Placement & Permanency

Placement & Permanency: Competencies SW106-04 Ability to prepare children and families for child removal in a

manner that reduces trauma, minimizes stress, and enhances partnership

SW124-02 Ability to identify the legal rights of children, parents, and caregivers involved in the public child welfare system

SW119-01 Ability to use a variety of strategies to engage fathers from first contact with the family and throughout the life of a child welfare case

SW112-03 Ability to identify, explore, and pursue birth family relationships with relatives at the initial point of contact and from that point forward as a resource to help meet child and family needs and provide notice of agency involvement to relatives of children in care

Placement & Permanency: Competencies SW113-01 Ability to plan and implement placements that

reduce stress, minimize trauma, promote placement stability and permanence for children

SW113-02 Understands the importance of maintaining sibling connections in out-of-home placements

SW119-04 Ability to maintain open communication with parents regarding the well-being of their children, placement options, the agency permanency plans, and status of case progress

Trauma and Placement -

activity

http://depts.washington.edu/acwewa/RCT/Videos/ReMoved-VIDEO.mp4

Removed: De-Brief and Activity

What actions during this child’s initial and subsequent placement may have caused trauma for her?What actions could have been taken to prevent, or minimize, this trauma?

Group brainstorm:Actions during and after placement that: increase coping decrease trauma

Information to Placements

Child Information and Placement Referral

DSHS 15-300

Pre-Learning Review

Child Information and Placement Referral

Provide ChIPR to placement - Obtain Signature - Upload in FamLink

Child Information and Placement Referral

Activity – Completing the ChIPR

Placement

We must place a child out of the home when…

Active safety threat AND

In-home safety plan can not be put in place

Pre-Learning Review: Role of the FTDM

PlacementWhat are the 4 ways children can be detained or

removed?

? ?? ?

PlacementWhat are the 4 ways children can be detained or

removed?

Police Protective Custody

“PC”Hospital Hold

Court Order Voluntary Placement “VPA”

Hospital Hold

• Who can order a hospital hold?

When is a HH permitted under RCW

26.44.056?*Child

in imminent danger if released

Law Enforcement

• When can law enforcement remove a child?*They determine the child is abused/neglected *They determine the child would be injured/ couldn’t

be removed otherwiseParental Notice

must be providedDSHS 10-157

Returning to parental custody after Hospital Hold or PCWhy might this happen? Should the case stay open?

Court Order

Dependency Petition

Request for

Pick-Up

Order

Initial Shelt

er Care Heari

ng

Parental NoticeService of legal

paperwork

Custody Transfer (10-157)

Temporary Custody Notification (09-731)

Notification to Parents (16-219)

Applies to all legal parents

Voluntary Placement

When is a VPA appropriate?• When it is truly voluntary AND• There is a safety threat identified, and an FTDM

recommends a VPA• After business hours when a safety threat exists but law

enforcement does not place the child• While a parent receives medical care/treatment and no one

is available to care for the child• When the other (safe) parent is not immediately available to care for the child

Pre-Learning Review

Voluntary PlacementParental Agreement

Placement Options

ICWA stipulations

Reasonable effort?

Placement Options

“In Home” w/ parent

Unlicensed Placements: Suitable Relatives Suitable Adults

Licensed Placements: Foster Homes Facilities

Relative Placements

Relative or suitable adult?

Must place w/a suitable relative unless:• Child’s health, safety, and welfare will be jeopardized• Efforts to reunify will be hindered

Suitable adult placements = court approval

Pre-Learning Review

Finding Relatives

Ask Locate

Written Notice Document

Relative Notification Letter/ Relative Inquiry

(15-330)

Paternity• Consequences • Is paternity already

established?• Locating the father• Confirming

paternity

Determining SuitabilityThe Homestudy Process

Determining Suitability:

Background CheckCriminal History Check• Finger Prints (National)• Background Authorization Form

(WSP)

