Effective Casework Practice
(Foster Care)
• “Ongoing” assessment of child’s needs and
interventions
• “Ongoing” assessment and implementation of
services/supports to assist caregivers
• “Ongoing” process of engaging and assessing
parents and significant family connections
• “Ongoing” teamwork with all parties
Effective Casework Practice
(Foster Care)
• Identifying needs of the child
– Physical health, including dental
– Social and Emotional
– Developmental level
– Educational
Effective Casework Practice
(Foster Care)
– Purposeful visits with child and foster parent
at least every 30 days
– Thoughtful dialogue with school/child care
– Collaboration with staff and others involved in
providing services for the child and foster
parent
Effective Casework Practice
(Foster Care)
Potential Team Members include:
– Staff who relicense
– Protective Investigators
– Guardian ad Litem, Child Legal Services,
Judge/General Master
– Teacher/school professionals
– Physician/Dentist
– Psychologist/Psychiatrist
– Adoption counselor when goal becomes
adoption
Effective Casework Practice
(Adoption)
“Child Study” is created to summarize:
– Interviews, observations, what’s been learned
already
– Evaluations and current professional
recommendations
– Family and medical history
– Developmental and academic status
Effective Casework Practice
(Adoptions)
Adoption homestudy process includes:
• Review and assess prior homestudies
• Assess previously adopted children
• Interviews and observations of child and
foster parents
• Update and assess references and
background checks
• Results of evaluations completed
Effective Casework Practice
(Adoptions)
Adoption homestudy process (cont.)
• Based on Child Study
– Current needs-how well addressed and
understood
– Potential needs-how well understood and
committed to future needs
– Educational needs
– Actual and potential impact of abuse/neglect
at future life stages
Effective Casework Practice
(Adoption)
• Document completed homestudy
• Negotiate subsidy
• Inform family of contact information for
post adoption services, including adoptive
parent support group meetings
• Issue consents to adopt
Foster Care Licensing
(Initial)
• Goal of Foster Care Licensing
– Ensure physical and emotional safety
– Overall Well-Being
– Understand Motive of Foster Parents
– Determination of Ability to care for Children
with Complex Needs
Foster Care Licensing
(Initial)
• Steps in Licensing Process
1) Model Approach to Partnerships in
Parenting (MAPP) Training or Parent
Resources for Information, Development,
and Education (PRIDE)
2) Prior to Completion of Training
1) Background screening
2) In Home Consultations
Foster Care Licensing
(Initial)
1) Key Elements of Home Study
1)
2)
3)
4)
5)
6)
7)
Household Composition
Needs of children in the home
Impact/Stressors
Financial Impact
Supports available to family
Discipline Techniques
Future children will be placed
Foster Care Licensing
(Initial)
Packet submitted for review and approval
Process from 2005 – 2010
Process from 2010 - Present
Foster Care Licensing
(Re-licensing)
•
•
•
•
•
•
Home Visit
Annual Screenings
Updated Inspections
Training Completed
Feedback from Children and Adults
Staffing on abuse reports or law
enforcement involvement