the family assessment form agency/program name date
TRANSCRIPT
Agenda
Welcome and Introductions
FAF Overview
Assessment Exercises
Service Planning Exercises
Training Evaluation
Objectives
To understand purpose of the FAF
To become familiar with FAF structure
To practice using the FAF
A Brief History
Developed between 1986-1990 at Children’s Bureau of Southern California, a non-profit agency providing child abuse treatment and prevention services.
Created by a team of staff: home visitors, supervisor, developmental psychologist, and research consultants.
Developed as a home based instrument for use in family support/family preservation services and used by programs across the country
Used in several program evaluation studies and a major controlled research study in Los Angeles County.
Distributed by Child Welfare League of America beginning in 1997.
Software developed between 2000-2004.
Mini-Exercise
Divide into two groups.
Group One: Make a list of your greatest challenges in working with families and in home visiting.
Group Two: What kinds of information do you get from families to decide how you can help them?
FAF Purpose
Thorough Family Assessments
Focused Goals and Service Plans
Consistent and Efficient Documentation
Staff Orientation and Training
Program Evaluation
Thorough Family Assessment
Focus on family strengths need structured way to emphasize strengths
Challenge of home visitation multiple distractions and crises can interfere
with understanding core issues worker not in control of environment family problems can be overwhelming
Importance of the Big Picture need to understand family dynamics, short and
long-term needs, stresses, etc. good assessments take time; time well spent
Focused Goals and Service Plans
Goals and service plans need to be family driven and linked to assessment
Cannot address everything; need to be thoughtfully selective in engaging family in goal setting
Service plan needs to be realistic and unique to the family situation
Assessment informs HOW you work with a family as well as what you work on unique family strengths and characteristics
Documentation
Consistency of documentation across workers, program sites, etc.
Short-hand method for home visitor Easy to review by others (i.e. supervisor,
back-up home visitor)FAF takes a “snapshot” of the familyFAF takes the place of a written, narrative
assessment
Staff Orientation and Training
FAF helps clarify expectations and scope of work for new staff
Points to areas of individual or team training needs
Helps structure individual supervision and case presentations
FAF is a tool to teach assessment and service planning
FAF provides objective language for report writing
Program Evaluation
Provides immediate feedback to worker and family on individual family change
Aggregate data can be used to report on program outcomes
Philosophical Approach
Practice First first and foremost a practice tool that
has to work for the home visitor not designed to structure family
sessions, rather to document differently what is learned about the family
need a disciplined way to “see” strengths in families with complex problems
Philosophical Approach
Ecological/Systems Theory Problems are not within individuals rather in the “fit”
between parts of the systemFAF addresses physical environment, social support,
caregiver child interactions, caregiver functioning and child behavior
Intervention might be targeted at a “misfit” in the system
i.e., child’s school problem may be related to parent/teacher communication
Change in one part of the system will change another part
i.e., improved parenting skills will improve child development
FAF Components
Case Log/Intake
Family Functioning Factors
Child Behavior Observation Checklist
Service Plan
Contacts
Closing Summary
Case Log/Intake
Case Name/Contact InformationCase NumberWorker AssignedFamily Composition and
DemographicsHistory of Child Welfare System
InvolvementAssessment Dates
Family Functioning Factors
Six Outcome Measures of Family Functioning - 39 items total
A. Living Conditions - 6 items B. Financial Conditions - 5 items C. Supports to Caregivers - 6 items D. Caregiver/Child Interactions - 12 items E. Developmental Stimulation - 4 items F. Caregiver Interactions - 6 items
Personal Characteristics/History
Two Adult Assessment Factors – optional items, not used as outcome measures because not expected to change or could get worse (i.e., learn more about someone’s history)
G. Caregiver History - 8 items H. Personal Characteristics - 12
items
Child Behavior Observation Checklist
Child Specific Categories - optional items not used for outcome measurement
I. Acting Out Behaviors - 7 items J. Inner Directed Behaviors - 9 items K. School Behaviors - 4 items L. Health and Development - 7 items M. Temperament - 4 items
Service Plan
Components
FAF items indicating strengths
FAF items of concern
Goals related to areas of concern
Tasks for addressing each goal
Frequency and duration of contact
Contacts
Date of ContactWho InvolvedGoal AddressedWhat InterventionsReferralsProgress/Homework Notes
Closing Summary
Result (i.e., completed, dropped, lost, child placed, etc.)
Outcome on Individual Family Goals
Outcome of Referrals
Summary Progress Notes
Case Statistics
How Do I Use the FAF?
Meaning of Scores
FAF Scoring
FAF as Initial Assessment
FAF at Termination of Services
Meaning of Scores
1. Above average. Positive influences/traits that have a strengthening effect on the family and/or child.
2. Generally Adequate. Minor problems within normal limits; not necessarily nonexistent, but do not create problems for caregivers or children. Treatment or intervention not necessary, but may be desired by caregivers to improve parenting.
