Child and Family Services Reviews Onsite Review Instrument

Training Objectives  To help ensure consistency among reviewers statewide.

Face Sheet

Rolling Monthly Sample Period  Case reviews will be conducted April 1, 2016-September 30,  NOTE:  The sample period is April 1, 2016-September 30,  Add 45 days for in-home services sample periods. Review MonthsRolling Monthly Sample Periods* Periods Under Review April /1/2015 to 9/30/20154/1/2015 to Date of Review May /1/2015 to 10/31/20155/1/2015 to Date of Review June /1/2015 to 11/30/20156/1/2015 to Date of Review July /1/2015 to 12/31/20157/1/2015 to Date of Review August /1/2015 to 1/31/20168/1/2015 to Date of Review September /1/2015 to 2/29/20169/1/2015 to Date of Review

Open & Closure Dates Open Date Closure Date  The “period under review” includes all agency (DCF, Sheriffs’ and CBC) services and actions on all accepted maltreatment reports (including special conditions ) and open cases from the start of the period under review, up to the date that the case is reviewed or case is closed, whichever comes first. Note: this is further clarification since the training.  If the first case that was open during the period under review was opened before the period under review began, include it as the case opening date for the period.  Although the CFSR tool discusses the trial home visit, Florida does not do trial home visits.  If the family received in-home services before the removal of a child and placement of the child in foster care, and the case was not closed before placement, enter the date on which the case was opened for services as defined above.  Enter the date on which the agency officially closed the case. For foster care cases, this may or may not be the same as the discharge date.  If there were multiple case openings and closures during the period under review, indicate the date of the last case closure that occurred during the period.  If the case is still open at the time of review, select “Case not closed by time of review."

Safety Outcomes 1 & 2

Items 1 & 2  Item 1  Ensure all applicable children are listed in the Reports Table.  All children listed on accepted intakes or investigations during the PUR should be included, whether they are the target child or not.  Item 2  Consider safety-related services only in rating this item. Other services (counseling, parenting classes, etc.) are considered in item 12.  If item 2A is rated as Area Needing Improvement (ANI), then item 12 should be checked for consistency.

Item 3  Only assess for safety and risk; therapy and other services are addressed elsewhere.  Assess 3B and 3C separately. Failure to do so may cause double dinging.  3B asks if ongoing assessments were accurately conducted to assess risks and safety concerns.  3C asks if safety concerns were present, whether a suitable safety plan was implemented and appropriately monitored.  The rating should be based on both initial and ongoing assessments. Both formal and informal assessments are considered.

Permanency Outcomes 1 & 2

Items 4, 5 & 6  Item 4  Is the child in foster care in a stable placement and were any changes in the child’s placement in the best interests of the child and consistent with achieving the child’s permanency goal(s)?  Item 5  Focuses on the timely establishment and appropriateness of the child’s permanency goal.  Item 6  Focuses on concerted efforts to achieve the permanency goal.

Items 7, 8, & 9  Item 7  Did the agency make concerted efforts to ensure that siblings in foster care are placed together unless separation was necessary to meet the needs of one of the siblings?  Item 8  Did the agency make concerted efforts to ensure that visitation between a child in foster care and his or her mother, father, and siblings was of sufficient frequency and quality to promote continuity in the child’s relationships with these close family members?  Item 9  Base ratings on whether efforts were made to maintain the child’s relationships with his/her neighborhood, community, faith, etc.  This item does not measure efforts to maintain connections to siblings or parents from whom the child was removed. This is measured in item 8.

Items 10 & 11  Item 10  Did the agency make concerted efforts to place the child with relatives when appropriate?  Item 11  This item addresses concerted efforts (other than visiting) to support and maintain positive relationships. Visitation with parents and siblings is measured in item 8.

Well-Being Outcomes 1, 2, & 3

Item 12  12a – In-Home Cases:  Item applies to all children residing in the home during the PUR.  12a – Foster Care Cases:  Item applies only to the target child.  “Services” refers to services other than those addressed in items 2, 16, 17, and 18 (safety-related services to prevent removal, assessing educational needs, addressing medical/dental needs, and addressing mental/behavioral health needs).  Safety concerns are addressed in item 3, not in 12B

Item 13  Ensure that age-appropriate children are included in the case planning process as well.  When children are not age appropriate, specify why they are not age appropriate to participate in case planning.  Provide more detailed summaries to support how parents were or were not included in case planning (i.e. visits, case plan meetings, periodic reviews, permanency hearings, etc.).

Item 14 & 15  Item 14  Who to Include:  For in-home cases, all children in the home are included in the assessment of the item.  For foster care cases, only the target child is considered in the assessment of this item.  14b should not be based solely on state policy.  The item assesses whether or not the frequency of the visits are sufficient to ensure the safety, permanency, and well-being of the child and to promote achievement of the case goals.  Strengthen rating narratives to better reflect the reasoning behind the rating.  The item rating should not address dental and medical needs. These are captured in item 17.  Item 15  Were the frequency and quality of visits between caseworkers and the mothers and fathers of the child(ren) sufficient to ensure the safety, permanency, and well- being of the child(ren) and promote achievement of case goals?

Items 16, 17, & 18  Who to Include:  For in-home cases, all children living in the home during the PUR are included in the assessment of these items.  For foster care cases, only the target child is considered in the assessment of these items.  Be cautious of item drift. Ensure ratings are only based on the criteria mentioned in each item.