialist Certification Exam Practice Questions And Correct Answers (Verified Answers) Plus Rationales 2026 Q&A | Instant Download Pdf

• Which of the following is the primary purpose of a Child Protective

Services (CPS) investigation?

• Punish the caregiver
• Protect the child from harm
• Determine custody
• Place the child in foster care

Rationale: The primary goal of CPS investigations is to ensure the

safety and protection of children from abuse or neglect.

2. Mandated reporters are required to report suspected child abuse:

• Only if the child is injured 1 / 4

• Immediately upon suspicion
• Within 30 days
• Only if there is proof

Rationale: Mandated reporters must report suspicions of abuse

immediately, even if they do not have concrete proof.

• What is the primary goal of family preservation services?
• Remove the child from the home
• Support families to safely care for their children
• Punish abusive parents
• Provide temporary foster care

Rationale: Family preservation services aim to strengthen and

support families to prevent unnecessary removal of children.

• Which factor is most indicative of emotional abuse?
• Broken bones
• Consistent belittling or rejection
• Poor hygiene
• Hunger

Rationale: Emotional abuse often manifests as persistent criticism,

rejection, or verbal assaults rather than physical signs.

5. The Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA) was enacted to:

• Provide federal funding for foster care
• Eliminate adoption
• Protect the best interests of Native American children and their 2 / 4

families

• Restrict interstate adoption

Rationale: ICWA ensures that Native American children remain with

their tribal families when possible.

• A child exhibiting unexplained bruises in various stages of healing may

indicate:

• Accidental injury
• Illness
• Physical abuse
• Behavioral issues

Rationale: Multiple bruises at different stages suggest repeated

trauma consistent with physical abuse.

• Which of the following is an example of neglect?
• A child being disciplined with time-outs
• Failure to provide necessary food or medical care
• Parents issuing rules at home
• Temporary separation during a trip

Rationale: Neglect occurs when caregivers fail to provide basic needs

such as food, shelter, supervision, or medical care.

8. When assessing risk, a Child Welfare Specialist should:

• Focus solely on the child’s behavior
• Evaluate only parental statements
• Consider multiple sources of information, including environment, 3 / 4

family history, and child behavior

• Use only the last reported incident

Rationale: Risk assessment requires a holistic approach to

understand potential harm and protective factors.

9. The term “permanency planning” in child welfare refers to:

• Temporary placement options
• Long-term stable living arrangements for children
• Emergency shelter
• Short-term visitation schedules

Rationale: Permanency planning focuses on finding a stable,

permanent home, whether through reunification, guardianship, or adoption.

• Which attachment style is most likely to develop in children

exposed to inconsistent caregiving?

• Secure
• Insecure-ambivalent
• Insecure-avoidant
• Disorganized

Rationale: Inconsistent caregiving often leads to anxious or

ambivalent attachment, where children are unsure of caregiver availability.

11. Trauma-informed care emphasizes:

• Ignoring past trauma
• / 4