204: Assessing Safety in Out-of-Home Care Overview

The Pennsylvania Child Welfare Resource Center Ground Rules Be on time Training schedule: 9 – 4 Document your presence - sign-in sheet Provide constructive/motivational feedback Be respectful Take risks Practice makes permanent Ask questions Focus on learning - no cell phones/text messaging 2

204: Assessing Safety in Out-of-Home Care Overview The Pennsylvania Child Welfare Resource Center Name Tents 3 County Name Unit/ Department Length of time in current position Describe what a safe home looks like for a child

204: Assessing Safety in Out-of-Home Care Overview The Pennsylvania Child Welfare Resource Center Characteristics of Safety and a Safe Environment An absence of or control of threats of severe harm. Presence of caregiver Protective Capacities. A safe home is experienced as a refuge. Perceived and felt security. Confidence in consistency. 4

204: Assessing Safety in Out-of-Home Care Overview The Pennsylvania Child Welfare Resource Center Information Explored to Identify Characteristics of Safety and a Safe Environment How the children are behaving in the home. How caregivers are performing. How the family is operating. The caregiver(s)’ capacity to sustain continued safety. How community connections sustain continued safety. 5

204: Assessing Safety in Out-of-Home Care Overview The Pennsylvania Child Welfare Resource Center Goal and Purpose of the Training To review the Out-of-Home Care Safety Assessment and Management Process. To provide updates/changes to the Out-of-Home Care Safety Assessment and Management Process. 6

204: Assessing Safety in Out-of-Home Care Overview The Pennsylvania Child Welfare Resource Center Learning Objectives: Participants will be able to: –Define “caregiver(s) of origin” and “informal care”. –Recall what ends must be reached in each step of the Pennsylvania Out-of-Home Care Safety Assessment and Management Process and how those ends are met. –Recall how the Characteristics of Safety and a Safe Environment connect to the information gathering process and help to inform analysis and decision- making regarding safety of children in out-of-home care. –Describe the updates/changes to Pennsylvania’s Out-of- Home Care Safety Assessment and Management Process. 7

204: Assessing Safety in Out-of-Home Care Overview The Pennsylvania Child Welfare Resource Center Agenda: Welcome and Introductions What Happens before the Child is Placed? Present Danger Intervals and Worksheet Updates Safety Indicators Safety Analysis and Decisions Communicating Safety Concerns Workshop Closure and Evaluations 8

204: Assessing Safety in Out-of-Home Care Overview The Pennsylvania Child Welfare Resource Center Definitions 9

204: Assessing Safety in Out-of-Home Care Overview The Pennsylvania Child Welfare Resource Center Caregiver of Origin The adult(s) who holds the primary responsibility for the child’s care and safety. A person who operates in the capacity of a child’s birth parents. Resides with the child. Does NOT include people who care for a child temporarily. 10

204: Assessing Safety in Out-of-Home Care Overview The Pennsylvania Child Welfare Resource Center Informal Care Child is not in the custody of Children and Youth Agency. Child goes to live with an alternate caregiver temporarily. Arrangement made by the parents or agreed upon by the parents and Children and Youth Agency. 11

204: Assessing Safety in Out-of-Home Care Overview The Pennsylvania Child Welfare Resource Center Informal Care Considerations Are there dependency issues that necessitate the filing of a dependency petition? Does the informal living arrangement caregiver(s) wish to be approved as a resource family? Considering the definition of “informal care”, is the intent that the informal living arrangement becomes a permanent arrangement? If so, is the caregiver(s) now considered the “caregiver(s) of origin”? 12

204: Assessing Safety in Out-of-Home Care Overview The Pennsylvania Child Welfare Resource Center Informal Care Considerations, cont’d Are there sufficient supports for the informal living arrangement caregiver to maintain the placement on a longer basis (e.g. childcare, financial support, etc.)? Does the informal living arrangement caregiver(s) have the legal authority to make medical and educational decisions regarding the child? 13

204: Assessing Safety in Out-of-Home Care Overview The Pennsylvania Child Welfare Resource Center OVERVIEW OF THE OUT-OF-HOME CARE SAFETY ASSESSMENT PROCESS 14

204: Assessing Safety in Out-of-Home Care Overview The Pennsylvania Child Welfare Resource Center GLOBAL LOOK AT… The Out-of-Home Care Safety Assessment Process 15

204: Assessing Safety in Out-of-Home Care Overview The Pennsylvania Child Welfare Resource Center IDENTIFYING THE PLACEMENT SETTING 16 KNOWING THE CHILD TO BE PLACED

