1. FGDM Statewide Meeting: Family Finding and Re-entry
April 6, 2017
The Pennsylvania Child Welfare Training Program

2. Section I: Welcome and Introduction
Douglas Waegel, Deputy Director of Program Services, Chester County Children, Youth and Families and Michelle Kahan, Esquire, York County Hearing Officer

3. Learning Objectives Discuss family finding and relevant legislation
Recognize how the FGDM model and family finding mitigate re-entry into out-of-home placement
Discuss participatory case planning and how working collaboratively with families strengthens the child’s well-being
The Pennsylvania Child Welfare Training Program

4. Agenda Section I: Welcome and Introduction
Section II: Family Finding Legislation
Section III: Family Finding Statewide Implementation and Re-entry into Out-of-Home Placement
Section IV: Family Finding and FGDM County Practice
Section V: Wrap-Up

5. Session Purpose
The FGDM Spring 2017 Statewide Meeting will focus on the key areas of family finding legislation, statewide implementation, and county practice. This presentation and discussion will explore the necessity of teaming with family members and supporting youth’s familial relationships to strengthen their protective factors and well-being, as well as further the understanding of how participatory case planning practices, including FGDM, address and/or prevent re-entry into out-of-home placement.

6. Section II: Family Finding Legislation
Presenters: Honorable Jennifer L. Rogers, Court of Common Pleas of Luzerne County and Christy Stanek, Judicial Program Analyst,
Office of Children & Families in the Courts

7. Corresponding Learning Objective
Discuss family finding and relevant legislation

8. Adoption and Safe Families Act (ASFA)
According to the Office of Children Youth and Families Bulletin , Concurrent Planning Policy and Implementation, “The Adoption and Safe Families Act of 1997 (ASFA) was passed by congress to address permanency, outcomes, and safety for children and families in the child welfare system. ASFA focuses on preserving families while assuring child safe, permanency, and well-being. ASFA requires that County Children and youth agencies make reasonable efforts to finalized permanency plans as soon as a child enters substitute care, and that they be diligent in identifying a permanent family for the child.” (Office of Children, Youth and Families, 2013, p.2)

9. Family Finding and Kinship Care: Act 55 of 2013
This law was passed mandating the initiation of family finding for children entering the child welfare system and the continuation of family finding on an ongoing basis for children remaining in the system.
(Act 55 of 2013)

10. Pennsylvania Juvenile Court Procedure Rules
Effective October 1, 2015, the Supreme Court modified the PA Juvenile Court Procedure Rules to reflect the requirements of Act 55 of This modification included:
Adding definitions
Mandating certain steps to be taken by county agencies
Requires judges to make findings
The rules effected were: 1120, 1149, 1210, 1240, 1242, 1330, 1408, 1409, 1512, 1514, 1515, 1608, 1609, 1610, 1611, and 1635
(The Unified Judicial System of Pennsylvania, 2015)

11. Rule 1120: “FAMILY FINDING” definition
“The ongoing diligent efforts of the county agency, or its contracted providers, to search for and identify adult relatives and kin, and engage them in the county agency’s social service planning and delivery of services, including gaining commitment from relatives and kin to support a child or guardian receiving county agency services.”
(The Unified Judicial System of Pennsylvania, 2015)

12. Rule 1149: Family Finding
This rule requires the court to inquire as to the county agency’s efforts to comply with family finding and place the court’s determination as to whether the county agency reasonably engaged in family finding on the record. Further the rule provides when family finding may be discontinued and when it shall resume.
(The Unified Judicial System of Pennsylvania, 2015)

13. Rule 1149: Family Finding The county agency’s efforts may include:
Searching for and locating adult relatives and kin
Identifying and building positive connections between the child and the child’s relatives
When appropriate, supporting the engagement of relatives and kin in social service planning and delivery of services
When appropriate, creating a network of extended family support to assist in remedying the concerns that led to the child becoming involved with the county agency
When possible, maintaining family connections
When in the best interests of the child and when possible, keeping siblings together in care
(The Unified Judicial System of Pennsylvania, 2015)

14. Rule 1210: Order for Protective Custody
This rule states that, “At the time the court issues a protective custody order, the court shall inquire as to whether family finding efforts pursuant to Rule 1149 have been initiated by the county agency.”
(The Unified Judicial System of Pennsylvania, 2015)

15. Intent of the Legislation
Act 55: Family Finding and Kinship Care were passed due to the following:
Ensure that family finding occurs on an ongoing basis for all children entering the child welfare system.
Identify and build positive connections between the child and the child's relatives and kin
Support the engagement of relatives and kin in children and youth social service planning and delivery
Create a network of extended family support to assist in remedying the concerns that led the child to be involved with the county agency
(Act 55 of 2013)

16. “The Why…” How Does Family Finding affect the Courts?

