Differential Response in Child Protective Services: A Legal Analysis

September 1, 2009 Differential response is a child protective services reform that has been implemented in a number of states throughout the country. Despite the growing number of jurisdictions that are piloting or considering differential response, there has been little legal literature analyzing it or cases that have challenged the approach. For purposes of this analysis, differential response is a child protective services approach that offers at least two pathways through which child welfare agencies may respond to child abuse and neglect hotline calls, performs assessments in lieu of investigations for select families that meet the statutory criteria for abuse . . .