Children's Administration, Department of Social and Health Services
Children's Administration, Department of Social and Health Services
Email Feedback | Printing Help
Practices and Procedures Guide

1000. INTRODUCTION

Purpose

The Practice and Procedures Guide outlines required policy and procedures for Children's Administration (CA) staff and supports the Revised Code of Washington (RCW), federal laws and regulations.

As the over arching framework, the Children's Administration Practice Model provides the foundation for a clinical model that sets out the philosophy and theory of practice and directs the policies and procedures of the agency toward family centered practice. The framework enables social workers to:

  • Prioritize partnership to ensure safety by building a consensus with the family and service providers around the primary safety and risk concerns.
  • Locate the problem(s) within the everyday life of the family and identify the individual with the high risk behavior that led to maltreatment through an assessment.
  • Help families identify cycles of maltreatment and utilize relapse prevention techniques to prevent further maltreatment.
  • Develop co-constructed plans with the family that target the primary area of safety and risk by sorting out information into family and individual level objectives.
  • Develop tasks to achieve outcomes that are skill-based and not just measured by compliance.
  • Celebrate and document even the smallest success and progress made by the family, and note when improvements have not been made.

CA's practice, which draws from family development theory, relapse prevention theory, and solution-focused therapy, provides a roadmap for establishing working partnerships and targeting pertinent behaviors in an effort to overcome safety threats and prevent problem relapse and recidivism. CA's practice model is informed by Solution Based Casework, an evidence-based practice model for assessment, case planning, and casework management in child welfare.

CA's work with families is anchored in the following three beliefs:

  • Families encounter common everyday life challenges;
  • Dangerous behaviors and safety threats occur within the context of everyday life and service planning for prevention must be directly tied to those events; and
  • Service planning must target the reinforcement and development of situation-specific, behavioral relapse prevention skills.

CA Policy Transformation and Manual Conversion Format

The Children's Administration (CA) implemented a new policy format to use in the CA Practice and Procedures Manual effective October 31, 2009.

All future CA policies will be in this new format and will be incorporated into the existing manual. As we go forward, you will see both the old format and the new templates within our policy manual until we can completely transform all polices.

This new format will replace the current format in on-going scheduled policy rollouts. The policy transformation process includes collapsing and removing the Case Services and Operations Manuals. All future policies will be in the new format and placed in the Practice and Procedure Manual as they are implemented. Policy and procedure design include following components:

Purpose Statement Outlines the reason for the policy and how the policy will support practice.
Laws

Legal citations specific to the subject matter contained in the policy. This could include: RCW, WAC and Federal or Public Law citations and hyperlinks.
Policy

Policy - A written statement of principles and positions that define required practice, organizational operations and services required by federal and state laws.
Procedures
  • Required Procedure - Mandatory steps to ensure the policy is implemented correctly and includes steps the agency does not want staff to overlook.
  • Suggested Procedure - Suggested method by which a policy can be accomplished; it provides suggested instructions to carry out a policy statement.
Additional Template Sections
  • Cultural Considerations
  • Automated Actions
  • Tips
  • Forms and Tools
  • See Also
  • Resources

Cultural Considerations

Family Centered Approach:
The effectiveness of CA staff's engagement with the family can directly affect their willingness to work with the department. The level of trust and integrity established between the agency and the family often has a direct relationship on the child being able to remain/reunify with his/her family. Everyone who meets the family needs to build positive relationships.

The definition of family varies from group to group. While the dominant culture has focused on the nuclear family, African Americans define family as a wide network of extended family, non-blood kin and community. Native American Indian families traditionally include at least three generations and multiple parental functions delegated among aunts and uncles, as well as grandparents and cousins. Different cultural groups also vary in their traditional practices and views of adoption.

Determine if there are cultural considerations that need to be addressed as part of the planning process, for example, obtaining information about protocols, such as, how to approach a family, use of a cultural elder, matriarch or patriarch or the need for a culturally appropriate support person.