17. The Pennsylvania Dependency Benchbook
The Pennsylvania Dependency Benchbook along with the Family Finding-Key Questions Bench Card, are valuable resources for judges and judicial hearing officers in providing best practices regarding family finding. Inquiry should be made of the county agency in determining efforts in family finding and also should be made from the bench. Children and families should be reminded that family finding is a family driven process.

18. Family Finding and FGDM Key Questions
According to the Pennsylvania Dependency Benchbook, “In Pa, family finding is often used as a foundational step toward a successful family conference.” (Office of Children and Families in the Courts/Administrative Office of Pennsylvania Courts, 2014)
Typically, judges asked questions from the bench cards to determine
if family finding was done with the family and if they had a role in the decision making process.
The Family finding and FGDM Key questions are divided into three categories for the:
Children and Youth Agency
Parent or guardian
Youth
(Office of Children and Families in the Courts/ Administrative Office of Pennsylvania Courts, 2014)

19. Table Discussion
Please identify four questions, other than the ones listed in the bench cards we reviewed, that one of the court participants could ask to better understand how the family was engaged. Please write these questions on flip chart paper.

20. Section III: Family Finding
Presenter: Tina Phillips, Office of Children, Youth, and Families, Director of the Bureau of Policy, Programs and Operations

21. Corresponding Learning Objectives
Recognize how the FGDM model and family finding mitigate re-entry into out-of-home placement
Discuss participatory case planning and how working collaboratively with families strengthens the child’s well-being

22. Pennsylvania Child Welfare Mission and Vision
“The state is committed to all Pennsylvania children and youth growing up in a safe, loving, nurturing, and permanent family and community to ensure this vision the state’s mission is to support the provision of quality services and best practices designed to ensure the safety, permanency, and well-being of Pennsylvania’s children, youth, and families.”
Pennsylvania Child and Family Services Plan
(Pennsylvania Department of Human Services, 2014)

23. Values Building this Foundation
Some of the values building this foundation include:
Child, youth and family centered decisions
Child and youth’s role and voice
Collaboration
Commitment to action
Honest and respectful communication
Pennsylvania Child and Family Services Plan
(Pennsylvania Department of Human Services, 2014)

24. Pennsylvania’s Identified Goals
The Commonwealth is committed to achieving the following goals:
Children and youth are free from incidents of abuse and/or neglect
Children and youth achieve timely permanency
Children, youth, and families receive services to ensure educational, physical, and emotional well-being
Youth are supported through their transition to adulthood
Children, youth, families receive quality, appropriate and effective services to meet their needs
Pennsylvania Child and Family Services Plan
(Pennsylvania Department of Human Services, 2014)

25. Pennsylvania Child Welfare
“Pa child welfare strives to be grounded in shared leadership, and a commitment to practice that is strength-based, solution focused and engages children, youth, and families in all facets of this work.”
Pennsylvania Child and Family Services Plan
(Pennsylvania Department of Human Services, 2014)

26. Pennsylvania Child Welfare Practice Model
The Pennsylvania Child Welfare Practice Model further outlines the components necessary to carry out the statewide mission.
(The Pennsylvania Child Welfare Resource Center, 2013)

27. Pennsylvania Quality Service Review (QSR)
The Pennsylvania Quality Service Review addresses many different practice performance indicators. Some of the indicators that closely relate to FGDM and family finding are:
Engagement
Role and Voice
Teaming
Maintaining Family Relationships
(Pennsylvania Department of Human Services, 2016)

