Family Finding – A Pathway to Permanency

Level: Advanced Practice – Lineworker and Supervisor

Credits: 6

Intended Audience: Supervisors and Child Welfare Workers, particularly workers in Continuing Services

Intended Objectives:

• Understanding the principles of Family Finding
• Applying Family Finding principles to your caseload
• Valuing and appreciating a strength based approach to families
• Understanding that relatives are a valuable resource for children in foster care

Topics Include:

• The importance of early engagement and thorough interviews with family
• Relatives, both maternal and paternal: a valuable resource for children
• Permanency for children in foster care as a primary focus
• Families are the best experts on what they can offer in terms of placement and
  supportive resources.
• The importance of integrating Family Finding into the agency’s service model

CalSWEC Competencies Addressed:

1.1 Student demonstrates respect, fairness, and cultural competence in assessing, working with, and making service decisions regarding clients of diverse backgrounds.

1.3 Student demonstrates the ability to conduct an ethnically and culturally assessment of a child and family and to develop an effective intervention plan.

2.2 Student is able to critically evaluate the relevance of commonly utilized assessment criteria and intervention models in terms of their usefulness with diverse ethnic and cultural populations.

3.10 Student understand how attachment, separation, and placement affect a child and family and how these experiences may influence a child’s physical, cognitive, social and emotional development.

3.11 Student recognized the importance of working with biological families, foster families, and kin networks, as well as involving them in assessment and planning strategies.

3.14 Student understands the principles of concurrent and permanency planning that takes into account the educational, health, and emotional needs of children.