In the discussed material, the primary purpose of risk assessment is to gather evidence to support conclusions.

• A. False
• B. Sometimes
• C. True
• D. Not applicable

Answer: (C)

Risk assessment is a deliberate process of collecting and evaluating information from multiple sources to support clear conclusions about a child’s safety and the needed services. The emphasis is on gathering evidence—through interviews, observations, case records, and collateral information—and using that evidence to determine current safety, the likelihood of future harm, and what protective actions or services are warranted. Because decisions about removal, in-home safety planning, monitoring, or service referrals should be justified and defensible, the primary goal is to build a well-supported conclusion about risk, not to make judgments without evidence or to rely on intuition alone. That makes the statement true: the main purpose is to gather evidence to support conclusions.