Module 7 Chapter 2: Family Assessment Response
Chapter 2 focuses on the process for conducting a Family Assessment child protection response
– also known as FA or FAR (Family Assessment Response).
Recall from Module 4 that there are similarities and differences between Family Assessments
and Family Investigations. Both responses must ensure child safety, use engagement skills, and
be family-centered and strengths-based. However, there are important differences; from the
website, access the handout entitled Comparison of Family Assessment and Investigation for a
more detailed look at the similarities and differences.
What is Family Assessment?
Minnesota Statutes 626.556, Subdivision 2(a) defines Family Assessment as a “comprehensive
assessment of child safety, risk of subsequent maltreatment, and family strengths and needs that
is applied to a child maltreatment report that does not allege substantial child endangerment.
Family Assessment does not include a determination as to whether child maltreatment occurred
but does determine the need for services to address the safety of family members and the risk of
subsequent maltreatment.”
Family Assessment is a flexible, engaging and strengths-based intervention.
Why Use Family Assessment?
FA is the statutorily preferred and most frequently used response for screened in child
maltreatment reports.
FA is a respectful, engagement-focused approach to families that are struggling with safety,
abuse or neglect concerns. FA helps identify and mitigate unmet needs that may cause stress
within the family and thereby increase the risk of maltreatment.
FA uses resources effectively, minimizes confrontation, enhances cooperation and strengthens
the family’s ability to care for itself.
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FA best serves families who struggle with:
• Child supervision
• Educational neglect
• Domestic violence without imminent child harm
• Physical abuse that does not constitute substantial child endangerment
• Unmet basic needs
• Chemical addiction
• Emotional harm.
Strengths-Based FA
Strengths-based FA is a holistic approach that moves beyond the presenting concerns. Strengthsbased FA requires you to:
• Engage with the family as a partner to increase strengths and resolve concerns
• View the family as the expert
• Connect the family to both formal and informal resources
• Seek possibilities for child safety and well-being
• Identify protective factors within the family
• Be respectful and strive to understand cultural differences and influences within the
family.
Family Assessment Process
Initial Contact
SDM Safety
Assessment &
Safety Plan
SDM Tools:
• Risk
• Needs &
Strengths
Case
Disposition
This simplified diagram illustrates the basic steps of Family Assessment. The following screens
provide detail for each step.
From the website, the following documents can be accessed:
• The Family Assessment (FA) / Family Investigation (FI) Flowchart for an in-depth look
at both assessment processes
• The CP – Family Assessment and Case Management Checklist.
Essentials
Before considering the steps of Family Assessment, you need to be aware of two elements that
are essential throughout the life of the case in both Family Assessment and Family Investigation.
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Engagement Strategies
Initial Contact
SDM Safety
Assessment
& Safety
Plan
SDM Tools:
• Risk
• Needs &
Strengths
Case
Disposition
Documentation
First, family engagement strategies. Engagement skills are crucial to assessing safety and risk,
and to working with families to achieve safety, permanency and well-being.
And second, documentation. It is essential that you document all contacts, interactions, activities
and results in SSIS, at all points in the case.
Initial Contact
Prepare for the important relationship-building first contact with the family. Apply your
knowledge of engagement strategies as you make these pre-contact decisions:
• How to contact the family – the first appointment is often set up via phone.
• Who to contact – generally this would be the child’s caregiver; in some instances the
family may want someone else, such as another family member, an elder, or close family
friend to be involved.
• When to contact – risk of immediate or imminent harm must be considered when
assessing the safety of the child.
• Where to meet – the location of your meeting should be determined by the family unless
there are safety issues for the child, any family member, or the worker.
Your first contact with the child and family in a Family Assessment must take place within five
calendar days of receiving the report. Although not required, it is best practice to obtain the
parent’s permission to interview the child. Inability to reach a parent is not sufficient reason to
delay contact with the child beyond the established timelines.
If you interview a child in school, you must provide the school with a signed Notification to
School to Interview Child form prior to interviewing the child. Consult with your supervisor to
learn your agency’s policy regarding whose signature must be on the form. You will learn how
to access this document in SSIS during classroom training.
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Privacy Notice
Before conducting any interviews, you must inform each person, orally and in writing, of their
rights when asking them for private or confidential information.
The written notice is provided in the document Your Privacy Rights – Child Protective Services.