204: Assessing Safety in Out-of-Home Care Overview The Pennsylvania Child Welfare Resource Center The Six (6) Assessment Domains Type of Maltreatment Nature of Maltreatment Child Functioning Adult Functioning General Parenting Parenting Discipline 17

204: Assessing Safety in Out-of-Home Care Overview The Pennsylvania Child Welfare Resource Center Action Planning Take a moment to identify: –Something new I learned… –Something I need to know more about… –Something I will apply to my job… 18

204: Assessing Safety in Out-of-Home Care Overview The Pennsylvania Child Welfare Resource Center DEFINING PRESENT DANGER IN OUT-OF-HOME CARE 19

204: Assessing Safety in Out-of-Home Care Overview The Pennsylvania Child Welfare Resource Center Present Danger Defined An immediate, significant, and clearly observable family condition (severe harm or threat of severe harm) occurring to a child/youth in the present tense, endangering or threatening to endanger a child and therefore requiring prompt response. 20

204: Assessing Safety in Out-of-Home Care Overview The Pennsylvania Child Welfare Resource Center Safety Responsibility Standard In no instance should a child be placed in or remain in an informal or formal placement setting if Present Danger is apparent and cannot be immediately addressed. 21

204: Assessing Safety in Out-of-Home Care Overview The Pennsylvania Child Welfare Resource Center PRESENT DANGER: DEFINITIONS AND EXAMPLES 22

204: Assessing Safety in Out-of-Home Care Overview The Pennsylvania Child Welfare Resource Center DOCUMENTING PRESENT DANGER Out-of-Home Care 23

204: Assessing Safety in Out-of-Home Care Overview The Pennsylvania Child Welfare Resource Center Documenting Present Danger Assessments Key transition points for children in out-of-home care: –At the time of the initial placement and –At the time of any subsequent placement changes. 24

204: Assessing Safety in Out-of-Home Care Overview The Pennsylvania Child Welfare Resource Center County Policies Surrounding Present Danger Assessments State provided Present Danger Assessment Worksheet (or comparable tool) OR structured case note The county worker, a qualified worker, or the private provider worker is required to conduct and document a Present Danger Assessment at the key points. Counties should establish policy surrounding completion of the Present Danger Assessments. 25

204: Assessing Safety in Out-of-Home Care Overview The Pennsylvania Child Welfare Resource Center Action Planning: Take a moment to identify: –Something new I learned… –Something I need to know more about… –Something I will apply to my job… 26

204: Assessing Safety in Out-of-Home Care Overview The Pennsylvania Child Welfare Resource Center INTERVAL UPDATES Out-of-Home Care 27

204: Assessing Safety in Out-of-Home Care Overview The Pennsylvania Child Welfare Resource Center Out-of-Home Care Safety Assessment Intervals The Out-of-Home Care Safety Assessment Worksheet must be completed at the following intervals: –Within 60 days, or 2 months, from the date of placement in the current setting. –Within 180 days, or 6 months, from the previously completed worksheet. –Within 72 hours upon the identification of evidence, circumstances, or information that suggests a negative change in the safety indicators yet the child remains in the home. 28

204: Assessing Safety in Out-of-Home Care Overview The Pennsylvania Child Welfare Resource Center Old Interval #3: Within 72 hours upon the identification of evidence, circumstance, or new information that suggests a change in the child’s safety. This includes: – New adult household members who are in the home longer than 30 days within the calendar year. Note: young adults who are already family members but are returning home from college would not be included in this interval. –Whenever there is a significant loss/change in the household that may impact child safety e.g. separation, divorce, serious illness, death, etc. 29

204: Assessing Safety in Out-of-Home Care Overview The Pennsylvania Child Welfare Resource Center Old Interval #3, cont’d –Information is received from another county that may impact a child’s safety. –In conjunction with a Regional Office investigation: If the child remains in the home throughout the time of the investigation. If the child is returned to the home following an investigation. 30

204: Assessing Safety in Out-of-Home Care Overview The Pennsylvania Child Welfare Resource Center OUT-OF-HOME CARE SAFETY ASSESSMENT WORKSHEET Out-of-Home Care 31

204: Assessing Safety in Out-of-Home Care Overview The Pennsylvania Child Welfare Resource Center Out-of-Home Care Safety Assessment Worksheet – Updates Section I. Identifying Information, “Date Completed” was added. Section V. Safety Analysis, item number five was removed Under Section VI. Safety Decision –Unsafe Second bullet was changed 32

