You are a child intervention worker. You receive a phone call from a public health nurse regarding a family she has been working with. Linda is the mother of two young children, Anne, age 6 and Jack, age 9. Linda and her children have been living with Dan for the last five years. Dan has been abusive to her throughout the duration of their relationship. Linda had planned to leave but recently found out that she is pregnant. Although Linda has previously stayed at an emergency shelter, currently she is too frightened to leave because Dan has threatened to kill her and/or the children. She continues to meet regularly with the shelter outreach worker and her son, Jack has completed a children's counselling program at the shelter. After discussing the case with the public health nurse you determine that Linda and her children are at significant risk and you need to start a child protection investigation. During your meeting with Linda, you find that she is a deeply committed mother who is concerned about the effects of intimate partner violence on her children. She has tried to leave several times but has always returned to the relationship when Dan promises to change and seek help for his drinking. Dan's abusive behaviour has escalated since she learned that she is pregnant and during the last incident he pushed Anne who was trying to protect Linda. Linda's outreach worker confirms that Linda is an excellent mother who has worked hard to protect her children from the abuse.
a. Conduct a child protection investigation and develop a safety plan for the family
b. Provide support and resources for Linda to leave the abusive relationship
c. Coordinate with law enforcement to ensure the immediate safety of Linda and her children
d. Connect Linda with a domestic violence shelter for immediate assistance
