Child Protective Services System Integration

Child Protective Services System Integration: Initial Family Assessment (IFA) and Protective Capacity Assessment

CPS represents a continuum of intervention that begins at the point that a referral is received by the agency and concludes when a case closes and children are safe and in a permanent home. The effectiveness of a CPS/child welfare system of care is contingent on a cohesive rationale for how the various aspects of the system work together to achieve outcomes. As a family proceeds through the steps or decision- making points in the CPS process, there are six basic purposes for intervention: problem identification, control and management of safety threats, understanding and determining what must change, planning for change, implementing and managing change strategies and measuring progress of change. CPS interventions are more effective when the system is highly integrated. CPS becomes integrated when there is a clear definition of who CPS should serve; there is greater precision regarding what must change with families who are involved with CPS; there is a clear expectation regarding what constitutes success in cases; and the various CPS interventions apply consistent concepts, criteria, standards and approaches for decision-making.

The integration and interdependence of the Initial Family Assessment with the Protective Capacity Assessment is established on the following guiding principles for CPS intervention and change:

. CPS should be primarily about the business of child protection.

. CPS should seek to identify and provide ongoing services to those families where children are unsafe.

. CPS effectiveness and success should be based on the determination that services have resulted in children being in permanent safe environments and that safety influences have been eliminated or caregivers have sufficient protective capacities to manage foreseeable danger and assure child safety.

. CPS should focus on improving family/family member functioning that is associated with safety influences by targeting treatment services on diminished caregiver protective capacities.

. CPS should consistently apply safety intervention concepts, safety threshold criteria, standardized safety influences and the concept of protective capacities throughout the case process.

Description of Integrated Approach

Child protection and safety is the essential focus for CPS intervention. Child safety is a concern throughout the case process with specific implications for structuring CPS intervention and decision-making. CPS is concerned about child safety at the point a referral is made, during the IFA process, at the conclusion of the IFA process, at the point a family transfers to ongoing case management, during case planning, during treatment service provision and at the conclusion of CPS involvement with a family. Due to the constant concern for child safety, it is essential that CPS intervention be designed in such a way to reflect how child safety is specifically addressed at various points in the CPS case process. The Protective Capacity Assessment builds upon safety intervention that occurs during the Initial Family Assessment by using safety concepts and criteria to provide direction and focus for ongoing case management.

CPS Function CPS Integrated Intervention Time Frames

Intake 1. Screen Referral. Same Day 2. Determine Response Time: Indications of Present Danger.

3. Initial Contact with Family: Day 1 3a. Indications of Present Danger 3b. Control Present Danger as needed.

4. IFA Information Gathering: Problem Identification and Family Strengths

Initial Family 5. Conclusion of IFA: Assessment 5a. Determine if children are unsafe due to Foreseeable Danger and Diminished Protective Capacities. Completed 5b. Implement Safety Plan to control within 45 Safety Influences (Foreseeable Days Danger). 5c. Confirm the need to serve.

6. Transfer case to ongoing Case Management.

Protective Capacity 7. Receive case from IFA. Day 1 Assessment 8. Preparation for the Protective Capacity Assessment: 8a. Review IFA documentation. 8b. Confirm the sufficiency of the Safety Plan and respond as needed. 8c. Consider approach for conducting the Protective Capacity Assessment. 9. Conduct series of assessment interviews: 9a. Foreseeable Danger as the focus for treatment and change 9b. Consider how to build upon existing strengths and protective capacities. 9c. Identify caregiver protective capacity characteristics that must change to address Foreseeable Danger. Completed within 60 10. Develop Case Plan: Days 10a. Create change strategy to enhance Protective Capacities which can reduce or eliminate Foreseeable Danger. 10b. Implement Case Plan.

Protective Capacity Assessment Concept for Change

The concept for promoting change used in the Protective Capacity Assessment is essential based on two premises: 1) treatment services identified in case plans should focus on safety concerns (foreseeable danger) and 2) the way to reduce, manage or eliminate foreseeable danger is by enhancing and/or building upon caregiver protective capacities.

To create safe environments for children, ongoing CPS relies on the simultaneous use of the safety plan and the case plan. The safety plan controls and prohibits threatening behavior from having an effect on a child (i.e., assuring that a child is not left unsupervised) while the case plan changes and/or enhances a caregiver’s protective capacity characteristics associated with the foreseeable danger (i.e., caregiver demonstrates impulse control, appropriately recognizes child’s needs and limitations, etc.). IFA: Foreseeable Change/progress Danger is is measured and identified and case plans are Safety Plan modified until implemented to protective control safety capacities are threats. sufficient to assure safety.

PCA: Identify Safety plan what must remains in place change; case plan until safety implemented to threats have been enhance and/or eliminated or build upon protective protective capacities are capacities. sufficient.

