State Child Welfare Policy Guide

10.2 Family Team Meetings

Successful case plans for children must include information from both a comprehensive assessment and the engagement of family members. Family Team Decision Making, which is also known as Permanency Team Meetings, Family Team Meetings and Family Group Decision Making, is a method used by child welfare systems to create a team meeting approach with families. These teams make critical decisions jointly by identifying family strengths and needs and developing individualized plans.  Evaluations of team meetings with families have demonstrated improved outcomes for children and greater satisfaction by both workers and family members. [i] ^{, [ii]} In cases where children were in out of home placement, the meetings helped to keep the children connected with their family. The service plans that result from the meetings are not only reliant upon resources in the family’s community, but were fully understood and supported by all participants. Family meeting approaches are especially effective for minority families.  In one study, African American children went home in 33 percent of cases with a team meeting, and Hispanic children in 39 percent of cases, compared to 13-14 percent of cases using traditional services.  Relative placements increased from 29 percent to 45 percent following the team meetings. ^[iii]

 

Family team decision-making is more effective when caseworkers begin by helping families structure the team and develop a full array of members, including extended family, other agencies and informal community resources. A study of one FGDM approach found that when the teams were strong children were more frequently placed with relatives, had shorter stays in care and were more likely to return to their families compared to traditional services. Children also reported to be less anxious and more adjusted when their families participated in an FGDM conference. Parent or caregiver attendance almost uniformly resulted in a decreased likelihood of changing placements [iv] .

 

The Federal government recognized the importance of family team meetings when it authorized the Family Connections grants, a $15 million per year competitive grants program open to local, state and tribal child welfare organizations, as well as non profit organizations that serve foster and kinship families.  Family group decision making meetings are one of the eligible activities supported through these grants. [v]

The Durham County, North Carolina Department of Social Services, a Family to Family site, was the recipient of a 2003 Best Practices award for their implementation of and commitment to Family Team Decision-Making. In describing their efforts Durham County highlighted the importance of including family and community with agency staff and professionals. This created a common frame of reference and a shared vested interest in the family’s success, to which the decline in foster care placements was attributed. [vi]

Recognizing the value of the family team approach, the Kansas legislature acted to provide the authority for the development of Family Group Decision Making (FGDM).  The legislation encourages the use of FGDM in individual cases, requires the attendance and participation of certain professionals, and requires that all participants be notified of FGDM and the plan resulting from the meeting. [vii]

Policy Options : States can promote family team decision making for children and families involved in the child welfare system by adopting 1, 2, or 3 of the following requirements:

·     Required at periodic and routine intervals

 

·     Required for all placement changes

 

·     Required at the time of removal

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