As used in this chapter:

(a) “Child” means an individual under 18 years of age.

Terms Used In California Welfare and Institutions Code 18951

  • Child: means an individual under 18 years of age. See California Welfare and Institutions Code 18951
  • Child abuse: as used in this chapter means a situation in which a child suffers from any one or more of the following:

    California Welfare and Institutions Code 18951

  • custody: means the legal right to custody of the child unless that right is held jointly by two or more persons, in which case "custody" means the physical custody of the child by one of the persons sharing the right to custody. See California Welfare and Institutions Code 17.1
  • Family resource center: means an entity providing family-centered and family-strengthening services that are embedded in communities, culturally sensitive, and include cross-system collaboration to assist in transforming families and communities through reciprocity and asset development based on impact-driven and evidence-informed approaches with the goal of preventing child abuse and neglect and strengthening children and families. See California Welfare and Institutions Code 18951
  • Parent: means a person who exercises care, custody, and control of the child as established by law. See California Welfare and Institutions Code 18951

(b) “Child services” means services for or on behalf of children, and includes the following:

(1) Protective services.

(2) Caretaker services.

(3) Daycare services, including dropoff care.

(4) Homemaker services or family aides.

(5) Counseling services.

(c) “Adult services” means services for or on behalf of a parent of a child, which shall include, but not be limited to, the following:

(1) Access to voluntary placement, long or short term.

(2) Counseling services before and after a crisis.

(3) Homemaker services or family aides.

(d) “Multidisciplinary personnel” means a team of three or more people who are trained in the prevention, identification, management, or treatment of child abuse or neglect cases and who are qualified to provide a broad range of services related to child abuse or neglect. The team may include, but need not be limited to, any of the following:

(1) Psychiatrists, psychologists, marriage and family therapists, clinical social workers, professional clinical counselors, or other trained counseling personnel.

(2) Police officers or other law enforcement agents.

(3) Medical personnel with sufficient training to provide health services.

(4) Social workers with experience or training in child abuse prevention, identification, management, or treatment.

(5) A public or private school teacher, administrative officer, supervisor of child welfare and attendance, or certificated pupil personnel employee.

(6) A CalWORKs case manager whose primary responsibility is to provide cross program case planning and coordination of CalWORKs and child welfare services for those mutual cases or families that may be eligible for CalWORKs services and that, with the informed written consent of the family, receive cross program case planning and coordination.

(7) A representative of a local child abuse prevention council or family-strengthening organization, including, but not limited to, a family resource center.

(8) Adult protective services personnel.

(e) “Child abuse” as used in this chapter means a situation in which a child suffers from any one or more of the following:

(1) Serious physical injury inflicted upon the child by other than accidental means.

(2) Harm by reason of intentional neglect or malnutrition or sexual abuse.

(3) Going without necessary and basic physical care.

(4) Willful mental injury, negligent treatment, or maltreatment of a child by a person who is responsible for the child’s welfare under circumstances that indicate that the child’s health or welfare is harmed or threatened thereby, as determined in accordance with regulations prescribed by the Director of Social Services.

(5) Any condition that results in a violation of the rights or physical, mental, or moral welfare of a child or jeopardizes the child’s present or future health, opportunity for normal development, or capacity for independence.

(f) “Parent” means a person who exercises care, custody, and control of the child as established by law.

(g) “Family resource center” means an entity providing family-centered and family-strengthening services that are embedded in communities, culturally sensitive, and include cross-system collaboration to assist in transforming families and communities through reciprocity and asset development based on impact-driven and evidence-informed approaches with the goal of preventing child abuse and neglect and strengthening children and families. A family resource center may be located in, or administered by, different entities, including, but not limited to, a local educational agency, a community resource center, or a neighborhood resource center.

(Amended by Stats. 2022, Ch. 506, Sec. 3. (SB 1054) Effective January 1, 2023.)