Implications for Case Managers

The use of foreseeable danger and protective capacities in the Protective Capacity Assessment allows case managers to build upon the significant amount of information collected during the IFA process. Although the IFA and Protective Capacity Assessment have distinct objectives and decisions, the consistent use of safety concepts in the IFA and PCA results in a more seamless intervention process for families that need to be involved with ongoing CPS. At the point that ongoing case managers begin working with families, there should already be a significant amount of comprehensive information regarding family system/family member functioning that can be used during the Protective Capacity Assessment process. To some extent, a case manager should approach the Protective Capacity Assessment as a continuation of intervention that began with the IFA. While consideration is given to all IFA information, (maltreatment, strengths, risk influences and safety factors), the Protective Capacity Assessment narrows the scope of CPS intervention to concentrate attention on specific aspects of IFA that are essential to identifying what must change —existing strengths, protective capacities, foreseeable danger, safety analysis and safety plans.

Protective Capacity Assessment: Stages of Intervention

There is a critical need for forming collaborative partnerships with families which includes involving children and caregivers in the mutual development of change strategies that will enhance the capacity of caregivers to provide for their children’s safety. To promote family involvement in the case planning process that will result in the development of individualized change strategies, the Protective Capacity Assessment provides four stages of intervention: Preparation, Introduction, Discovery, and Change Strategy and Planning. The four intervention stages identify the actions and level of effort of the ongoing case manager, the facilitation objectives for assessment interviews, specific assessment content and questions to be considered during each intervention stage.

The four sequential stages of the Protective Capacity Assessment enable ongoing case managers to guide families through a structured process that encourages collaboration, is strength seeking, focuses on the use of key concepts and directs the assessment toward problem identification, solution thinking and planning. It is important to note that family engagement in a working partnership is emphasized throughout the assessment process. Family engagement is crucial with respect to the development of individualized case plans as well as the belief that change in caregiver functioning will not occur unless the caregiver recognizes and accepts the need to change. Increasing information about one’s self and areas of want and need, and raising self-awareness and expression of feelings regarding what needs to change and how change might occur begins for the ongoing case manager at the point that the Protective Capacity Assessment begins.

A progression through the four stages of the Protective Capacity Assessment encourages families to share their perspective regarding identified safety threats, strengths and protective capacities that exist, protective capacities needing to be developed and/or enhanced and possible strategies that will address what must change. While the four stages of intervention delineate specific assessment content questions and facilitative objectives, the assessment approach is flexible in terms of the interaction with families. The transition from one stage to the next should be cohesive in the sense that discussions with families evolve smoothly between thinking about needs and solutions.

Of the four stages of the Protective Capacity Assessment, three stages will require face-to-face contact with family members. This does not necessarily mean that every family will require three separate series of interviews/meetings. Depending on the family, the Protective Capacity Assessment may be completed in less than three series of interviews.

The four intervention stages of the Protective Capacity Assessment are as follows: Intervention Stage 1: Preparation

Level of Effort Assessment Content Actions

Preparation for What are the safety influences in the 18352. Review Initial assessment family? Family Assessment.

Become fully What caregiver protective capacities 18353. Review Safety informed appear to exist? Assessment and Analysis. regarding IFA information and Does IFA information sufficiently 18354. Review safety decisions. support decision-making? plan.

Complete prior Are there apparent gaps in 18355. Staff case with to first series of information related to caregiver previous worker and/or interviews with protective capacities, safety consult with supervisor as family. influences, child vulnerability? What needed. further information gathering seems 1-2 Hours indicated? 18356. Contact collaterals, including safety Is it clearly understood how service providers as foreseeable danger is manifested in appropriate. the family? 18357. Respond to Does the safety plan appear to be immediate safety sufficient to manage safety influences management issues as (foreseeable danger)? indicated.

Appropriate level of intrusion? Adequate level of effort based on how safety influences are manifested?

Is it clear how the safety plan is intended to work with respect to controlling safety threats?

What has been the family’s reaction to CPS involvement thus far?

What are the information and assessment logistics that must be considered in order to conduct the Protective Capacity Assessment?

Prior to beginning interviews with the family, is there anything that you need to be prepared to respond to promptly? Are there any immediate safety planning issues and/or general safety management issues (i.e., visitation arrangements) that need to be responded to prior to or at first contact with the family?

