At the Shelter Care Hearing, what two elements must the CPI demonstrate?

The correct answer highlights essential criteria that must be met for a child to be removed from their home during a Shelter Care Hearing. At this hearing, the Child Protection Investigator (CPI) must demonstrate that there is an urgent necessity to remove the child from their current environment, indicating that the child's safety or welfare is at immediate risk. This element underscores the urgency of the situation, which justifies taking a child away from potentially harmful circumstances.

Additionally, the CPI must show that reasonable efforts were made to keep the child safe while still allowing them to remain in their home. This means that the CPI should have explored and attempted alternatives to removal, such as providing services to the family or arranging for supervision. This requirement reflects the legal and ethical imperative to preserve family integrity whenever possible and to use removal from the home as a last resort.

In the context of child welfare, these two elements maintain a balance between protecting children and respecting family unity, serving as a foundation for decisions made during the hearing to ensure the child's best interests are prioritized. Other options may not align with the necessary legal criteria or the framework governing child protective services during such hearings.