CSD Practice Manual - Pathways Family Services

1 Edmonton Region Child and Family Services Revised October 2016 CSD Practice Manual 2 TABLE OF CONTENTS Background & Theoretical Framework .. 5 Provincial History .. 5 Edmonton Region Child And Family Services (Edmonton Region CFS) History .. 5 Guiding Principles .. 6 Shared Values .. 6 Evidence Based Practice .. 6 Family Centered Practice .. 7 Culturally Aware Practice .. 9 Shared Practice .. 9 Prevention, Early Intervention & Community Engagement .. 9 Service Integration & Collaboration .. 10 Relationship & Trust .. 10 Joint Training & Joint Activities .. 11 Co-Management ..12 Background .. 12 Three Components of Co-Management .. 13 Out of the Box Thinking ..15 Kahkiyaw: Kelly s Story .. 15 TFC: Jane and Lynn s Story .. 15 Child Intervention .. 16 Key Child Intervention Domains ..16 ChILD INTERVENTION Practice FRAMEWORK .. 16 Front-End Activities .. 17 Family Enhancement.

2 20 Child Protection .. 22 Post-Intervention Supports .. 24 Legislation, Policy & Framework Weblinks ..25 Key Decision Points in Child Intervention ..26 Children s Rights ..26 Children s Procedural Rights .. 26 Office of the Child and Youth Advocate (OCYA) .. 27 Office of Legal Representation for children and youth (lrcy) .. 28 Administrative Review Process ..28 Appeal Process ..28 Delegated Responsibilities of Director ..29 Responsibilities of Delegated Caseworkers .. 29 Provincial Standards: Child Intervention ..29 PSECA and DECA information ..32 Court/Legal Processes ..33 Disclosure .. 33 Solicitor-Client Privilege .. 33 What does an Order Mean? .. 34 Cumulative Time in Care ..34 Placement Services ..35 3 Services to All Children in Care .. 35 Foster Care ..36 Supporting the Placement .. 36 Child & Youth Facilities ..38 Supported/Independent Living Programs ..38 Adoption & Private Guardianship.

3 40 CSD Service Delivery: PART 1 .. 42 Roles & Responsibilities ..42 Breakdown of roles & responsibilities .. 42 Joint Communication & Decision-Making ..46 Shared Practice Framework ..52 Collaboration ..54 Collaboration = Communication .. 54 Collaboration = Involving Families in Decision-Making .. 54 Collaboration = Opportunities for Conflict .. 54 Collaboration = Opportunities for Improvement .. 54 CSD SERVICE DELIVERY: part 2 .. 55 Northern Alberta After-Hours Child Intervention Services (CIS) Office ..55 24/7 Services .. 55 Services based at Alberta North After-Hours Child Intervention Services Office .. 55 CSD After Hours Services ..56 CSD Services are 24/7 ..57 Client Profile ..58 Single Point of Entry ..58 Open File Principles for CSD .. 58 Referral Process ..58 Legacy Files .. 59 Dealing with Conflict ..59 Complaints from Service Recipients & Others .. 59 Resolution Process For CSD Partners.

4 59 Family Intervention Services ..60 Family Preservation, Family Reunification & Permanency .. 60 Family Engagement Tools ..61 Eco-Map .. 61 Genogram .. 62 Indigenous Approaches .. 63 Relative Searches, Extensive Genograms & Family Timelines .. 63 Family Group Conferencing (FGC) .. 63 Signs of Safety Tools .. 64 Case Plans ..65 Permanency ..65 Permanency Planning .. 65 Supporting Life Long COnnections .. 66 Ancilliary Support Services ..66 Drug Testing .. 66 DNA Testing .. 67 Multi-Cultural Services .. 67 Psychological Services and Assessments .. 68 4 Support for Family Based Care (SFBC) ..68 CSD Placement Related costs table ..69 Cost resposibility in collaborative service delivery; table outlining payment responsibility .. 69 CSD Services For Children in Care .. 73 CSD Supported Access & Drives .. 75 Structured Analysis Family Evaluation (SAFE) Home Report .. 76 Kinship Care ..78 Kinship Care Placement and Approval Process.

5 78 Kinship Care Monitoring and Support .. 80 Allegations and Complaints Against Kinship 84 Kinship Home Closure .. 84 Foster Care ..85 Foster Care Protocol Key Elements .. 86 Background Information and Support .. 86 Supporting the Child s Case Plan .. 87 Foster Care Task List .. 87 Financial Compensation .. 90 Letter for Foster Parents .. 90 Group Care ..91 Supported/Independent Living Programs ..91 Eligibility .. 91 Process .. 91 Financial Compensation .. 92 Unapproved Placements Basic Needs ..92 Support & Financial Assistance ..93 Financial Support .. 93 File Closure Principles for CSD ..93 Outcomes .. 94 Provincial Outcomes & Indicators .. 94 APPENDICES .. 95 Appendix C: Drug Policy Directive ..96 Appendix D: Psych Referrals .. 100 Appendix E: IL Regional Directive .. 101 Appendix F: Basic Needs Regional Directive .. 107 Appendix G: SFAA Regional Directive .. 110 Appendix H: Kinship Care Approval Process Quick Sheet.