28. Pennsylvania Quality Service Review (QSR)
In Round IV of the QSR, Pennsylvania scored as follows for the percentage of acceptable ratings for these indicators:
Engagement: 68% of cases scored acceptable
Role and Voice: 63% of cases scored acceptable
Teaming: 59% of cases scored acceptable
Maintaining Family Relationships: 69% of cases scored acceptable
(Pennsylvania Department of Human Services, 2016)

29. FGDM and Family Finding
FGDM and family finding are:
Implemented under the same essence of strength-based and family lead practice
Ultimately thought to increase the number of children staying safely in their homes and returned to their homes
The goal is for state stakeholders to be united to reduce the number of children and youth who re-enter care, reduce time children and youth spend in the foster care system, reduce the level of care, increased use of kinship care when placement is needed, and increase placement stability.
Pennsylvania Child and Family Services Plan
(Pennsylvania Department of Human Services, 2014)
The Pennsylvania Child Welfare Resource Center

30. Effects of Legislation on Counties
Some of these effects include:
Family finding is not just a device to secure a placement resource for a child but is a process to create permanent connections or supports for a child in care
Search options must be creative and cannot simply be basic computer searches and contacting last known addresses
Networks are developed through family finding to assist in remedying the concerns for the child
Judges and judicial hearing officers are required at each hearing to inquire as to the county agency’s efforts find and engage family
(Act 55 of 2013; The Unified Judicial System of Pennsylvania, 2015 )

31. Core Beliefs Inherent to Family Finding
Family finding’s core beliefs are:
Every child has a family and every effort should be made to keep the child within that family
Loneliness can be devastating and particularly felt by foster children
Meaningful connections to family help a child develop a sense of belonging
The most common factors in positive outcomes are meaningful connections and relationships with family
(Office of Children and Families in the Courts, 2009)

32. Re-Entry
So far, we have discussed the positive outcomes for children and youth that having meaningful relationships with family. It is also important to consider the children and youth who may not have experienced ongoing permanency and stability.

33. Family Finding and Re-Entry
There is little research surrounding re-entry, however, it has been found that participatory case planning plays a vital role in child welfare practice to reduce re-entry. In family finding, it is not only important to find family members but to engage them in the participatory case planning process.
(Hatton & Brooks, 2008)

34. Family Finding and Re-Entry
Participatory case planning practice may appear differently in each county, however, this engagement needs be family and youth centered.
Participatory case planning includes, but is not limited to: 
FGDM and family group conferencing
Family team meetings/family team conferencing
Team decision making meetings
(Hatton & Brooks, 2008)

35. Re-Entry in Pennsylvania
Re-entry occurs in every state across the country. In Pennsylvania there is still room for improvement. As we acknowledge in the findings of fiscal year 2016.
(Pennsylvania Department of Human Services, 2017)

36. Table Discussion Please answer the following questions:
What are you doing to address re-entry in your county?
How are you using family finding and FGDM to address
re-entry?
Identify additional implementation strategies regarding family engagement participatory case planning that counties could use with children/youth and families experiencing re-entry from the Intake level throughout the life of a case?
Please be prepared to share with the larger group.

37. Section IV: Family Finding and FGDM County Practice
Presenter: Doug Waegel, Deputy Director of Program Services, Chester County Children, Youth, and Families

38. Corresponding Learning Objectives
Discuss participatory case planning and how working collaboratively with families strengthens the child’s well-being

39. Family Finding and FGDM County Practice
It is important to understand the Pennsylvania Legislation and statewide initiative of family finding and engaging families in the case planning and decision making process.
It is equally important, that each county implement family finding and engaging families in child welfare practice.

40. Successfully Achieving Family Finding and FGDM
For family finding and FGDM to be achieved successfully, it is important for counties to uphold the state’s mission.
Resources and strategies are needed to uphold the state’s mission throughout county implementation.
County implementation and continuous quality improvement are dependent on many factors. Some of these factors include:
Capacity
Population
Technology
Urban/rural
Cross-systems collaboration
Community partnerships

41. County Panel Discussion
Moderator: Douglas Waegel, Deputy Director of Program Services, Chester County Children, Youth and Families

42. Section V: Wrap-Up
Douglas Waegel, Deputy Director of Program Services, Chester County Children, Youth and Families and Michelle Kahan, Esquire, York County Hearing Officer

43. Thank you!