Allegation System | Rule and Procedure | Decision Trees | Federal and State Law | Clinical Skills and Research | Table of Contents
7.8.1 Casework Activities During Family Meetings
Family meetings should occur at least quarterly or more frequently if needed. At these meetings, the Child and Family Team together reviews the parent's progress toward reunification, discusses improvements made by the parents as well as any problems related to visits, provision of services, barriers to services and other matters. The potential for reunification and whether the family is on target relative to the planned achievement date for reunification must be discussed. Full disclosure requires that all information related to the parent's progress or lack of progress is fully discussed and the parents are again advised that an alternative permanency plan will be implemented if progress is not consistent and ongoing.
The caseworker should prepare for the family meeting by securing necessary reports, discussing the case with the supervisor, establishing an agenda and contacting all participants as to time, place and date. Four to six weeks prior to return home, the Team, including all collaborating agencies, must convene to address the child's developmental, educational, and medical needs.
One significant indicator that must be used when evaluating if children should be returned home is parental ambivalence as described in the Section on Assessing Progress (below). Parental ambivalence is assessed throughout the case. The family meeting is a good forum for discussing this issue. The caseworker may also raise this issue with the parent during in-person visits.
Casework activities with parents:
· Assure full disclosure of expectations; share information with regard to how visits are going, whether any changes are needed in the visiting plan, whether services are timely and appropriate;
· Assess reasonable efforts on the part of the caseworker
· Assess reasonable progress on the part of the parent
· Address barriers to services including parental ambivalence
· Assess whether the parent is making the necessary behavioral changes in the conditions which led to the removal of the child; are the parents involved in the change process?
· Engage the parent in planning for themselves and for their child; reviewing the current service plan and developing a new service plan if needed
· Review clinical material from service providers.
· Assess whether placement is the only safe intervention at this time or whether, with assistance, the child can be safe and healthy while in the care of the family. Determine if continued clinical intervention and protective reunification services will help the family safely reunite earlier. If so, determine the preferred safety supports and reunification services needed. Determine if the family has an adequate safety network.
· Discuss visitation issues and evaluate how visits are going.
· Discuss sibling visits.
· Discuss any changes in visitation. (Note that this is a critical decision and must be discussed first with the supervisor and the decision documented in the case record.)
Casework activities with the child:
· Engage the child in service planning, if appropriate.
· Give the child an opportunity to have input in the meeting and to express his/her needs and desires.
· Discuss clinical reports related to the child during the meeting if appropriate. The caseworker must be careful not to discuss material with the child which would be harmful to the child's relationship with the parent, which the child is unable to properly interpret or which is otherwise inappropriate.
Casework activities with foster parent or other caregiver:
· Engage in planning for the child; discuss and address the child's well-being needs.
· Involve caregivers in reunification activities such as coaching, mentoring, parent-child visits, sibling visits, and involving parents in the child's daily activities.