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Effective: 10/1/2019

3.5 Participants and Notification for All In Home Cases

Legal Authority

Introduction

​​​​​​​​​For all in-home services cases, case planning participants are optional based on the family’s request.

Families have the right to choose whom to involve in their case planning.

Practice Guidance

  • Although the child’s capacity to participate actively in case planning will need to be decided on a case-by-case basis, as a guideline, most children who are elementary school-aged or older may be expected to participate to some extent. 
  • Involvement of both parents is instrumental in achieving desired outcomes for children. Fathers are required participants even when they are absent from the home. Workers must make every effort to locate and involve fathers or other available paternal relatives. 
  • The lack of the father’s involvement can significantly delay case progress. Often, fathers are unaware of situations that involve their children for various reasons. The fathers or their relatives are encouraged to participate in case planning and be allowed to maintain attach​ment with the child through visitation when appropriate. 
  • In situations involving domestic violence, a discussion with the mother will ascertain the level of risk posed if the father is involved in the case planning process. 
  • Recognize that family members may be new participants in the child welfare and juvenile justice systems. Take the time to explain how these systems work and answer any questions asked by the family. 
  • Respect the pace at which the family moves. Intervention is traumatic and the family may need time to process what is happening. Don't rush discussion and be sure to convey the importance of each contact. 
  • ​Recognize the value of the family members and value their expertise on the family history. 
  • Involvement of prevention services providers, when applicable, is not optional and should only be declined in the event of a strong objection by the family. Prevention service providers will be an integral part of the case planning process, development of a child-specific prevention strategy, and in determining the evidence-based practices (EBPs) to be incorporated into the objectives and tasks. ​

Procedure

The SSW:
  1. Encourages families to involve family members, friends, family members, and community partners that have the potential to be beneficial; 
  2. Involves the following individuals in case planning, including but not limited to: 
    1. ​​​Family members of appropriate age, including identified fathers as outlined in SOP 4.15 Family Attachment and Involvement, of appropriate age; ​​
    2. Biological mothers and fathers, stepparents, and parent paramours; 
    3. Custodians/caregivers (i.e. relative/fictive kin placement caregivers); 
    4. FSOS and other staff involved; 
    5. Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) and Guardian Ad Litem, if court is involved; 
    6. Parents attorney; 
    7. Community partners including service providers and school personnel; 
    8. ​​Prevention services providers including: 
      1. Intensive Family Preservation Services (IFPS); 
      2. Families and Children Together Safely (FACTS) 
      3. Diversion 
      4. Family Reunification Services (FRS) 
      5. ​Kentucky Strengthening Ties and Empowering Parents (KSTEP) 
      6. Sobriety Treatment and Recovery Teams (START) 
    9. ​Children; and 
    10. Formal and informal supports for the family; 
  3. Notifies, verbally or in writing, in advance all p​articipants expected to attend the case planning conference of the: 
    1. Purpose; 
    2. Date; 
    3. Time; and 
    4. ​Location of the case planning conference; 
  4. ​Provides a copy of the Case Planning Meeting Brochure​; 
  5. Document, in both the DPP 1281 and service recordings, efforts to involve all of the above parties in the case planning process.



Documents

Revisions