7.2.1 Composition of the Family Support Team
Individuals who must be invited to family support team meetings include: parents, legal counsel for the parents, foster parents, legal guardian for the child, the Guardian ad Litem (GAL), and the Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA). These persons shall be provided adequate notice of the meeting prior to the scheduled date of the meeting. Upon appointment by the court to a case, the GAL is to be informed of and have the right to attend any and all FST meetings involving the child. Family members, (other than alleged perpetrator), or other community formal or informal service providers may be invited at the discretion of the family. The parents, the legal counsel for them and the foster parents may request that other individuals, other than alleged perpetrators, be permitted to attend such meetings. Once a person is provided notice of a meeting, the CD or the conveyor of the meeting shall provide notice of subsequent meetings.
Families may determine whether individuals invited at their discretion shall continue to be invited.
Supervisors are not required to attend Family Support Team Meetings (FSTM). However, they should attend FSTM when supervisor support, guidance and/or approval is needed, particularly during critical decision making points.
Supervisors should attend FSTM with new workers until the worker demonstrates proficiency in the facilitation of FSTM. Subsequent, attendance and observations of FSTM by the supervisor should occur at least once prior to the revision of the staff’s Professional Development Plan. The supervisor should provide support and feedback to the Children Services Worker (CSW) regarding the facilitation and the quality of the FSTM. The observation of the CSW at the FSTM provides the supervisor an opportunity to observe how the CSW interacts with the family and other community partners and identifies areas for professional growth.
Staff may consider including their Children’s Service Specialist in the decision-making process when appropriate. Participants involved in the decision-making process should be clearly identified and documented in the case record pursuant to CS-1 instructions in place.
The Children’s Service Worker should ensure that accommodations are made for special needs of Family Support Team members (i.e., English as second language/sign language interpreters, accessibility for physical disability or handicap).