(a)
Any social worker in a county welfare department, or an Indian tribe that has entered into an agreement pursuant to Section 10553.1 while acting within the scope of his or her regular duties under the direction of the juvenile court and pursuant to subdivision (b) of Section 272, may do all of the following:
(1)
Receive and maintain, pending investigation, temporary custody of a minor who is described in Section 300, and who has been delivered by a peace officer.
(2)
Take into and maintain temporary custody of, without a warrant, a minor who has been declared a dependent child of the juvenile court under Section 300 or who the social worker has reasonable cause to believe is a person described in subdivision (b) or (g) of Section 300, and the social worker has reasonable cause to believe that the minor has an immediate need for medical care or is in immediate danger of physical or sexual abuse or the physical environment poses an immediate threat to the child’s health or safety.
(b)
Before taking a minor into custody, a social worker shall consider whether the child can remain safely in his or her residence. The consideration of whether the child can remain safely at home shall include, but not be limited to, the following factors:
(1)
Whether there are any reasonable services available to the worker which, if provided to the minor’s parent, guardian, caretaker, or to the minor, would eliminate the need to remove the minor from the custody of his or her parent, guardian, or caretaker.
(2)
Whether a referral to public assistance pursuant to Chapter 2 (commencing with Section 11200) of Part 3, Chapter 7 (commencing with Section 14000) of Part 3, Chapter 1 (commencing with Section 17000) of Part 5, and Chapter 10 (commencing with Section 18900) of Part 6, of Division 9 would eliminate the need to take temporary custody of the minor. If those services are available they shall be utilized.
(3)
Whether a nonoffending caretaker can provide for and protect the child from abuse and neglect and whether the alleged perpetrator voluntarily agrees to withdraw from the residence, withdraws from the residence, and is likely to remain withdrawn from the residence.