1120 Guiding Principles of the CPS Program
1121 Family Group Decision-Making (FGDM)
CPS September 2015
Family Group Decision Making (FGDM) is a collaborative approach to service planning and decision making. Using the FGDM approach, CPS invites the child or youth and his or her family to join CPS staff in developing a service plan. DFPS recognizes that the best results are obtained when the child or youth and family is involved in making decisions that affect safety, permanency, and well-being.
The goal for families is to increase family participation in this collaborative approach with CPS in making decisions about their safety and service plans and to engage the extended family members, and other members of the family’s support system, in this process.
Collaboration strengthens the ability of extended family members and other supportive persons to provide safe and permanent living arrangements for the family’s children and youth.
The goal for older youth is to increase their involvement in developing their service plans and developing their transition plans as they age out of care.
Staying involved helps youth reaffirm or identify caring family and adult relationships and support systems.
1121.1 The FGDM Philosophy
CPS September 2015
Family Group Decision Making:
• recognizes that families possess the information needed to make well-informed decisions and are responsible for their children’s security and sense of belonging;
• emphasizes developing a partnership between families, DFPS, and other departments and agencies that serve them, so that service planning and decision-making become a collaborative process;
• respects families, children, and youth and helps them decide what services they need, based on their strengths and resources, to meet the needs of the children or youth and ensure their safety;
• emphasizes the family’s responsibility to care for and to provide a sense of identity for their children;
• encourages families to connect with the resources available in their communities and provides a means for communities to support families;
• encourages families to participate voluntarily in meetings that are family-centered, culturally relevant, community-based, and oriented to the families’ protective capacities; and
• provides a supportive environment in which families can discuss their needs and concerns.
1121.2 Using Models of FGDM to Guide Safety and Service Planning
CPS September 2015
CPS uses the following models of FGDM to guide safety and service planning. The FGDM models are used to varying degrees, as appropriate:
1121.21 Family Team Meeting (FTM)
CPS September 2015
Family Team Meetings generally are held before a child is removed from the home, but may also be held during other stages of service, such as when a family receives Family-Based Safety Services or when a child is in DFPS conservatorship.
Family Team Meetings enable DFPS to:
• provide a quick, family-involved response to concerns about the child’s safety or placement; and
• achieve positive results for the child during the earliest stages of CPS interaction with the family.
See Appendix 1121: Documentation Requirements for Models of Family Group Decision Making Documentation
1121.22 Family Group Conference (FGC)
CPS September 2015
A Family Group Conference involves a higher degree of coordination and long-term service planning than a Family Team Meeting. Family Group Conferences generally are held after a child is removed, but may also be used before removal when the family receives Family-Based Safety Services.
During a FGC, the child’s family joins with relatives, friends, and community members to develop a plan for the child and family. The purpose of the plan is to address specific concerns and ensure that the child is cared for and protected from future harm. The group identifies service providers (such as schools, churches, and counselors) and then works with the providers and CPS staff to help the family meet the goals of the plan, provided that the plan adequately addresses the specified concerns.
See:
6251 Overview and Purpose of Permanency Planning Meetings
Appendix 1121: Documentation Requirements for Models of Family Group Decision Making
1121.23 Circle of Support (COS)
CPS September 2024
A Circle of Support (COS) is a meeting directed by and focused on the youth. A COS includes broad participation of people listed in 6241.3 Participating in Development of the Child’s Plan of Service, with a focus on including people who are non-paid professionals who can be members of the youth’s lifetime support network. A COS can be held for youth aged 14 or older.
Although a COS may be used for various purposes, the primary purpose is to do both of the following:
- Develop plans for a youth’s successful transition to adulthood.
- Identify, build, and strengthen new and existing connections to friends, family, and caring adults who will help the youth now and throughout the youth’s life.
The caseworker or another person involved with the youth must make a referral for a COS within 60 days of a youth turning age 14. A referral for a COS may also be made at any time it is appropriate or necessary to hold a Permanency Planning Meeting or to review the youth’s plans for a successful transition to adulthood.
See:
6241.11 Reviewing and Documenting a Youth’s Plans for a Successful Transition to Adulthood
6250 Permanency Planning Meetings
Appendix 1121: Documentation Requirements for Models of Family Group Decision-Making (FGDM)
1121.24 Permanency Conference (PC)
CPS September 2024
A permanency conference (PC) is held when it is not possible or appropriate to hold a Family Group Conference (FGC), or, if the youth is age 14 or older, when it is not possible to hold either an FGC or Circle of Support (see 6252 Types of Permanency Planning Meetings).
