1. Family Search & Engagement

2. Trainers
Kimberly Mineard Steiner Wendy’s Wonderful Kids Recruiter Northeast Ohio Adoption Services Nikaeda L. Griffie, MSSA, LSW Adoption Resource Manager Summit County Children Services Mike Kenney co-Director Waiting Child Fund

3. Our Agenda for Today
Introduction to 6-steps of Family Search & Engagement (FSE) Step 1 - Setting the Stage Step 2 - Discovery Case Study Step 3 - Engagement & Exploration Step 4 - Planning Step 5 - Decision Making Step 6 - Sustaining the Relationship Taking FSE to your Organization

4. Introduction
History
Created by Kevin Campbell when working at Catholic Charities in Washington State
Grew from research about Red Cross efforts to locate family members affected by natural disasters
Being implemented successfully across the country on both the public and private level

5. Introduction
Goal
The goal is to identify members of the child’s extended biological (and non-related) family and other caring adults from the child’s past who
Will commit to an ongoing, meaningful presence in the child’s life
Can offer support and love throughout the child’s lifetime
Will help the youth to find permanence
and/or commit to being a permanent placement plan for the youth.

6. Introduction Overview of 6 Steps
Want Find Hook Meet Encourage Remember
Them Them Them Them Them Them

7. Setting The Stage & Discovery
Children in Permanent Custody
Determine the decision makers
Present FSE to them
Team meeting to clarify roles
File mining
Find 40 relatives
Interview child
Mobility mapping

8. Setting The Stage & Discovery
Children in Temporary Custody
Referral Process
Where to start?
Family Team Meeting
Meeting w/ case manager
At this level, we have access to bio parent(s)
Relative notification letter

9. Setting The Stage & Discovery
Tools
Background checks
Releases of information
Ecomaps
Genograms
Internet search engines
ACCURINT
CRIS-E
Gen-Pro
Meetings, reports, and lots of communication!

11. Setting The Stage & Discovery
Barriers
Procedural issues (case plan amendment)
Lack of role clarity
Buy-in (courts, foster care agency)
Access to records
Unorganized files
Child-related issues (when to introduce new worker & engage in process)

12. Case Study

13. Engagement, Exploration, & Planning
Children in Permanent Custody
Contact relatives, other important connections
Let them know truth of what child has endured
Restoration of dignity
Gauge their interest in & appropriateness for team
Hold “Network for Life” meeting
Share child’s mobility mapping drawings
Fill in calendar
Begin permanency planning conversation

14. Engagement, Exploration, & Planning
Children in Temporary Custody
Helping relatives to understand that they are not "interfering" by getting involved
Relationship does not have to lead to placement
Defining the goal for the team
True concurrent planning

15. Engagement, Exploration, & Planning
Tools
Supervision checklist
Kinship notification letters
Phone call scripts
Communication!!!
Monthly logs and reports

17. Engagement, Exploration, & Planning
Barriers
Agency history with family
Location of relatives
Balancing act
Handling inappropriate family members
Coordinating visits

18. Case Study

19. Decision Making & Sustaining the Relationship
Children in Permanent Custody
Hold follow-up meeting to note progress & address challenges
Celebrate successes!!
Engage in more in-depth discussion of permanency planning
Develop Plans A Z & decide next steps
Are necessary supports in place?
“Plans fail, but our children do not.”
Choose team member to facilitate future meetings

20. Decision Making & Sustaining the Relationship
Children in Temporary Custody
Different outcome goals (Legal Custody)
Connections can serve as support if child is reunified
Helping connections to keep the relationship open with biological parents
Dealing with family conflict

21. Decision Making & Sustaining the Relationship
Tools
Permanency Pact
Diligence
Communication!!!
Success Stories (celebrate success)

23. Decision Making & Sustaining the Relationship
Barriers
Engaging too late (children bonding to foster parents while FSE is being explored)
Agency policies and procedures
Keeping continued buy-in
Family follow-through
Red tape (home studies)

24. Case Study

25. Taking FSE to Your Organization
Identify those who “buy in” first
Assemble a team
Task Force
Work Group
Management Team
Develop goals and objectives
Develop/attend FSE training
Identify needs for overcoming barriers
Policy & procedure
Supervision checklist
Accountability measures
Measure & celebrate success
Adapt & adjust