204: Assessing Safety in Out-of-Home Care Overview The Pennsylvania Child Welfare Resource Center Action Planning: Take a moment to identify: –Something new I learned… –Something I need to know more about… –Something I will apply to my job… 33

204: Assessing Safety in Out-of-Home Care Overview The Pennsylvania Child Welfare Resource Center INDICATORS OF SAFETY IN OUT-OF-HOME CARE Out-of-Home Care 34

204: Assessing Safety in Out-of-Home Care Overview The Pennsylvania Child Welfare Resource Center Safety Indicators 35 Positive Concerning Negative

204: Assessing Safety in Out-of-Home Care Overview The Pennsylvania Child Welfare Resource Center Positive Characteristics Describe for us those traits that we attribute to caregivers who are effective, caring, and protective caregivers. Similar to the Protective Capacities but within the context of out-of-home care. 36

204: Assessing Safety in Out-of-Home Care Overview The Pennsylvania Child Welfare Resource Center Characteristics of Concern Family conditions or circumstances that tell us that functioning is –compromised, –marginal, or –deteriorating from a previously higher level. 37

204: Assessing Safety in Out-of-Home Care Overview The Pennsylvania Child Welfare Resource Center Negative Characteristics Those traits, attributes, or conditions that indicate that a placement setting may be unsafe. 38

204: Assessing Safety in Out-of-Home Care Overview The Pennsylvania Child Welfare Resource Center EXPLORING THE SAFETY INDICATORS AND CHARACTERISTICS Out-of-Home Care 39

204: Assessing Safety in Out-of-Home Care Overview The Pennsylvania Child Welfare Resource Center Small Group Activity For each of the two (2) assigned Safety Indicators, answer the following: Describe what is being assessed in the Safety Indicator. Identify which of the Six Assessment Domains helps to inform the Safety Indicator? What information gathered in those domains helps to inform the Safety Indicator? What general themes run throughout the Safety Indicator? Record answers on a flip chart. 40

204: Assessing Safety in Out-of-Home Care Overview The Pennsylvania Child Welfare Resource Center Rating the Indicators 41

204: Assessing Safety in Out-of-Home Care Overview The Pennsylvania Child Welfare Resource Center Action Planning: Take a moment to identify: –Something new I learned… –Something I need to know more about… –Something I will apply to my job… 42

204: Assessing Safety in Out-of-Home Care Overview The Pennsylvania Child Welfare Resource Center SAFETY ANALYSIS Out-of-Home Care 43

204: Assessing Safety in Out-of-Home Care Overview The Pennsylvania Child Welfare Resource Center Safety Analysis Questions 1. Have any changes (positive or negative) occurred within the out-of-home family since your last assessment? Describe the changes and explain what prompted the change. Include in the explanation whether or not the change in the family resulted in a change in response to the 10 Safety Indicators. 44

204: Assessing Safety in Out-of-Home Care Overview The Pennsylvania Child Welfare Resource Center Safety Analysis Questions, cont’d 2. Considering all of the 10 Safety Indicators, are there sufficient positive Safety Indicators present and in operation that give you confidence that the child will remain safe in the setting? Provide your rationale for this judgment. 45

204: Assessing Safety in Out-of-Home Care Overview The Pennsylvania Child Welfare Resource Center Safety Analysis Questions, cont’d 3. Describe in behavioral terms, any Negative Characteristic and/or Safety Indicators that are present. Include intensity, frequency, and duration of the Characteristic and/or Safety Indicator and the impact on this child. If there are negative Safety Indicators and the decision is to leave the child in this home, describe the rationale and justification for this decision. Supervisory signature below indicates agreement with this rationale. 46

204: Assessing Safety in Out-of-Home Care Overview The Pennsylvania Child Welfare Resource Center Safety Analysis Questions, cont’d 4. A) Consider and describe any Safety Indicators that are rated as “concerning”. B) Are there supports (e.g. respite care, child care, training on the child’s specific needs, etc.) that will enhance the resource family’s ability to provide a safe environment for the child? Provide your rationale for this judgment. For supports already in place, describe the effectiveness/impact/continued need for that support. 47

204: Assessing Safety in Out-of-Home Care Overview The Pennsylvania Child Welfare Resource Center The Safety Decision Safe Unsafe 48

