Allegation System | Rule and Procedure | Policy Transmittals | Federal and State Law | Clinical Skills and Research | Table of Contents
2.1.1 Definition and Principles of Permanency Planning | 2.1.2 Permanency Defined | 2.1.3 Concurrent Planning | 2.1.4 Principles of Intervention for Permanency | 2.1.5 Child and Family Team | 2.1.6 Family Meetings | 2.1.7 Engagement | 2.1.8 Casework | 2.1.9 Working with the Non-custodial Parent | 2.1.10 Purchased or Referred Services | 2.1.11 Service Monitoring
Several principles of permanency planning are articulated, including implementing concurrent planning, a strengthened focus on the best interest of the child, achieving timely permanency, actively pursuing connectedness with the non-custodial parent, using a Child and Family Team in all cases, strengthening the worker's role as change agent, implementing a staged assessment process and implementing an improved matching process for placement selection.
Permanency is defined as providing a lifetime commitment to a child in a setting where he or she is safe, can have a sense of belonging and well being, and can live to adulthood.
The principles of concurrent planning are described.
Twelve principles that are critical to planning and interventions to achieve permanency are set forth. These principles apply to every open case, whether intact or placement.
Every case will have a Child and Family Team composed of the child's custodial parent, the child (where age and developmentally appropriate), the caseworker, the supervisor and any other persons at the parent's request. With the parent's consent, the non-custodial parent, foster parents or relative caregivers and service providers are also members of the team. Potential team members are identified by the investigator and contacted by the permanency worker in preparation for the 45-day family meeting. The purpose of the team is described.
Family meetings are key events in the planning and delivery of services and set the tone for casework with the family. The Child and Family Team participate in the family meeting. These meetings are a forum for discussing case status, progress in the comprehensive family service plan, reasonable efforts, barriers to services and the child's needs. Full disclosure (within the bounds of confidentiality) is used at all family meetings so that parents are fully informed of the status of the case. A protocol for initial and subsequent family meetings is presented.
Engagement is at the core of what caseworkers do as agents of change. Successful engagement facilitates the assessment process, sets the stage for service delivery and can facilitate the achievement of the family's preferred permanency goal. Techniques for engagement are suggested.
Casework is a complex set of skills, values, attitudes and beliefs that are developed through experience, education, ongoing supervision and training. These skills are used to interact with clients and to facilitate change through a number of casework tasks and roles. Casework requires the establishment of a working relationship with the client. The caseworker becomes an agent of change through these relationships. Ways to establish rapport with clients and to engage them in the task at hand are discussed.
This section emphasizes the importance of locating and engaging the non-custodial parent in the life of the child. A protocol for assessing non-custodial parents and relatives for placement is presented.
The Department offers a variety of services for clients. When a child or family needs a service that cannot be provided directly by DCFS, caseworkers must arrange for the service to be delivered. Services can be delivered by other public agencies such as the Department of Human Services or by private providers. Such services consist of housing assistance, respite care, homemaker services and therapeutic services.
Casework services are monitored by formal Departmental reviews such as the ACR and the quality assurance/quality improvement process as well as by outside entities such as the Juvenile Court. These monitoring components are described in detail.
2.1.1 Definition and Principles of Permanency Planning | 2.1.2 Permanency Defined | 2.1.3 Concurrent Planning | 2.1.4 Principles of Intervention for Permanency | 2.1.5 Child and Family Team | 2.1.6 Family Meetings | 2.1.7 Engagement | 2.1.8 Casework | 2.1.9 Working with the Non-custodial Parent | 2.1.10 Purchased or Referred Services | 2.1.11 Service Monitoring
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