3.1 Family-Centered Service Assessment
Family-Centered Services assessment is integral in determining appropriate services for intact families with open FCS Cases or with families with children in out-of-home care. Accurate, comprehensive assessments that engage the family lead to service plans that appropriately address the family's needs.
The Family-Centered Services assessment is defined as an on-going process which evaluates and identifies the current level of family functioning, the current risk to the child(ren) and family strengths and service needs.
The Children’s Service Worker will use the CD -14 FCS Family Assessment Packet tools to complete the FCS Family Assessment. These tools are designed to assist staff in conducting thorough and comprehensive assessments of:
- Family history;
- Child safety;
- Family structure and functioning;
- Family strengths and supports;
- The family’s level of risk for future child maltreatment; and
- The family’s need for services.
A good family assessment should lead directly to a meaningful treatment plan designed to reduce risk of future child maltreatment and to promote and maintain positive change in family functioning.
3.1.1 Philosophical Considerations
Family-Centered Services seek to empower the family and minimize its dependence upon the social service system. The Family-Centered Services assessment is an integral part of this approach.
The conceptual framework from which a Family-Centered Services assessment is conducted greatly influences the type of intervention and thereby affects treatment. When successfully implemented, a Family-Centered Services assessment will actively involve the family and serve as a means to engage them in treatment. In addition, it will assist in building mutual trust and respect between the family and Children’s Service Worker.
It is important that the Children’s Service Worker embrace certain basic beliefs and convey certain attitudes in his/her initial and subsequent contacts with the family. Some of these basic beliefs are:
- Problems that affect individuals are usually symptoms of other underlying problems within the family system. From this viewpoint, the problem is not within the individual, but a result of dysfunctional relationships between individuals;
- Blaming an individual is essentially counter-productive. It does not reflect the goal of strengthening the entire family system. More than one person usually contributes to the presenting problems;
- Eliciting family participation in an assessment process enhances the likelihood of case success. Families are the most knowledgeable source about themselves. Involving them in the process signals empowerment and allows them to identify their own needs. Their input may provide new insight into the situation and offset the Children’s Service Worker's pre-conceived notions;
- The assessment should focus upon family strengths as well as needs. Acknowledging family strengths can help the worker and the family to identify areas of hope and opportunity for the family which will in turn empower and engage the family in the treatment development process.
3.1.2 Children’s Service Worker’s Personal Framework
Before approaching an assessment of a family it is important for workers to recognize their own personal history, belief system and frame of reference. Throughout the assessment the worker should consider the following questions:
- How is my personal bias influencing the family assessment?
- Are “labels” influencing the family assessment?
- Have I considered the family’s cultural background?
- What evidence supports my conclusions?
- What evidence disputes my conclusions?
3.1.3 Case Assignment
The supervisor shall assign cases opened from CA/N reports or CA/N referrals within one (1) working day of the CA/N investigation/family assessment conclusion or receipt of the case from the CA/N Investigation Unit/worker.
3.1.4 Priority of Initial Client Contact after a Case Opening Based on SDM Risk
The supervisor assigning the open case will determine the priority of initial contact based on the most recent SDM risk assessment. This will determine the timeframe of the initial face to face interview with the family by the assigned Family Centered Services (FCS) worker based on the following SDM risk levels:
- High or Very High Risk - within one (1) working day;
- Moderate Risk - within five (5) working days; and
- Low Risk - within ten (10) working days.
If the FCS case referral was not due to a CA/N investigation/family assessment, the supervisor's appraisal of the potential risk to the children and overall family situation will determine when treatment follow-up contact by the FCS worker is needed. The Should Not Exceed Ten (10) Working Days From Case Assignment.
3.1.5 Minimum Contact Standard for In-home Cases
Minimum contact standards for in-home cases is determined by the last risk assessment conducted in the (CPS-1) Investigation/Family Assessment Summary; (CS-16E) Risk Re-assessment or in rare cases when a case was opened which did not require the use of a CPS-1, the risk assessment in the CD-14.
The minimum contact standards initially go into effect on the date of the CA/N report conclusion, or delayed conclusion date, but staff will continue meeting these standards according to the current assessed level of risk, until the case is closed.