232.76 Publicity, educational, and training programs.

1. The department, within the limits of available funds, shall conduct a continuing publicity and educational program for the personnel of the department, persons required to report, and any other appropriate persons to encourage the fullest possible degree of reporting of suspected cases of child abuse. Educational programs shall include but not be limited to the diagnosis and cause of child abuse, the responsibilities, obligations, duties, and powers of persons and agencies under this chapter and the procedures of the department and the juvenile court with respect to suspected cases of child abuse and disposition of actual cases.

2. a. For the purposes of this subsection, in addition to the definition in section 232.68, a “child protection worker” also includes any employee of the department who provides services to or otherwise works directly with children and families for whom child abuse has been alleged.

b. The training of a child protection worker shall include but is not limited to the worker’s legal duties to protect the constitutional and statutory rights of a child and the child’s family members throughout the child or family members’ period of involvement with the department beginning with the child abuse report and ending with the department’s closure of the case. The curriculum used for the training shall specifically include instruction on the fourth amendment to the Constitution of the United States and parents’ legal rights.

[C75, 77, §235A.10; C79, 81, §232.76]

2004 Acts, ch 1152, §3

Referred to in §232.68