Effective Date: 7-2-2021
Planning for case close begins at the start of every case. The following processes are required by the Children’s Service Worker after the FST has determined the children are safe, have achieved permanency, and are ready to recommend that the court should terminate jurisdiction.
Reunification with a Parent
Once the family, worker and supervisor agree on a closing date, the worker must meet with the family within 15 days of the decision to close the case. The following items should be completed prior to case closure:
- Complete the Social Service Plan closing assessment with the family and obtain all parent/caregiver/guardian signatures
- Address any unresolved issues relating to the termination of services
- The Children’s Service Worker shall meet with the family to summarize the family’s positive change and celebrate this success.
- Provide a copy of the Social Service Plan’s Long Term Safety/Support Plan section to all participants noted in that plan.
- Confirm the closing decision and date of closing with the family members
- Notify the family of the termination of contracted services
- Complete an Appreciative Inquiry of the parent by a supervisor or manager (supervisor discretion)
- Supervisors should consider completing an Appreciative Inquiry of the worker to process the case (for more info on Appreciative Inquiry, see Section 1 of this manual)
To finalize the closing of the case staff should do the following:
- Inform all contracted service providers and others involved in the safety network of the decision to close the case and closing date
- Ensure that the court order terminating jurisdiction is in the file
- Complete with the Family, and obtain Supervisor approval and signatures on the Social Service Plan closing assessment in FACES within 15 days prior to case closure. Complete and upload the final SSP into Document Imaging if original signatures were obtained on the paper document.
- The Children’s Service Worker shall close the necessary forms which include all service authorizations, the Alternative Care Client Information screen, and the KIDS account
- When the child exits care, closing information must be entered into FACES as soon as possible but no later than 2 business days after the change occurs.
- The Children’s Services Supervisor must approve the case closure as soon as possible but no later than 2 business days after the worker enters the function closing.
Adoption or Guardianship
The worker should hold a Family Support Team meeting to ensure that the team is in agreement that the case can be closed. The worker shall ensure that the appropriate documentation of the adoption or guardianship is in the case record (uploaded into Document Imaging).
The case manager shall transfer the case as per local protocol, often to a subsidy worker. The case manager shall complete the proper procedures in FACES to transfer the case. See Chapter 11, Subsection 2 of this Section for more information on case transfer.
Another Planned Permanent Living Arrangement
When a child turns 21 or leaves custody with achieving reunification, adoption or guardianship, certain procedures must be followed. See Chapter 5 of this section for more information on this procedure with older youth.