Child Abuse and Neglect• FamLink and MODIS• Out of State Records

Household Safety Inspection

Fire Evacuation Plan

Safety and Supervision Plan

Determining Suitability: Initial Walkthrough

DSHS 10-453

DSHS 16-204

DSHS 10-419

Determining Suitability: Placement Realities

Having a conversation about caring for a child placed by DCFS

Determining Suitability: Agreement with

CaregiversConfirm family has fact

sheet (publication 10-444)

Home Study Pre-Screen for Relatives/Suitable Other

Placement (10-449)

Unlicensed Caregiver Checklist (15-280)

Placement Agreement (15-281)

Prior to Referral to DLR

Determining Suitability: Referral to DLR for Homestudy

Homestudy Referral (10-447)Supporting information• Court report• Placement referral• Dependency petitionBackground Check results

After 60 days of placement!

Emergency Placement Timeline Activity

Background Checks:

Criminal HistoryNCIC•1-800-998-3898•Purpose Code XFinger Prints•Electronic or Ink and Roll•Within 10 days of NCICWashington State Patrol•Background Authorization Form•(DSHS 09-653)

Background Checks: Child

Abuse HistoryFamLink•Person Search

MODIS•Older case history•http://ca.dshs.wa.gov/intranet/pdf/policy/MODISSEARCH.pdf

Out of State Checks•Use CA Intrantet for contacts and forms•Ask about former county of residence

Background Check Results:What if there

is history? All checks completed? All information reviewed?Discussed concerns with placement?

Think:Is this a safe place? Is this a permanent option?Do we need an FTDM?

Ask:Administrative Approval15-367

Background Checks:

Common MistakesCriminal history not adequately completedCriminal history not reviewed or Administrative approval not soughtEveryone in home/property not screenedChild Abuse not completed or history missed

Sibling Placement and Visitation

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E9uoqOWHosg

Sexually or Physically Aggressive Youth

• “Youth Supervision and Safety Plan” 15-352• Placement must complete special training

Choosing between placements

• Honor parental requests when possible• Prioritize suitable relatives• Preference homes where the child can:

– Visit regularly with parents– Remain with or frequently see siblings– Maintain existing relationships– Remain in the community

• Achieve permanence

Medical and Dental Services upon Placement

Initial Health Screen (DSHS 13-843)vs.Well Child Exam

Children Missing From Care

• Confirm with caregiver• Call WSP and obtain a

runaway report number

• Inform all parties to the case and the school

• Develop a search strategy

Monthly Health and Safety Visits:

• Child• Caregiver• Parent

Monthly Health and Safety Visits• First week of any new placement• Every calendar month

– Children under 6 & at home receive 2 visits per month for 120 days

• Not to exceed 40 days between visits• Take place where child lives

– Exception for kids in OOH care

Pre-Learning Review

Monthly Health and Safety Visits

• Develop a relationship with the child

• Prepare for the interview– What information is needed?– What observations?

• Use developmentally appropriate engagement and interviewing

Monthly Caregiver Visits

• Every calendar month• Not to exceed 40

days between visits• Scheduled and

unannounced visits

Monthly Visits with All Parents• Every calendar month• Assess progress

– Changes, new or resolved safety threats?– Achievements– Barriers

• Concurrent planning• Visitation • Child wellbeing• Efforts to locate missing parents

Health and Safety Visits:

Case NotesWhat to say?• Discussions• Observations• Plans and next stepsHow to say it?• Provide information to support conclusions• Summarize conclusions

Health and Safety Visits

Brainstorm:What information should be provided in a case note documenting a health and safety visit?

Pre-Learning Review

Placement and Permanency

Pop Quiz: Can you…?1. Give 3 examples of actions that can be taken to reduce the trauma

associated with placement and to increase the child’s ability to cope and thrive during and after placement moves?

2. Describe the legal and policy requirements associated with removal?3. Summarize the process by which relatives are identified, assessed to

be suitable and authorized to care for a child in their home?4. Name two reasons why it’s important to establish paternity and

engage each child’s father early on?

Placement and Permanency

Can you …?5. Explain the importance of conducting and documenting background checks, including criminal and CPS history, and the implications of criminal history or negative actions/findings.?6. Name four things that should be discussed or observed during monthly health and safety visits with children?