204: Assessing Safety in Out-of-Home Care Overview The Pennsylvania Child Welfare Resource Center Safe: –Sufficient Safety Indicators exist that cause the undersigned persons to confirm that the setting remains safe for this child. 49

204: Assessing Safety in Out-of-Home Care Overview The Pennsylvania Child Welfare Resource Center Unsafe Sufficient Safety Indicators exist that cause the undersigned persons to conclude that the setting does not remain safe for this child. Child must be removed from the setting. When this decision is made, the following additional steps must occur within the designated timeframe: –Review the child’s current Safety Plan to determine modifications needed and document any and all necessary changes. –If children from another county are placed in the home, concerns, as they relate to those children, should be communicated to the appropriate entities according to your County Children and Youth Agency’s policy. 50

204: Assessing Safety in Out-of-Home Care Overview The Pennsylvania Child Welfare Resource Center STRUCTURED CASE NOTE Out-of-Home Care 51

204: Assessing Safety in Out-of-Home Care Overview The Pennsylvania Child Welfare Resource Center Structured Case Note Details Information gathered related to the Six Domains and any or all of the 10 Safety Indicators. The Safety Decision and analysis for that decision. Supports put into place to address concerns (not a safety plan). If the decision was made that the child is unsafe but the child is court ordered to remain in the placement, documentation should be included to reflect how child safety will be assured. This would be considered a Safety Plan. 52

204: Assessing Safety in Out-of-Home Care Overview The Pennsylvania Child Welfare Resource Center Structured Case Note Details, cont’d Judgments about changes within the family that reflect on safety. The status of child safety. Changes to the out of home caregiver’s ability to provide a safe home for the placed child. 53

204: Assessing Safety in Out-of-Home Care Overview The Pennsylvania Child Welfare Resource Center Action Planning Take a moment to identify: –Something new I learned… –Something I need to know more about… –Something I will apply to my job… 54

204: Assessing Safety in Out-of-Home Care Overview The Pennsylvania Child Welfare Resource Center COMMUNICATING SAFETY CONCERNS Out-of-Home Care 55

204: Assessing Safety in Out-of-Home Care Overview The Pennsylvania Child Welfare Resource Center Concerns About Other Children in the Home Information gathering - not only your identified child but other children in the home. Does not mean a formal assessment on the other children. May result in the identification of concerns for the other children. Communication of these concerns is necessary – among county workers; to another county; to a private provider; and/or to the Regional Office. 56

204: Assessing Safety in Out-of-Home Care Overview The Pennsylvania Child Welfare Resource Center THE ALERT PROCESS Out-of-Home Care 57

204: Assessing Safety in Out-of-Home Care Overview The Pennsylvania Child Welfare Resource Center Characteristics of Safety and a Safe Environment An absence of or control of threats of severe harm. Presence of caregiver Protective Capacities. A safe home is experienced as a refuge. Perceived and felt security. Confidence in consistency. 58

204: Assessing Safety in Out-of-Home Care Overview The Pennsylvania Child Welfare Resource Center Considerations for County Alert Process Policy: The agency policy should include: –Who will be notified? –Who will be responsible for notification? What information will be communicated? –How will notification take place ? –How and where will the notification be documented? –Where will records of notification be maintained? –What timeframes will be associated with notification? –How will the type of concern present influence above considerations? 59

204: Assessing Safety in Out-of-Home Care Overview The Pennsylvania Child Welfare Resource Center Action Planning Take a moment to identify: –Something new I learned… –Something I need to know more about… –Something I will apply to my job… 60

204: Assessing Safety in Out-of-Home Care Overview The Pennsylvania Child Welfare Resource Center Characteristics of Safety and a Safe Environment An absence of or control of threats of severe harm. Presence of caregiver Protective Capacities. A safe home is experienced as a refuge. Perceived and felt security. Confidence in consistency. 61

204: Assessing Safety in Out-of-Home Care Overview The Pennsylvania Child Welfare Resource Center Information Explored to Identify Characteristics of Safety and a Safe Environment How the children are behaving in the home. How caregivers are performing. How the family is operating. The caregiver’s capacity to sustain continued safety. How community connections sustain continued safety. 62

204: Assessing Safety in Out-of-Home Care Overview The Pennsylvania Child Welfare Resource Center REVIEW OF ACTION PLAN Outstanding Questions… 63

204: Assessing Safety in Out-of-Home Care Overview The Pennsylvania Child Welfare Resource Center WRAP UP AND EVALUATIONS Out-of-Home Care 64