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Module Three: Family-Centered Case Planning and Participatory Goal Setting 1 Section Name Estimated Time Key Concepts Resources Used Key Learnings Optional: Icebreaker 30 minutes Method of Presentation: Group Discussion Introduction: Welcome students back to the third module. Ask them to think about Module Two and what key learnings they had from our last class. Ask them to pair up with a partner and share an insight, information or practice issue from the last class. Allow five minutes for the students to talk to each other and then have them share their ―key learnings‖ with the group. Optional Icebreaker: Distribute the Handout: Treasure Hunt. Advise the group that they are to interview ten fellow students. They are to find qualities they have in common with each other and different qualities that they don’t share. Advise the group that they are to ―dig a little deeper when they conduct their interviewsnot just things like ―we are both wearing glasses‖. State that there is a prize for the person who finishes their interviews first. The following questions can be used to debrief the activity: What qualities did you have in common with fellow students? What were some different qualities that you discovered? State that this activity gives us a chance to get to know each other beyond just how we present ourselves. When conducting assessments and developing case plans with families it is important to Flip Chart Handout 1: Treasure Hunt

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Section Name

Estimated Time

Key Concepts Resources Used

Key Learnings Optional: Icebreaker

30 minutes

Method of Presentation: Group Discussion Introduction:

Welcome students back to the third module. Ask them to think about Module Two and what key learnings they had from our last class. Ask them to pair up with a partner and share an insight, information or practice issue from the last class.

Allow five minutes for the students to talk to each other and

then have them share their ―key learnings‖ with the group. Optional Icebreaker: Distribute the Handout: Treasure Hunt. Advise the group that they are to interview ten fellow students. They are to find qualities they have in common with each other and different qualities that they don’t share. Advise the group that they are to ―dig a little deeper when they conduct their interviews– not just things like ―we are both wearing glasses‖. State that there is a prize for the person who finishes their interviews first. The following questions can be used to debrief the activity:

What qualities did you have in common with fellow students? What were some different qualities that you discovered?

State that this activity gives us a chance to get to know each other beyond just how we present ourselves. When conducting assessments and developing case plans with families it is important to

Flip Chart Handout 1: Treasure Hunt

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go beyond just the presentation of problems to gain a holistic picture of the family. State that today we are going move the assessment process into setting goals with families and creating a family-centered case plan. Setting goals and developing a plan with families is the product of the assessment process. It gives both the family and worker the opportunity to create a written plan which they together will operationalize. Good goal planning involves family members as active participants. Assessment and goal planning are steps in the permanency process.

Importance of Case Planning

30 minutes Lecture and Guide Group Discussion: Ask if they have ever had someone make a major decision for them without including them? What did that feel like? Ask the student’s why they think it is important to engage families in the case planning process? For much of the history of child welfare, child serving agencies excluded families, children and youth from the case planning process. With the passage of recent legislations there has been a marked shift toward family, youth and child involvement in the case planning process. As we discussed in assessment, partnering is paramount. The worker engages with the family in the first meetings and works to create a team of people to support the family including neighbors, community members/leaders, and public agencies that protect, nurture, and assist the child/family members by building on strengths of the family and their community. The family is the center of the planning and is involved in all decisions about services for their child/youth. This

Module Powerpoint

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process requires continued contact, flexibility, creativity, and cooperation with families. Following the initial contact point (referral of a case, identification of concern or request for assistance), a family assessment is carried out, which enables better understanding of the context, dynamics, possible issues at play, as well as strengths. Following this, there is an identification with the family of what needs to change (i.e. the problem), and why it needs to change. Finally, planning enables discussions to seek a shared agreement about what can be done about it, how and by whom. In the context of child protection this would relate back to the issue of children’s safety, permanency and well being. Children’s Bureau provides information on when case plans are required, who should be participating in the process, and what the content of a case plan should be in Case Planning for Families Involved with Child Welfare Agencies: Summary of State Laws (current through 2008): When Case Plans Are Required States require a case plan whenever the child welfare agency places a child in out-of-home care, including foster care, placement with a relative, group homes, and residential placement. Many States also require a case plan whenever the child and his or her family are receiving in-home services to prevent placement or when the child has been placed in the legal custody of the State agency. Most States impose a specific timeframe for completion of a case plan, as follows:

A specified number of days from the date the child was placed in out-of-home care