Intervention Stage 2: Introduction Level of Effort Assessment Content Facilitative Objectives

Initiate Protective Is it clear to the family how your 1. Introduce self, Capacity role as role, Assessment. an ongoing case manager is responsibility in different working with the Begin from an IFA worker? family and Engagement. expectations for What are the caregivers’ involvement. Emphasize understanding regarding why their 2. Begin attempting Rapport Building family has been opened for to form a Techniques. ongoing CPS? working partnership with 1st series of visits What have caregivers been told the family. regarding the identification of 3. Debrief the The time required safety influences? What is their family’s to complete the understanding regarding the experience with introduction stage identification of safety influences? CPS intervention. is dependent on What is their perception regarding 4. Review and family the responsibility for protection clarify the safety composition, case and their belief regarding how that influences that issues, dynamics is achieved? were identified and family as a result of the participation. What feelings prevail among IFA. family members regarding CPS 5. Seek caregivers’ involvement? perception regarding What perceptions does the family identified safety have about itself, about its influences and condition and/or problem areas? their responsibility to Are caregivers clear about the provide purpose for the safety plan? What protection. is the caregiver(s)’ perspective 6. Confirm the and attitude regarding ongoing sufficiency of the safety intervention? safety plan. 7. Reinforce the Does the safety plan continue to caregivers’ right provide the appropriate level of to self- effort and degree of intrusiveness determination to assure child safety? and emphasize personal choice. What are skillful ways to promote 8. Explain the caregiver self-determination and Protective autonomy? Capacity Assessment What is the status of the process and seek caregiver(s)’ commitment to a commitment to participate in the Protective participate and Capacity Assessment process? collaborate. Intervention Stage 3: Assessment Discovery

Level of Effort Assessment Content Facilitative Objectives

Continue What is the family’s current level 18868.Review purposes, Protective of commitment to engage in the objectives and decisions Capacity assessment process? associated with the Protective Assessment. Capacity Assessment process. What is perceived as positive or as 18869.Reconfirm the mutual Continue to strengths within the family that commitment (CPS and family) engage and seek a contribute to child protection? to work collaboratively toward partnership with developing solutions. the family. What do caregivers identify as 18870.Identify and/or discuss strengths about themselves as family strengths and caregiver Explore with the individuals and in the caregiver protective capacities. caregivers (and role? 18871.Consider how existing children as caregiver protective capacities appropriate) what In what ways might existing can be utilized to create a safe must change to strengths be used to increase environment in the family. enhance diminished protective capacities 18872.Determine the protective and decrease foreseeable danger? relationship between safety capacities and influences (foreseeable danger) address safety Do caregivers recognize or and diminished caregiver influences. acknowledge safety influences? protective capacities. What do family members want to 18873.Identify the stage(s) of 2nd series of visits keep the same, what might they change that family members want to or be willing to consider are in with respect to safety The 2nd series of changing related to their influences and diminished visits may require protective capacities? protective capacities. more than one 18874. Consider areas of meeting with Do caregivers perceive any agreement between CPS and individual family negative aspect in their ability to the caregivers regarding what members. assure child protection/safety? needs to change to create a safe environment. Again, the time What is the family’s perception needed for regarding diminished protective completing the capacities that may be resulting in assessment foreseeable danger? discovery stage depends on case What is the level of agreement dynamics and between caregivers and CPS caregiver regarding diminished protective cooperation. capacities and safety influences?

Are caregivers ready, willing and able to consider necessary change related to diminished protective capacities?

Are there specific protective capacities that caregivers are more receptive to working on? Intervention Stage 4: Change Strategy and Case Planning

Level of Effort Assessment Content Facilitative Objectives

Conclude the What diminished protective . Acknowledge areas of Protective capacities associated with the agreement and disagreement. Capacity safety influences (foreseeable . Reaffirm family member Assessment. danger) must be addressed in the self- determination, autonomy, case plan which will enable personal choice and Reinforce caregivers to assure child safety? implications for consequences. Partnership. . Focus on what behavior To what extent do caregivers must change (enhancing Collaboratively acknowledge what must change? protective capacities). develop a case . Consider common areas of plan with the Are there areas of concern perception and definition of family. (foreseeable danger and what must change. diminished protective capacities) . Develop a change strategy Seek commitment that family members are more by prioritizing specific areas of to the working ready, willing and able to proceed change and considering a partnership and with changing? rational progression for change. the case plan. . Establish realistic goals, What is the most logical place to outcomes and objectives for 3rd and final series begin focusing on change, setting change. of visits goals and identifying potential . Direct case planning service options? toward enhancing diminished In many cases, the caregiver protective capacities. collaborative Are case plan goals/outcomes . Consider specific needs of development of a (enhanced protective capacities) child(ren) that must be case plan will have precisely phrased (preferably addressed in the case plan. already begun using the family’s own . Be prepared to offer and during the terminology) to establish a discuss possible change previous sufficient behavioral benchmark strategies and/or case plan intervention for evaluating change? service options. stages. . Negotiate and seek How much flexibility does CPS agreement regarding case plan It is during this have to negotiate the focus of service options. stage that the intervention and the provision of . Identify specific case plan conversations from case plan services? services and/or activity that are the earlier series intended to enhance the of interviews Are identified case plan services specified protective capacities. results in the and activities acceptable, . Evaluate your relationship drafting of a accessible and appropriately with the family; talk openly with specific case plan. matched with what must change the family about relationship. (protective capacities)? . Identify the continuing roles and expectations for CPS Is there an understanding and the caregivers in particular.

11 regarding next steps and what is intended to occur in the case plan?