1100. Child Safety

Purpose Statement Providing for child safety is part of CA's core mission. Safety is the primary and essential focus that informs and guides all decisions made from Intake through case closure. This includes removal and reunification decisions. Assessing the safety of children is essential in all placement settings (in-home and out-of-home).
Laws

Public Law 93-247 (as amended)

45 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR), Part 1340

45 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR), Part 1357.20

RCW 13.34

RCW 74.13

RCW 26.44

WAC 388-15

WAC 388-70
Policy
  1. Decisions on child safety are based on comprehensive information, logical reasoning and analysis (not incident-based or reactionary).
  2. The safety decision making process must include a continuous assessment of present and impending danger throughout the life of the case.
  3. A focus on safety must be maintained from the initial assessment through case closure using required tools to assess, control and manage safety threats.
  4. Every social worker will assess the safety of the child for present or impending danger. If present danger exists the worker will take an immediate protective action.
  5. A decision that a child is unsafe does not mean the child must be removed.
  6. A decision to place a child in out-of-home care is a safety decision. This level of intervention is only justified when it is clear that child safety cannot be controlled and managed in the home.
  7. Conditions for return home are designed to ensure that children are returned when no safety threats exist or an in-home safety plan can be implemented and sustained. Also there is indication that the parents are moving towards change to control and manage child safety.
Resources

1110. Present Danger

Purpose Statement Present danger can occur at anytime throughout the life of a case and must be assessed on a continual basis. A determination must be made if immediate protective actions are necessary to protect a child and the level of intervention required to keep the child safe.
Policy
  1. Assess if present danger exists during any contact with a child to determine if an immediate, significant and clearly observable behavior or situation is actively occurring and is threatening or dangerous to a child.
  2. When present danger exists, identify and take immediate protective action(s) necessary to create child safety.
Procedures
  1. Document all protective actions taken to manage or control present danger in a FamLink case note using the protective action activity code.
  2. When children in CA's care and custody are determined to be in present danger in licensed or unlicensed care, children are removed from that placement. Notify intake per policy.

1120. Safety Assessment

Purpose Statement Safety Assessment is used throughout the life of the case to identify impending danger and determine whether a child is safe or unsafe. It is based on comprehensive information gathered about the family at the time the safety assessment is completed.
Policy
  1. A child will be determined safe or unsafe by gathering and assessing comprehensive information about a family's behaviors, functioning and conditions. The information is assessed in order to determine the presence or absence of safety threats.
  2. A Safety Assessment is completed at key decision points in a case to identify impending danger and to inform and implement safety plans with families to control or manage those threats.
Procedures
  1. Complete a Safety Assessment at the following key points in a case:
    1. On all CPS and DLR/CPS intakes (including new intakes on active cases) no later than 10 calendar days from date of intake. DLR/CPS follows additional requirements per DLR/CPS Use of Safety Assessment and Safety Planning Tools Policy.
    2. During the completion of the Family Assessment or Assessment of Progress.
    3. Before recommendation to court for unsupervised or overnight visits.
    4. When considering reunification or trial return home.
    5. When present danger exists in the home.
    6. When there is a change of anyone living in the home or a visitor resides on the premises for more than fourteen days and:
      1. A child is in-home, or
      2. A child is out-of-home and having unsupervised visitation in the parent(s) home.
    7. When considering case closure.
  2. Review safety assessment at case transfer.
  3. Determine if the child is safe or unsafe by:
    1. Gathering and assessing information through a review of CA history of prior reports and service interventions, interviews, and observations. Verify information through source documents and contacts with sources or collaterals. Information collected will include but is not limited to the following:
      1. Nature and extent of the maltreatment,
      2. Sequence of events that accompany the maltreatment,
      3. Child functioning on a daily basis,
      4. Parental disciplinary practices,
      5. General parenting practices, and
      6. Adult functioning.
    2. Consider and evaluate each potential safety threat against the safety threshold criteria to determine if safety threat(s) exist.
    3. When a safety threat exists, the child is considered unsafe and requires a Safety Plan.
  4. Establish if an in-home or out-of-home safety plan is most appropriate when a child is unsafe using the safety plan analysis criteria in FamLink. When considering an out-of-home safety plan utilize a shared planning or FTDM meeting per policy.
  5. When children in CA's care and custody are determined to be unsafe in licensed or unlicensed care, children are removed from that placement.

