1.5 Recording Guidelines – Out-of-Home Placement
Instructions for this section describe what and how, the Children’s Service Worker is to record when an out-of-home placement has occurred.
1.5.1 Initial Recording
- The Children’s Service Worker should identify reason(s) for removal and the date of removal.
- If there have been preventive and protective services, specify why the written service agreement developed with the parents failed to prevent placement, or document the reasonable efforts to prevent placement in an emergency placement.
- In the case plan, the Children’s Service Worker should state the specific placement plan, such as “temporary foster care – goal to return child to birth parents.” Address the following specific components of the case plan:
- Child’s Progress - Describe the out-of-home placement and provide details of the appropriateness of the placement such as:
- Is the child getting proper care;
- Is the child in the least restrictive placement environment and in proximity to the birth family? If close proximity is not advisable, explain. Provide reasons a relative placement is not advisable;
- Are appropriate services being provided to the child, and the foster parents;
- What are the child’s needs and are they being met; and
- What is the child’s present health or what are the child’s health needs.
- Parental Progress
- Are they receiving services;
- Are these services appropriate;
- Is the parent(s) cooperating; are they making progress;
- What is the frequency of the visitation schedule. Are the parents participating. Interacting with the child during visits;
- Are the parents providing child support;
- What is the status of the parents’ compliance with the Written Service Agreement; and
- What are the efforts to locate absent parents, if applicable.
- Coordination of Services
- Are services to the child, the foster parents, and birth parents coordinated toward a specified goal;
- Are services being provided in accordance with the recommendations of the Permanency Planning Team; and
- Are plans/services appropriate to the long-range permanency treatment plan, court order and/or special court instructions.
The Children’s Service Worker should identify that the rights of the parents were safeguarded. He/she should identify the date that the procedural safeguards and parent’s rights were provided to and discussed with, the parents regarding the removal of the child. The worker should also document that the procedural safeguards were given to the parents regarding intended changes in placement and/or visitation. If this was not done, explain.
The Children’s Service Worker should identify the service plan and outline the next steps in the provision of services to be directed toward the return of the child or other permanent plan. The worker should then project the next review date.
1.5.2 Interim Recording
All contacts shall be recorded chronologically in the narrative section of the family record. Chronological dictation will include the date, time, person(s) contacted, and a description of the content of the communication. Contacts include:
- All personal contacts such as home visits, office visits, and telephone calls;
- Conferences with supervisors regarding specific family situations;
- Court hearing information such as the type of hearing, persons present, and the outcome of the hearing;
- Permanency Planning Team meetings, including the date parents and foster parents were notified, those present, and the PPT recommendations;
- An indication of the date when the CS-1 was completed and sent to court;
- All correspondence sent and received;
- Documentation of the need for purchased services such as child care and Children’s Treatment Services and all referrals that have been completed and all services authorized;
- The date the SS-60 and the SS-61 were submitted for an opening, a closing, or an updating of the case situation;
- An evaluation of the progress made toward achieving a permanent plan.
1.5.3 Assessment of the Case Plan in Initial and Interim Recording
The Children’s Service Worker will include in the case plan review the following:
- An evaluation of the child, parents, and foster parents’ progress in completing the case plan;
- An assessment of the appropriateness of the services being provided to the child, such as counseling, medical, educational, and child care services;
- A description of how these services are meeting the specific needs of the child;
- An assessment of how the services provided are meeting the needs of the parents;
- A description of how the terms of the Written Service Agreement and/or court approved service plan are being met by the parent, the child, and the worker;
- A description of the child and foster parent’s involvement in the development of the services and visitation plans. This will include narrative on how these plans are beneficial to meeting the goal of permanence for that child.
The Children’s Service Worker will include in the projected plan for the next three months the following:
- A description of the services which need to be provided to achieve reunification;
- An outline of who will provide these services; and
- The frequency of worker’s contacts with the family, and the frequency of parent-child visitation.
1.5.4 Documentation of Discussion With the Division of Legal Services
As stated in 1.2.2, regarding investigation documentation, discussions with the Division of Legal Services (DLS) should not be documented in the case record. See that section for further clarification and information about where content of those discussions or documents may be retained.
1.5.5 Documentation of Information Regarding Domestic Violence
The disclosure and documentation of domestic violence may dramatically increase the risk of harm to the child and adult victim. Therefore, any specific information disclosed by the child or adult victim that is requested to be kept in confidence shall be. However, it is imperative to share with the family up front that all issues compromising the safety of the child will be addressed openly. Consultation with a supervisor on making this distinction is recommended. Any reference to domestic violence in the case narrative or narrative summaries is not protected and will be released. Staff should be cautious of including this information in any section other than the domestic violence section.
Documentation of instances of domestic violence and any collateral information to back up the allegations (order of protection, police reports, witness statements, etc.) shall be kept in the domestic violence section of the file that will be marked by a red cover page. This section will not be released to the domestic violence offender. If this information must be shared per court order, the adult victim should be notified in advance so that he/she may consider safety plans.
Chapter Memoranda History: (prior to 1/31/07)
CS03-51, CD04-45, CD04-79, CD05-72, CD06-15, CD06-60