A specified number of days from the date the case was first opened for services

A specified number of days from the date the child was

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adjudicated by the court as abused or neglected Participants in the Process The department or agency in each State that has the responsibility for providing child welfare services must formulate a case plan for each child placed in its care or custody. In 29 States, Guam, and Puerto Rico, the department must include the parent or guardian in the case planning process unless compelling circumstances prevent the parent's participation. In 22 States, the child, if he or she is of an appropriate age, must be included in case planning efforts. Approximately six States require that a representative of the child's Tribe be invited to participate when the child receiving services is an Indian child. Other persons who may be invited to participate include foster parents, guardians ad litem, court-appointed special advocates, and other members of the child's family, if they have significant ties to the child. In 13 States, participation is open to service providers, therapists, educators, and other professionals who have direct knowledge of the child and family's needs. In seven of these States, the statutes or regulations specifically require that the State agency consider the use of some form of a family group decision-making approach when appropriate. Contents of a Case Plan Federal law under title IV-E (in 42 U.S.C. 675(1)) requires that the case plan describe specifics of a child's care while in placement, including, at a minimum, the following:

A description of the type of home or institution in which the child is to be placed

A plan for ensuring that the child receives safe and proper care and that appropriate services are provided to the parents, child,

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and foster parents: o To improve the conditions in the parents' home o To facilitate the child's return to his or her own safe home

or the alternative permanent placement of the child o To address the child's needs while in foster care

To the extent available, the child's health and education records

Where appropriate, for a child age 16 years or older, a description of programs and services that will help the child prepare for independent living

If the permanency goal for the child is adoption, documentation of the steps being taken to find an adoptive family

State requirements for case plans typically include goals and objectives that the parents must meet in order to achieve a safe home for the child and timeframes for achieving those goals. Approximately 30 States and the District of Columbia also require that the case plan state a permanency goal for the child. In addition, 27 States and Puerto Rico require that, for a child who is in out-of-home care, the plan include a schedule of visitation between the child and his or her parent and between the child and any siblings that the placement has separated. Printable PDF is available on Child Welfare Information Gateway website. To see how your State addresses this issue, visit the State Statutes Search. http://www.childwelfare.gov/systemwide/laws_policies/statutes/caseplanning.cfm As we have emphasized the concept of permanency in earlier modules, we will now look more closely at what family case planning means.

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The Planning Process and Relationship Building

90 minutes with a 15 minute break

Small Groups, Guided Group Discussion, Skills Practice:

Divide students into small groups. Ask each group to think about all the activities involved in planning with families, Distribute flip chart paper and markers to each group. Instruct each group to develop a list including all their discussion points. Allow 5 minutes for the small group activity.

Ask each group to share their top three activities and record them on the flip chart.

The following are responses to include in the discussion:

Including families Listening Building relationships Goal-directed A document that outlines all activities Looking at options Identifying family supports Identifying community resources Problem solving Continue to gather information Joint decision making Developing a set of guidelines

State that we have developed a list of the components of the planning process.

Planning is a cognitive process whereby one thinks through a course of action to achieve a goal or solve a problem. As we discussed in the last module, this approach includes gathering information, evaluating it, making decisions about what outcomes are wanted, deciding what

Flip chart, markers Handout 2: Communication Skills Handout 3: Case Vignettes Handout 4: Worksheet I - Observation Form

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should be done, and determining what activities should be performed by whom, how, when, and where to achieve one’s goals.

State that just like assessment, planning is an ongoing process. Good planning takes into account that things are constantly changing. Planning activities reflect this by continually evaluating changes, and re-formulating goals, objectives, and activities to assure that the plan is current.

Lead a discussion on how socio-economic, cultural and ethnic differences may impact the case planning process and the actual plan.

Note: Use the following from the last module as a brief review as well as a link to the discovery phase of the empowering approach.

As we discussed in the last module, the empowering approach to practice involves three phases:

Dialogue, Discovery, Development.

