MARVIN MANDEL, Governor                            1891

probable violation of this section, and the primary
purpose of the investigation shall be the protection of
the welfare of the child or children. The investigation
shall include a determination of the nature, extent and
cause or causes of the abuse, if any; upon validation of
the suspected abuse, the investigation shall then
ascertain the identity of the person or persons
responsible therefor, the name, age and condition of
other children in the sane household, an evaluation of
the parents and the hone environment, and all other facts
or matters found to be pertinent. The local department
of social services, and the appropriate lav—enforcement
agency if that agency participated in the investigation,
shall render a complete written report of its findings to
the local State's attorney within five (5) working days
of the completion of the investigation, which shall be
within ten (10) days of the receipt of the oral or
written report first disclosing to the local department
of social services the existence of a possible violation
of this section. Upon request by the local department of
social services, the local State's attorney shall assist
in the investigation.

(f—1) If, in the course of the investigation
conducted by the local department of social services
under the provisions of subsection (e), a representative
of the department has probable cause to believe that the
child or children is or are in serious physical danger
and that an emergency situation exists, the
representative may enter the household, if the
representative has been previously denied the right of
entry. A law—enforcement officer shall accompany the
representative, and he may use reasonable force, if
necessary, to assure that the representative is able to
gain entry. If the danger proves to be genuine, the
representative may remove the child or children from the
household temporarily without prior approval by the
juvenile court.

If the child is removed from the household under the
provisions of this section, the local department of
social services shall have the child thoroughly examined
by a physician, and the report of this examination shall
be included in the report made under the provisions of
subsection (e) within the time specified.

(g) Based on their findings, the local department
of social services shall render the appropriate service
in the best interests of the child, including, when
indicated, petitioning the juvenile court in behalf of
the child for the added protection to the child which
either commitment or custody would provide. The local