1130. Safety Plan

Purpose Statement The Safety Plan is a written agreement between a family and CA that identifies how safety threats to a child will be immediately controlled and managed. The Safety Plan is implemented and active as long as threats to child safety exist and caregiver protective capacities are insufficient to protect the child.
Policy
  1. Develop an in-home or out-of-home safety plan with the family to manage the identified safety threats to protect an unsafe child.
  2. Safety Plans control or manage threats to a child's safety, have an immediate effect and contain safety services and actions only. These must be immediately accessible and available.
  3. Safety planning occurs in the least intrusive manner based on a thorough analysis of in-home and out-of-home options. A decision that a child is unsafe does not always lead to a removal.
  4. Out-of-home safety plans must contain conditions for return home.
  5. Safety plan participants must be suitable and reliable in order to provide a greater level of protection for the child than the parent can or will provide.
  6. Oversight and administration of the Safety Plan is the responsibility of CA.
  7. Continuously evaluate and modify the Safety Plan as long as safety threats exist.
Procedures
  1. Develop a Safety Plan with the parent(s) and others immediately when a child is identified as unsafe and either:
    1. Remains in the home,
    2. Is placed in out-of-home care,
    3. Is returned home by a court order, or
    4. Is returning home when the safety threats can be managed or controlled in the home.
  2. Follow FTDM policy when considering out-of-home placement or returning a child home.
  3. Follow SAY policy and PAAY policy when working with youth identified as SAY or PAAY.
  4. Develop one safety plan for the family when a child (ren) remains in the home and another child (ren) is placed out-of-home.
  5. DLR/CPS follow additional requirements per DLR/CPS Use of Safety Assessment and Safety Planning Tools Policy for DLR/CPS.
  6. Assess the suitability and reliability of potential safety plan participants not working in their professional capacity. Complete interviews and background checks (BCCU criminal history and FamLink history) by the following:
    Participant Role Required Check(s) Disqualify Process Plan Completion
    • Parent present (supervised)
    • FamLink Check
    • Founded Finding waiver approval process at RA level
    • FamLink history staff with supervisor
    • Complete Safety Plan with a Completed FamLink check
    • Parent not present (unsupervised)
    • FamLink Check
    • BCCU Check
    		 Complete Safety Plan with:
    • Completed FamLink check
    • BCCU check requested
  7. Include within the Safety Plan for:

    In-Home Safety Plan

    1. Activities/tasks that control for safety threats or substitutes for diminished caregiver protective capacities.
    2. Use of the family's suitable, formal and informal supports in order to manage safety threats.
    3. Details for monitoring the safety plan.
    4. Supports, safety services and actions at critical times when safety threats exist.
    5. Formalize any protective action taken if applicable.

    Out-of-Home Safety Plan

    1. Activities/tasks that control for safety threats or substitutes for diminished caregiver protective capacities.
    2. A plan for how the child will be kept safe during any contact with the parent including addressing:
      1. If visits will be supervised and by whom
      2. Transportation arrangements for supervision
      3. Safety considerations while the parents have contact with the child during services
    3. A description of how the child will be safe in placement including :
      1. Visits with social worker
      2. Health screens, school, etc.
    4. Conditions for return home. Document on the safety analysis and plan tab in comments section.
  8. See additional requirements for serious physical or sex abuse cases per 2331(E) Response to Serious Physical and Sexual Abuse
  9. Supervisor must review and approve all safety plans in FamLink within two business days of entry. Any safety plan developed as a result of the FamLink override must be staffed with the Area Administrator or designee.
  10. Supervisor must review safety plans every 30 days.
  11. Review and monitor the in-home safety plan twice monthly. Revise the safety plan as threats emerge or are eliminated. This review must be documented in FamLink.
  12. Review and monitor the out-of-home safety plan every 30 days. Revise the safety plan as threats emerge or are eliminated. This review must be documented in FamLink.