These phases are important in achieving permanency as we are developing relationships with the family, the child and caregiver, assessing strengths and needs, constructing achievable service plans, and implementation through activating resources, creating alliances and expanding opportunities. State that during the dialogue phase child, family and caregivers discuss their situation, goals, and strengths. Through this exchange social workers define their relationship with child, families, and caregivers as a collaborative partnership to which all contribute. In this phase, they define the purpose of the relationship and the focus on

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their work together. During the dialogue phase, collaboration centers on:

Building partnerships based on respect, genuineness, acceptance, trust, and an appreciation of cultural differences and similarities within and amongst groups;

Defining their respective roles; Discuss child, families and caregivers experiences with

challenging situations; Defining the purpose of the work; Activating child, families and caregivers motivation for change; Addressing crisis needs.

State that during the discovery phase, social workers continue to assess, and systematically explore resources on which to build solutions. Together they organize the information gathered during the assessment and develop a service plan agreement. During this phase, collaboration centers on:

Exploring the child, youth, family and caregivers strengths; Exploring the resources in the child’s, youth’s, families and

caregivers environment; Collecting relevant information from all collateral sources; Assessing capabilities of available resource systems; Developing a service plan with specific goals and concrete

objectives. State that in the dialogue phase we begin assessment through building the social worker/client relationship but as we move into the discovery phase assessment and planning are our major intentional activities. State that at the center of this process is the development of the

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helping relationship between the social worker and family. Joining or relationship building is the process of building trust. Essentially trust results from the sense of being seen, being recognized, and the sense that another person thinks what we have to say is of value. It is important to review the interpersonal helping skills that are at the heart of relationship building:

Genuineness: Being authentic, being yourself; open and spontaneous and non-defensive.

Empathy: Communicating understanding; connecting

with feelings; recognizing non-verbal cues; discussing what is important to the client; showing a desire to understand their feelings.

Respect: Showing deference to the family, show

commitment; communicating warmth and suspending critical judgment; applauding the client’s resiliency.

Ask the group, what are some ways that they have developed trusting relationships with families they have worked with? Use the following as techniques to foster the trusting relationship:

Demonstrate warmth and emphasize positive motivation – show by your words and actions that you believe family members are genuinely trying their best often under difficult circumstances and that they are facing real challenges.

Communicate the attitudes that the family’s problem is of real importance.

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Convey sensitivity to the family member’s feeling through tone of voice and body language – emphasize the importance of culturally competent practice in working with children, youth and families.

Confirm the person’s experience of an event – i.e., I’m sure that must have been frustrating.

Focus on strengths, not weakness – promote the positive functioning that you see.

Be sensitive to the pace set by the family members in working on the problem: some will want to work more quickly than others; it is important to not assume that a slow pace = lack of motivation; be patient.

State that developing an authentic relationship means that you are able to be honest with family member’s and not validate improper behavior. Ask the group, how have they balanced being empathetic and not appearing to be approving of a particular behavior?

When we are developing helping relationships we are using our communication skills. One skill is active listening which is a way of listening and responding to another person that improves mutual understanding. Often when people talk to each other, they don’t listen attentively. They are often distracted, half listening, half thinking about something else. When people are engaged in a conflict, they are often busy formulating a response to what is being said. They assume that they have heard what their opponent is saying many times before, so rather than paying attention they focus on how they can respond to win the argument. Remember, people do not always hear the same things, the same way.

Active listening is a structured form of listening and responding or reflecting back that which focuses the attention on the speaker. The listener must take care to attend to the speaker fully, and then verbally

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reflect back, in the listener’s own words, what he or she thinks the speaker has said. The listener does not have to agree with the speaker--he or she must simply state what they think the speaker said. This enables the speaker to find out whether the listener really understood. If the listener did not, the speaker can clarify.

Review Handout 2: Communication Skills as ways to promote active listening as we begin to develop a relationship with children, youth and families and begin the case planning process.

Divide students into triads; one will take the role of the youth or parent, the other the worker and then the last member will be the observer. Distribute the case vignette to each group as well has Handout 3: Worksheet I - Observation Form. Each role play should take about fifteen minutes. Trainer should walk around the room and provide assistance where necessary.

State that in each vignette the social worker identifies the purpose for the meeting and they are to use the communication skills we just discussed to engage the youth or family member in an initial planning discussion. The role of the observer is a critical one as they will provide feedback about how well the social worker used these skills.

State that providing constructive feedback is extremely important. Review the following characteristics of useful feedback with the group:

The following is expanded by Berquist from a list originally brainstormed by Lehner and Wright in 1963. (Berquist, W.H. and S.R. Phillips. A Handbook for Faculty Development, Vol. I, 1975. Dansville, NY: The Council for the Advancement of Small Colleges, pp. 224-224.)