Give this to the person being interviewed and ask them to sign it; their signature indicates that
they received the oral and written notice. A signature is not consent to speak with the worker. If a
client refuses to sign, acknowledge the person’s concerns and document in SSIS. Always leave a
copy with the client.
The required notice can be waived when interviewing alleged victims under the age of 10. You
will learn how to access this document in SSIS during classroom training.
Interview Methods
There are several interview methods that can be used to engage families:
• Close-ended, probing, yes / no questions
• Open-ended questions
• Supportive responses / active listening
• Clarification
• Summarization / redirection
• Giving options, advice, or suggestions
• Confrontation
• Observe / describe.
To learn more about the purpose, benefits and liability of different interviewing methods, locate
the Interviewing Methods document on the website.
Culture
Cultural considerations are important to the interview process. The family’s response to the
assessment worker, perception of the agency, willingness to share information, standards for
parenting and child rearing, and level of cooperation may all be influenced by culture.
Consider these factors when planning the Assessment:
• The need for an interpreter
• How you will explain the situation and the purpose of the agency
• Whether the family should be encouraged to invite certain extended family or community
members to jointly participate in the interview
• Whether the structure and culture of the family influences which assessment worker
should be assigned.
Strengths-Based Interventions
Recall from Module 5 the different types of family-centered, strengths-based interventions that
help you engage with families and reinforce your collaborative relationship. These same
interventions are supportive of the FA process.
Genograms
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The genogram is an engagement tool that depicts family structure and relationships. This tool
supports child safety by identifying family supports and resources, assists in maintaining family
connectivity, and helps identify dynamics that can influence safety in both positive and adverse
ways.
The genogram also helps identify secondary caregivers, non-custodial parents, and kinship
connections who may be a safety resource for the family and should be involved in case
planning. Noncustodial parents and their families may also be a potential placement resource.
A Genograms handout is available on the website. Choose a family from your caseload and
create a simple genogram based on information you have. Consult with your supervisor and
share the genogram. What other information might be helpful to you as you work with the
family?
Eco-maps
The eco-map is another engagement tool that helps identify family strengths, resources and
barriers. Eco-maps provide a visual picture of existing healthy and unhealthy connections, and
helps people see options for creating new, healthy connections and supports. The eco-map also
identifies family supports that function as protective factors to help mitigate risks.
An Eco-Maps handout is available on the website. Choose a family from your caseload and
create a simple eco-map based on information you have. Consult with your supervisor and share
the eco-map. What other information might be helpful to you as you work with the family?
SDM Safety Assessment and Safety Plan
The first step in either Family Assessment or Family Investigation is to assess safety. The Safety
Assessment, one of the Structured Decision-Making Tools you will learn about in Module 9, can
assist and guide you in assessing safety.
If safety concerns are identified on the Safety Assessment, you must develop a Safety Plan with
the family as per Minnesota §260.012 (d) as a condition of reasonable efforts.
You will learn more about creating safety plans with families in Module 9 and in your classroom
training.
Structured Decision-Making Tools
After completing the Safety Assessment, two additional Structured Decision-Making tools are
necessary for Family Assessment. Workers are encouraged to complete the tools with the family
at the end of the Assessment; use the outcomes to help inform the case plan.
These tools are:
• The Family Risk Assessment of Abuse and Neglect
• The Family Assessment of Needs and Strengths
Module 9 provides an in-depth look at SDM tools and their use.
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Case Dispositions
A Family Assessment – like a Family Investigation – must be completed within 45 calendar
days. At the end of a Family Assessment, a case disposition – determination – must be made
regarding the need for child protection services to address the safety of the child and other family
members. The disposition may also indicate a request to participate in voluntary family support
services if safety concerns are not the driving factor for services.
Close Workgroup or Open for Services
Use the SDM tools, Family Risk Assessment of Abuse and Neglect and Family Assessment of
Needs and Strengths, in conjunction with family discussion to determine whether to close the
Assessment case or open it for child protection case management services or family support
services.
Consider opening the case for services in these situations:
• High or moderate risk level on the Risk Assessment
• Safety concerns exist
• Upon family request to access family support services
• Past history with the family.
Services focus on addressing identified concerns, increasing family supports and community
connections. Services are optimally driven by parent choice – not agency directive. You will
learn about case work in Module 9.
If all information and professional judgment indicate child protection case management services
are needed but the family refuses them, consult with your supervisor and your county or tribal
attorney to determine whether there are sufficient grounds for a CHIPS petition. If not, the case
should be closed. Remember to document all case decisions in SSIS.