1140. Family Assessment/Assessment of Progress

Purpose Statement The Family Assessment is a process of gathering information on a family to gain a greater understanding of how a family's strengths, needs and resources affect child safety, well-being, and permanency. The assessment is completed in partnership with the family to understand what everyday life challenges and individual caregiver behaviors contribute to child safety threats to be addressed in case planning.
Policy
  1. Family members must be included in the assessment process.
  2. Assessments must include information and input from professionals and other collateral contacts that have knowledge of the child and family.
  3. Assessments are completed at key decision points in a case. Assessments identify the enhanced protective and diminished protective capacities directly related to the identified safety threats.
  4. The Family Assessment is completed to develop the Case Plan.
  5. The Assessment of Progress assists in updating the Case Plan by evaluating a parent's progress in services designed to increase protective capacities and reduce or eliminate safety threats.
  6. Decisions to reunify are based on safety. The decision to reunify a child with a family is made when no safety threats exist or an in-home safety plan can replace an out-of-home safety plan.
Procedures
  1. Complete the Family Assessment within 30 calendar days of a FVS or CFWS case assignment (include supervisor approval in FamLink).
  2. Follow Family Assessment requirements for FRS cases per FRS policy.
  3. Complete the Assessment of Progress at the following times:
    1. Every 90 days on FVS cases,
    2. A minimum of every 6 months or when a new ISSP is required for a CFWS case,
    3. When an identified family or individual level objective has been achieved,
    4. When conditions for return home have been achieved, or
    5. Prior to case closure.
  4. Complete the Family Assessment and Assessment of Progress with the family to address changes in behaviors, conditions and attitudes related to safety.
  5. Outline the change process required to eliminate or reduce safety threat(s) within the Case Plan.
  6. Determine with the family what actions, services and activities are needed to increase their protective capacities

1150. Case Plan

Purpose Statement The Case Plan specifies what must change to reduce or eliminate safety threats and increase the parent or caregiver's protective capacities to assure the child's safety and well being. CA co-develops case plans with family members and community partners.
Policy
  1. Case plans are focused, time limited, behaviorally specific, attainable, relevant, and understandable to all.
  2. Case plans must focus on behavioral change to reduce safety threats and increase parental protective capacities so that parents can resume the protective function for the family.
  3. Case plans must include both family and individual level objectives that are directly linked to the identified safety threats.
  4. Each objective must be supported by specific and measurable tasks that outline the action steps needed to successfully achieve each objective.
  5. Assigned tasks are action steps that family members, social workers, providers, resources and natural supports are willing and able to do to achieve the objectives.
  6. Family and individual level objectives provide the basis for the case plan and involvement with CA. Once objectives are achieved, CA's involvement with the family ends.
Procedures
  1. Develop case plans with the family, providers, resources and natural supports as applicable during a face-to-face meeting or shared planning meeting.
  2. Complete a Family Assessment when developing a case plan and complete the Assessment of Progress when changing or ending the case plan.
  3. Develop Voluntary Case Plans when the family meets criteria per Service Agreement Policy and Court Ordered Case Plans when the family meets criteria per 43081 Dependency Petition Process.
  4. Create an Initial Voluntary Case Plan for a period up to 90 calendar days. A subsequent Case Plan may be developed for an additional 90 calendar days with supervisor approval. If services are extended beyond 180 calendar days, AA approval is required.
  5. Connect objectives to the safety threats identified through assessment. Objectives should not change throughout the life of the case.
  6. Include required objectives based on the identified safety threats and needs of the family as assessed by the Safety Assessment(s) and information obtained through working with the family. Objectives include:
    1. Primary Family Level Objectives (FLO)
    2. Secondary FLO
    3. Individual Level Objectives (ILO)
    4. Child Action Plan (out-of-home care only)
  7. Include at a minimum the following under both the family and individual level objective on the initial case plan:
    1. A specific and measurable plan.
    2. Provider/service/natural supports/social worker to assist in the development of this plan. Include social worker's role in acquiring resources.
    3. A process of how and who this plan will be shared and by when.
    4. How progress will be documented and celebrated.
  8. Follow the same format for updated and ongoing case plans. Reflect the continued use of a provider, resource, social worker or natural supports.
  9. Attach any provider plan developed with the parent(s) to the case plan when presented in court.
  10. Identify the underlying and contributing factors associated with the safety threats so the factors can be addressed within the case plan.
  11. Identify and coordinate the services needed for the:
    1. Reduction or elimination of safety threats to the child.
    2. Enhancement of parental protective capacity to change conditions, circumstances or behaviors contributing to the identified safety threat.
  12. Evaluate and measure progress in the assessment of progress based on the behaviorally-specific objectives required and described in the case plan.
  13. Update and revise the case plan when reunifying the child. The case plan must address the transition process for children and parents per Trial Return Home Policy. Continue assessing identified objectives after child returns home.

 

This file last updated: Wednesday, December 28, 2011. | Privacy Notice
Contact this Program | Contact DSHS | Contact Webmaster