1. It is descriptive rather than evaluative. By describing one's own reactions, it leaves the individual free to use it or not to use it. By avoiding evaluative language, it reduces the need for the

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individual to respond defensively.

2. It is specific rather than general. To be told that one is "dominating" will probably not be as useful as to be told that "in the conversation that just took place, you did not appear to be listening to what others were saying, and I felt forced to accept your arguments."

3. It is focused on behavior rather than on the person. It is important that we refer to what a person does rather than to what we think or imagine. Thus we might say that a person "talked more than anyone else in this meeting" rather than that the person is a "loud-mouth." The former allows for the possibility of change; the latter implies a fixed personality trait.

4. It takes into account the needs of both the receiver and giver of feedback. Feedback can be destructive when it serves only our needs and fails to consider the needs of the person on the receiving end. It should be given to help, not to hurt. We too often give feedback because it makes us feel better or gives us a psychological advantage.

5. It is directed toward behavior which the receiver can do something about. Frustration is only increased when a person is reminded of some shortcoming over which there is no control.

6. It is solicited rather than imposed. Feedback is most useful when the receiver has formulated the kind of question which those observing can answer or when the person actively seeks feedback.

7. In general, feedback is most useful at the earliest opportunity after the given behavior (depending on the person's readiness to hear it, support available from others and so forth). The reception and use of feedback involve many possible emotional reactions. Excellent feedback presented at

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an inappropriate time may do more harm than good.

8. It involves sharing information the receiver can use rather than the amount we would like to give. To overload a person with feedback is to reduce the possibility that he or she may be able to use it effectively. When we give advice we tell the person what to do and, to some degree, take away the freedom to decide.

9. It concerns what is said and done, or how, not why. The "why" takes us from the observable to the inferred and involves assumptions regarding motive or intent. Telling a person what his or her motivations or intentions are more often than not tends to alienate the person and contributes to a climate of resentment, suspicion, and distrust; it does not contribute to learning or development. It is dangerous to assume that we know why a person says or does something, or what is "really" meant, or what is "really" trying to be accomplished. If we are uncertain of motives or intent, this uncertainty itself is feedback, however, and should be revealed.

10. It is checked to ensure clear communication. One way of doing this is to have the receiver try to rephrase the feedback to see if it corresponds to what the sender had in mind. No matter what the intent, feedback is often threatening and thus subject to considerable distortion or misinterpretation.

11. It is checked to determine degree of agreement from others. Is this one person's impression or an impression shared by others? Such "consensual validation" is of value to both sender and receiver.

12. It is followed by attention to the consequences of the feedback. The person who is giving feedback may greatly improve helping skills by becoming acutely aware of the effects of the feedback. It can also be of continuing help to the recipient

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of the feedback.

13. It is an important step toward authenticity. Constructive feedback opens the way to a relationship which is built on trust, honesty, and genuine concern. Through such a relationship, we will have achieved one of the most rewarding experiences that anyone can achieve and will have opened a very important door to personal learning and growth.

Giving "Feedback" Which type of feedback would lead to the most empowered approach to learning through the role play? Examples: Harsh, non-specific, personal feedback: "You just seem really arrogant during the interview, I don't know what you can do about it, probably it's just the way you are." Positive, non-specific feedback: "Oh, well, I think you did really well, you were very good, I can't think of anything you should change." Specific, balanced feedback: "I thought you seemed very confident about your skills during the interview, and this was good. There were a couple of occasions when you raised your eyebrows when the client was talking. This made me feel like they were saying something stupid. You might want to be aware of that gesture when talking to clients so that you don't convey something you don't mean."

Ask the group engage in the role play activity now. Trainer should walk around the room and provide assistance where necessary.

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When the role plays are over give the small groups time to talk about the experience and have the observer share their observations. Then lead a large group discussion focusing on how students used the communication skills and experiences with initial engagement.

We are now going to spend some time on the types of questions that engage children, youth and families in the planning process.