3. Problems of a moderate nature. Negative impact on the welfare of children or put the family at risk. Counseling, intervention, or parent education are indicated.
4. Problems of a major nature. Significant negative influence on children or caregiver’s well-being. Intervention required.
5. Situation is endangering to children’s health, safety, and well-being. May call for removal of child; intervention and monitoring required.
FAF Scoring
Each item is scored on a 1-5 scale option to score 1.5, 2.5, etc.
Each item has an operational definition, based on the overall meaning of scores, to guide scoring selection it is VERY important to follow the definitions definitions are examples of the kinds of things
you might see, hear, etc.; use them as a guide refer to overall meaning of scores to help with
scoring decisions as needed
FAF as Initial Assessment
FAF serves as only form of assessment documentation rule of thumb is to complete within 3-4 visits
(6-8hrs) including service plan score items following each visit with a family
based on observations and discussions in preparation for subsequent visits, review
FAF areas not yet assessed do not change scores following this established
“baseline” period
FAF at Termination
Re-score FAF at termination of services prior to completing the closing summary this should not require a special visit
with the family as the worker already knows the family well
termination scoring should take about 1/2 hour
Key Points for Using FAF
FAF is a framework for approaching assessment NOT a structured interview or questionnaire
FAF documents, in a different way, information you already know about families
Obtain FAF information by observing and asking
Key Points for Using FAF
Use the operational definitions and overall meaning of scores to determine scores this is key to maintaining inter-rater reliability
Brief narrative comments are essential helps explain scores and uniqueness of each
familyTie family driven goals directly to assessed
areas of strength and concern
Exercise #1 – Section A
Divide into groups of twoLook at drawingMake list of strengths and concerns
observedComplete FAF section ADebrief
Exercise #2 – Sections B, C, D&E
Mock Interview Divide group into small groups of 5-8 Each participant gets a Script and blank
FAF Participants take turns reading the two
parts in the Script - worker and mother Stop, discuss and rate the FAF as
indicated on the Script Debrief
Exercise #3 – Sections B&C
Role Play Sections B&C – Supports to Caregivers Volunteer parent and home visitor Review Sections B&C items as group Begin role play Rotate home visitor role as needed Discuss FAF item scores as a group
Goal Setting
What is a goal? “the end toward which an effort is directed” -
Webster’s New Collegiate Dictionary
a future state of being what the family situation will look like when
you have finished your work together what will be different?
What are some examples from own life?
Goal Setting
What is an Objective? Step taken by case manager or family
to achieve a goal A specific measurable action
What are some examples?
Objective Setting Guidelines
Specific and ClearMeasurable and ObservableAccomplishments - state positively
To practice active listening skills vs. to reduce level of arguing
To increase positive reinforcement vs. to reduce corporal punishment
Realistic based on resources - yours and the family’s
Timeframe for achievement
Objective Statements
Objective statement format
WHO will do WHAT, HOW by WHEN
Father will enroll in vocational education program at Austin Community College by Sept 15th.
Sample Goals/Objectives
Concern: Cleanliness/orderliness inside home (dirty dishes, trash overflowing, soiled diapers on floor)
Goal: Parents will increase children’s health and safety
Objectives: Case Manager will teach parents about connection between
health and hygiene by showing XYZ videos at next visitParents will make sure the dishes are washed on a daily
basis and that the trash to taken out each weekParents will child proof the home for their small children by
Sept 15th, using the home safety checklist provided by the Home Educator
Sample Goals
Concern: Appropriateness of discipline (only use corporal punishment with shoes and belt)
Goal: Parents will teach their children how to behave using positive forms of discipline
Objectives: Parents will attend 4 parenting workshops on child
behavior management beginning Nov 1 and ending Dec 1, 2006
Home Educator will coach and support parents in establishing child behavior rules and consequences by Dec 15, 2006
Sample Goals
Concern: Bonding style to children (parent pushes baby away and believes he is crying intentionally to anger parent)
Goal: Mother will increase her positive attachment to her new baby
Objectives: Home Educator will play the Happiest Baby on the Block video,
demonstrate and practice calming techniques with Mother during next visit
Mother will identify all the things she likes that are special about her new baby by next home visit
Goal Setting
Who contributes to goal setting? The family Referral source Case Manager using FAF assessment
Art is in blending these together into meaningful goals and tasks that the client is willing to work towards
Exercise #4: Service Planning
Divide into groups of three One parent One home visitor One observer
Based on Section A drawing exercise, role play working with this family to develop a goal or goals and objectives around home safety and cleanliness
Debrief as group
Exercise #5: Service Planning
Divide into groups of fiveEach group gets a sample completed FAF with
ratings and commentsAssign each group a FAF section (i.e. group 1
gets sections A&B, group 2 gets C, group 3 gets D, etc.)
Each group identifies strengths in their sectionEach group identifies concerns in their sectionEach group develops at least one goal and
objective for their section