A PC is held for the purpose of achieving permanency planning meeting requirements per 6250 Permanency Planning Meetings (PPM).
Family Group Decision Making strategies are used to the extent possible and appropriate to the situation.
See:
Appendix 1121: Documentation Requirements for Models of Family Group Decision-Making
1121.3 Family Group Decision-Making Strategies
CPS September 2015
The safety and service planning models include the use of some or all of the following FGDM strategies:
• Meetings are attended by children, their families, other persons in their support system, and relevant community members.
• Trained facilitators skilled in FGDM philosophy and strategies conduct meetings in all of the models of safety and service planning. Some models use co-facilitators.
• Independent facilitators coordinate and facilitate FGDM meetings. Their objectivity helps to ensure a fair process, gain a family’s willingness to participate in the process, and enhance the family’s ability to trust a system that they may view with suspicion.
• Meetings for older youth are attended by the youth, adults and other persons that youth identify as their family or supportive persons. The meetings are also an opportunity to introduce or reconnect the youth to people who may provide support in the future.
• The timing and location of the meetings suit the needs of the family and older youth, when possible.
• Cultural uniqueness is acknowledged.
• Safety and service planning models and FGDM strategies are selected based on what is appropriate to the situation.
For additional information on the CPS safety and service planning models that incorporate FGDM strategies, see:
6251 Overview and Purpose of Permanency Planning Meetings
1121.4 The Attendance and Participation of Children and Families in FGDM Conferences
CPS March 2023
Including the child in decision making and planning about their own safety, well-being, and permanency is critical to achieving positive results for the child and family. The child must have an opportunity to attend and participate in Family Group Decision Making conferences (Family Team Meetings, Family Group Conferences, Circles of Support, and Permanency Conferences).
Although a child’s attendance at a meeting or conference is never forced, the child’s caseworker must make every effort to include the child in the meeting or conference. If a child cannot or chooses not to attend, the caseworker provides the child with alternate methods of participation and inclusion.
DFPS must give the family preference in how the meeting or conference will be held (in person, virtual, conference call, or a combination of these).
1121.41 Alternate Methods of Participation for Children
CPS September 2015
If a child or youth is unable to attend a conference in person, the worker may ask the child or youth to express his or her thoughts about safety, the current placement, the CPS services received, and the goal for permanency by either:
• writing them down in a letter to be read at the conference;
• drawing them in a picture to be shown at the conference;
• verbalizing them in a video or audiotape to be played at the conference; or
• verbalizing them to a designated supportive adult, such as a family member or friend, to be addressed at the conference.
The worker may also allow the child to:
• attend only part of the conference;
• attend by conference call or SCAN call; or
• attend by video conference, if available.
1121.42 Alternate Methods of Participation for Older Youth
CPS September 2015
Older youth are strongly encouraged to attend their Family Group Decision Making Conference, unless they decline.
If the youth declines to attend, the worker:
• ascertains the reason for the decline;
• ensures that the youth fully understands the purpose of the conference; and
• ensures that the youth understands the importance of having a voice in planning for their future.
The worker must try to accommodate the schedule of the youth, whenever possible. If the youth cannot attend, the youth may represent himself or herself at the meeting by conference call, SCAN call, videotape, audiotape, or letter.
The worker must hold a follow-up discussion with the youth, regardless of how the youth plans to participate in the conference, to ensure that the youth is aware of and understands the planning and decision-making that will be made on his or her behalf.
1122 Focus on Resources and Outcomes
CPS October 2020
CPI and CPS seek to ensure the safety of children and to promote the integrity and stability of families. To maintain this focus, CPI and CPS identify and match three key elements:
- Desired Outcomes: The specific changes in client circumstances and behaviors that will best protect the child and strengthen the family.
- Critical Success Factors: The CPI and CPS activities that, if done well, are most likely to achieve these changes.
- Resources: The staff and material needed to carry out these activities.
Desired outcomes, critical success factors, and necessary resources vary according to the needs of clients, and the needs of clients change over the course of receiving services. To address the changing needs of different clients, CPI and CPS correlate resources, activities, and outcomes by stages of service.