Additional Relationship Building Skills

30 minutes Lecture and Guided Group Discussion: In the last module we looked at the types of questions that guide strengths-based assessment. Now we are going to focus on the types of questions that you can use to build relationships and focus children, youth and families towards solutions during the goal planning process. Review the following with the group. Open-Ended Questions When you ask questions that are open-ended they provide an invitation for the family member to say whatever is on their mind. It is sometimes amazing what people will share with you. Solutions often begin to emerge from these types of questions. Close-ended questions which only provide ―yes‖, ―no‖, or ―I don’t know‖ do not engage family members in solutions but do sometimes provide additional case information. Examples: What else can you tell me about that? Tell me about your family when you were young. How have you seen other people deal with same situation? What would you like to get out of our meeting today? Can you explain more about what is going on with you and your

Optional Activity Materials: Handout 5: Worksheet - Observation Form II Case Vignettes from previous activity

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family? Coping Questions When dealing with difficult behaviors or situations, ask questions in a way that demonstrates empathy and compassion. This acknowledges you understanding of the pain, fear or frustration they must be experiencing. Examples: I imagine your children can be a real handful. I’m sure they keep you busy all day. What seems to help you? How do you do it? Who do you turn to when you feel you need help? It must be hard to live here at the institution. I’m sure you miss your family. This must be really tough for you. What seems to help you? Who do you turn to when you feel you need help? What would you like to see happen? Questions That Begin With “Wh….” These questions are solution-oriented and imply the family member’s ability to solve problems. Examples: What would you like your children/mother/friend say to you about this? Who helped you when…? What difference would this make to you? What would it take for your child to come home? What are your thoughts about this? What part of the plan do you agree with and/or disagree with? Who can you call when you are feeling that way?

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Where can you go when you decide you want to get help for that? “When….” Rather Than “If….” Questions ―When‖ implies trust that the person is going to do something. ―If‖ implies that they may or may not. ―When‖ presumes a desire for and the possibility of a positive outcome. Examples: When… (you’re going to school everyday), how do you feel? When you are in control of your temper, how do you feel? When you visit your family, how do you feel? Questions that Begin with “How” These questions tend to be more solution-oriented and less likely to call for blame or defensive responses than ―why‖ questions. Examples: How can you tell? How do you know this? How did you do it before? How would that have been helpful to you and your family? How long have your felt this way? Activity: Have the students switch vignettes and practice engaging with the youth and/or family member using these types of questions. Use Handout 5: Worksheet - Observation Form II for the observer. Now we are going to discuss the goal planning process.

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LUNCH 60 minutes Lunch

What are SMART Goals?

60 minutes Lecture and Small Group Activities State that when developing behaviorally specific case plans we need to ask following questions:

What are the safety, permanency and well-being outcomes for this family?

What needs to change for these outcomes to be achieved? What do parents and family members want to see happen? What strategies can be used to reach the outcomes? Who will do what? Within what time frame? What are the decision-making points and what evidence of

progress is needed by these time frames? What will happen in a crisis? What will be a back-up safety

plan? How often will progress be reviewed? How will we know when we get there?

Case plans consist of creating goal statements and objectives. Ask the group to think about something that they would like to work on and share it with a partner. It is important for the instructor to offer an example for the group, i.e., learn a new skill, etc. Use the following information to discuss criteria for SMART Goals. Post the following on a flip chart:

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Explain that goal statements must meet certain standards. They must be Specific, Measurable, Action-oriented, Realistic and Time-limited. Or SMART for short. Explain each term in the SMART acronym.

Specific: the goal statement focuses on the exact behavior. Vague, jargon language should not be used.

Measurable: you can easily measure when the goal has been achieved. Behaviors are easiest to measure.

Action-oriented: the focus is on behaviors.

Realistic: within reach, not ―pie-in-the-sky‖

Time-limited: Time frames—how often, by when, etc. Ask for a volunteer to share their need and gather information by asking what he/she wants to see happen here. Find out what, if any, additional resources are needed. Ask the group to help create a goal statement out of this need statement that meets the SMART standards. For example, a goal statement for the ―read more‖ example might be ―to read for 30 minutes each day for 90 days.‖

Goal Statements Specific Measurable Action-oriented Realistic

Time-limited

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Instruct everyone to create his/her own goal statement. Their partners are to act as coaches, offering assistance in the process. Remind the group that they are only to identify the overall goal, not the small steps leading to goal achievement. Suggest that difficulty in conceptualizing the picture may mean that the goal statement may need more work. People who have crystal clear goals have no problem creating visual images of those goals. Now that everyone has a goal statement, point out that the next step in goal planning is B.A.S.I.C. Post the following on a flip chart and review with the group: Instruct the partners to work together and develop the objectives which are the action plan for accomplishing their goal. They should state what they are going to do, who is going to help them and by when. Partners may offer their own insights and give suggestions. When the action plans are complete, select one or two people to share their goal, small steps, and target dates with the group.