Child Welfare-Targeted Case Management (CW-TCM)
When case management services are provided, the child may be eligible for Child WelfareTargeted Case Management (CW-TCM). CW-TCM are activities designed to help a child under
age 21 and the family gain access to necessary services identified in an individual case plan.
CW-TCM services may include mental health, rehabilitative, educational, health, vocational,
recreational, and other related services.
To be eligible for CW-TCM services, the child must be:
• At risk of out-of-home placement or in placement
• At risk of, or experiencing, maltreatment
• In need of protection or services pursuant to Minnesota §260C.007
• On Medical Assistance (MA) or Minnesota Care.
If a child is eligible for CW-TCM, case management services can be reimbursed through
Medical Assistance.
For greater understanding of CW-TCM guidelines and responsibilities, go to the website, print
and review the document most appropriate for your position:
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

For county workers: DHS Bulletin 12-38-19 CW-TCM Policy Guidelines for Counties
and Contracted Vendors
For Tribal workers: DHS Bulletin 12-68-18 CW-TCM Policy Guidelines for Tribal
Agencies.
You will learn more about CW-TCM entry into SSIS during classroom Module 2.
Family Support Services
If child protection services are not needed, the family and the agency may jointly agree to
address other unmet needs with Family Support Services – called Family Preservation Services
in some agencies. These services are provided through a Family Assessment Case Plan in an
ongoing child protection case management workgroup. The plan must be developed jointly with
the family to meet the identified needs.
You will learn more about Family Support Services in classroom training.
Closing the Case
The Family Assessment Case is terminated and closed when:
• There is no need for services to ensure safety
• Families are offered referrals to or are working with appropriate community supports
• Services are needed but there are no grounds for a CHIPS petition.
Record Retention
For Family Assessment cases, records must be maintained for four years and be used only to
assist in future risk or safety assessments. FA records cannot be used in employment background
checks.
Notice of Determination
Within 10 days of completing the Family Assessment, the worker must send a notice of
determination to the parent or guardian of the need for child protection services to address safety
or risk concerns.
If child protection services are not needed, the notice of determination should indicate whether
the agency and family jointly agree that Family Support Services are needed or not needed.
From the website, a DHS publication Working with Fathers: A Program Improvement Resource
is available to provide additional information about engaging and notifying non-custodial
parents.
Be sure to consult with your supervisor and county or tribal attorney when you have questions
about contact.
Report of Disposition of Assessment to Reporters
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After the Assessment has been completed, the worker must provide voluntary reporters, upon
request, a concise summary of the Assessment consisting of the agency’s classification of the
report and a statement whether child protective services are being provided.
The worker must provide mandated reporters with a concise summary including the name of the
worker who conducted the Assessment, the nature of the maltreatment, and whether the case has
been opened for child protective services. Mandated reporters do not have to request this
information.
Summary
Family Assessment is a flexible, engaging and strengths-based intervention. Over time you will
become very familiar with the process, requirements and tools designed to help you work with
families to achieve safety, permanency and well-being.
From the website, the DHS publication Family Assessment Response Questions and Answers is
available.
Also from the Attachments tab, locate the Family Centered Assessment Guidebook: The Art of
Assessment. This booklet is a good resource for examples of assessment questions. It is important
to use the document as a resource only, because not all sections are Minnesota specific. You may
print the resource or save it to an electronic file.
Next Steps
The transcript for this Chapter is available on the website.
The following documents are also available on the website:
• Comparison of Family Assessment and Investigation
• Family Assessment (FA) / Family Investigation (FI) Flowchart
• Interviewing Methods
• CP – Family Assessment and Case Management Checklist
• Genograms
• Eco-maps
• Working with Fathers: A Program Improvement Resource
• Family Centered Assessment Guidebook: The Art of Assessment.
• Family Assessment Response Questions and Answers
• DHS Bulletin 12-68-19 CW-TCM Policy Guidelines for Counties and Contracted
Vendors (county workers)
• DHS Bulletin 12-68-18 CW-TCM Policy Guidelines for Tribal Agencies (tribal workers).
Consult with your supervisor regarding the genogram and eco-map you created for a family on
your caseload, and any questions you have about this chapter.
Remember to check the website and print the documents labeled for classroom use. You will
need to bring those documents to class with you.
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When you are ready, begin Chapter 3.
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