The child’s Children’s Service Worker should meet face-to-face, individually and jointly, with the child and the resource provider, at the placement, no later than the next business day following initial placement and any time a child moves during out-of-home care. Arrangements may be made for someone other than the case worker to complete this visit with supervisory approval. The case manager must then meet face-to-face, individually and jointly, with the child a minimum of one time per month, with the majority of these visits occurring in the placement to monitor and assess the safety of the child. The case manager is required to have at least monthly contact with the placement provider.
To build a trusting relationship during this time, it is important to allow the child to proceed at a rate that is comfortable for him/her in sharing personal reflections and bringing up issues. The Children’s Service Worker may utilize the Worker/Child/Caregiver Visit Guide, CD-82, if required by the supervisor, to address, as appropriate, the following issues with the child:
- Child’s perception of family needs;
- Child’s feelings of guilt or blame for events which occurred or caused separation from family;
- Child’s loss and grief issues;
- Child’s perception of familial and individual strengths;
- Child’s desires for future placement;
- Child’s adjustment to current placement and school setting;
- Child’s participation in and feelings toward treatment and educational services offered;
- How child’s perception may differ from actual events.
- Child’s feeling of safety in the placement home; and
- Case goal and progress toward this goal.
With very young and/or non-verbal children, the Children’s Service Worker should use this time to interact with and observe the child to determine if the child is progressing developmentally and receiving appropriate care. Staff should document any behavioral observations including developmental milestones.
Chapter Memoranda History: (prior to 1/31/07)
- CS03-51, CD04-79, CD05-68, CD05-72, CD06-07, CD06-16, CD06-47, CD06-50, CD06-58, CD06-63, CD06-75, CD06-81