B.A.S.I.C. Brainstorming the options

Allowing the youth to select Small steps Identify target dates

Contact to monitor progress

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Ask the group the following questions:

Did your partner see strengths or options that you overlooked? What were they? Did your partner offer support and feedback? What? Are your action plans ones that you could act on tomorrow?

Now we are going to use case studies to practice developing case plans.

Writing Goals 60 minutes Guided Group Discussion and Goal Planning Practice Divide students into small groups. Continue to use the four case studies and assign each group one case. Each group is given twenty five minutes to develop SMART goals based on the scenario as well as the objectives to accomplish the goal. Distribute Handout 6: SMART Goal Planning Form to help the groups formulate their goals. The goal of this exercise is to have students get comfortable with creating SMART goals. They can then use this skill when working with children, youth and families in the goal planning process. Ask each group to share their goals and have them review and discuss the planning process and the development of SMART Goals.

Case Studies from previous activity Handout 6: SMART Goal Planning Form

Engagement in the Case Planning Process

90 minutes Guided Group Discussion, Case Study and Small Group Activity Ask the group to think of ways that they have tried to engage families. Ask the group, what are some of the skills it takes to engage families? Review and give examples of the keys to Family Engagement:

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Listen for needs, interests, and concerns Assist family members in identifying connections and

strengths Demonstrate warmth, empathy, and genuineness as a

foundation for engaging family members around concern for child safety and building parental capacity

Use active listening skills

Tune into self and others (empathy) Define terms of working together with the family using full

disclosure Manage the use of power and authority Provide concrete and clear information to support the

change process Motivate and support participation Assist families in making their own case for change

Small Group Activity Part One: The case of Jacqui and her family. Have students think about the specific strategies to engage the family and how to develop a goal plan. They will also assess the strengths, needs, and cultural considerations of the family. Small Group Activity Part Two:

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Divide students into small groups and assign each student a role in the case. The goal of the role play is for the worker to engage the family in developing goals and objectives. Bring the group back together and use the following questions to have them reflect on the series of activities:

What did they learn about engaging families in planning? What are some of the specific strategies that they can integrate

into their work with families? What are some of strategies for developing goals and

objectives with families? What are some of the challenges they might face when

engaging families in goal planning?

Review 15 minutes Thank the group for all their hard work. State that it is important to think about how these concepts can be integrated into their practice with children, youth and families. Distribute the Action Plan and have each student fill it out and share with the group.

Action Plan

References California Social Work Education Center (CalSWEC). (n.d.) Common Core Curriculum for Social Workers: Family Engagement in Case Planning and Case Management. Retrieved November 18, 2009, from: http://calswec.berkeley.edu/CalSWEC/CCCCA_CasePlanning.html Children’s Bureau (ACF/DHHS). (2008). Case Planning for Families Involved with Child Welfare Agencies: Summary of State Laws. Retrieved July 20, 2010, from: http://www.childwelfare.gov/systemwide/laws_policies/statutes/caseplanning.cfm Rycus, J.S., Hughes, R., & Ginther, N. (1999). CORE 102: Casework Process and Case Planning in Child Protective Services, A Training

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Curriculum. Pennsylvania Child Welfare Training Program & Institute for Human Services, Columbus, Ohio. Miley, K.K., O’Melia, M., & DuBois, B. (1995). Generalist Social Work Practice And Empowering Approach (4th ed.). Boston, MA. Pearson. Parker, J. & Bradley, G. (2007). Social Work Practice: Assessment, Planning, Intervention and Review. Second Edition. Learning Matters. UK. Center for Advanced Studies in Child Welfare. (2001). The Contribution of Ethnographic Interviewing to Culturally Competent Practice. In CASCW Practice Notes, Issue No. 10 Winter 2001. University of Minnesota. Retrieved October 4, 2009, from: http://www.cehd.umn.edu/SSW/cascw/attributes/PDF/practicenotes/Practicnotes_10.pdf