Imagine knocking on a door of parents accused of abusing their children and asking them tough questions.
This is what investigators do on a daily basis.
"It can be a very draining job, mentally, emotionally and physically,” said Susan Evans, executive director of Child Protection Training Academy.
One of the jobs that the Department of Children and Family Services is tasked with is making sure children are safe.
In order to do this job, DCFS investigators have to enter the homes of people accused of horrible crimes.
Reporter Ana Espinosa was given the opportunity to participate in the training that DCFS investigators must complete.
UIS instructors and former investigators are monitoring every moment from another room while actors recreate the fear and anxiety of losing their children.
Usually, an investigator is alone with parents that can be influenced by drugs or alcohol because these investigators can’t call ahead and let families know they are going to be there. An investigator must ask parents difficult and personal questions about allegations of abuse or neglect.
"We want to err on the side of the child,” Evans said. “We want to keep children safe. But, it is inherently complex and it’s something that is very difficult to describe unless you have experienced it."
Before ever walking into the training, Espinosa spent hours reading policies and procedures just like investigators-in-training.
"You can study the laws and procedures that you have been doing but then to put them into practice professionally but with intention,” Evans said. “You know, that’s why we do simulation."
But there are no step-by-step instructions on how to act in these situations.
More than 600 DCFS investigators have been through this training.
This story aired on WICS Newschannel 20 on May 20, 2019.
Watch the entire story online.