6 113 Appendix I: Foster Care Rate Schedule .. 114 Appendix J: Room & Board Rates .. 116 Appendix K: Kahkiyaw File Closure Procedure .. 118 Appendix L: TIP SHEET for CSD sites and Agency Leads Social Enhancement Legal Team (SELT) (selt) .. 119 5 BACKGROUND & THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK PROVINCIAL HISTORY The development of Collaborative Service Delivery (CSD) has evolved over the last decade within the province of Alberta. It is a model of service delivery that is built upon the Child, Youth and Family Enhancement Act (CYFEA), Casework Practice Model, and The Alberta Response Model. Originally it was referred to as Outcomes Based Service Delivery (OBSD) and was changed to Collaborative Service Delivery in 2016 to better reflect the spirit and intent of this service delivery method. CSD is focused on child-centered outcomes and Family -centered Services to promote collaborative Practice between Regional staff and contracted service providers.

7 It is a model that builds upon the strengths of all stakeholders involved with a Family and is practiced within the spirit of partnership. In 2008, CSD was formally launched as an initiative to improve the effectiveness and measurability of contracted Services children and families receive as they move in and out of the child intervention system. In 2009, Alberta Child and Youth Services began to implement CSD pilot sites across Alberta, starting with Edmonton and Calgary. EDMONTON REGION CHILD AND Family Services (EDMONTON REGION CFS) HISTORY In 2009, Edmonton Region initiated its first CSD site at the North Central Neighbourhood Centre in partnership with The Family Centre (TFC). The implementation was successful in developing the foundation for a Regional CSD model. In April 2012, Edmonton Region initiated its second CSD site at the Central Neighbourhood Centre in partnership with Kahkiyaw (partnership between Bent Arrow Traditional Healing Society and Boyle Street Community Services ).

8 The Central Neighbourhood Centre and Kahkiyaw partnership is Edmonton Region s first Indigenous CSD site. Edmonton Region is committed to collaborative and relational Practice , where decision-making is shared with the Family and community. Edmonton s model allows CSD sites to integrate gold standard practices such as Signs of Safety, as new evidence-based practices are embraced. Already, Edmonton Region is achieving the following preliminary outcomes: More children receiving Services at home with their families, while remaining safe. More children returning home after receiving in-care Services . Shorter duration of child intervention Services . More children remaining in their schools of origin while moving in and out of child intervention. 6 GUIDING PRINCIPLES Practice is respectful, ethical, strengths-based, culturally appropriate and engages families through healthy relationships; Paramount, is child safety, with a focus on keeping families together and improving permanency outcomes for children and families; Interventions are creative, flexible and collaborative; supported by clearly defined roles and transparent, honest communication; and Practice is community-based and based on the belief that communities collectively raise their children.

9 SHARED VALUES Services are responsive and provided in a timely manner; Services are evidence-based; Practice is both child-centered and Family -centered; Agency Partners and Neighbourhood Centres share joint accountability for Services provided; Agency Partners and Neighbourhood Centres share decision-making for the Services provided; Relationships between stakeholders are respectful and positive. Services are matched to meet the needs of children and their families - enhancing strengths, and addressing areas for growth and improvement; Activities that are conducted among all stakeholders are closely integrated; The least intrusive service(s) that maintain a child s safety are the foundation of service delivery; Building parental capacity is primary, using a strength-based approach; Families are given the opportunity to take the lead as much as possible; Children remain in their communities and schools; CSD service delivery supports innovation, out-of-the box thinking, and flexibility; Out of home placements are viewed as assessment and/or stabilizing resources, rather than an outcome.

10 And If reuniting children with their families is not successful, permanent placements that honour Family relationships, culture and identity are sought for the child as soon as possible. EVIDENCE BASED Practice Evidence informed practices are critical to the CSD model. Research that currently informs CSD is: strengths based approach; ecological systems theory; theories on attachment and bonding; resiliency theory; and Signs of Safety Practice model. As we build and refine CSD, it is the expectation of the ECFS that Service Providers participate in identified evidence based approaches and propose other Practice approaches and treatment interventions that are evidence informed. The aim is to increase overall accountability and transparency and to improve the quality and effectiveness of the shared work of the ECFS and Service Providers with research informed knowledge. 7 Family CENTERED Practice Family -centered Practice is a way of working with families, both formally and informally, across service systems to enhance their capacity to care for and protect their children.