Building and Supporting Connections for Children and Families When child welfare is involved with a family, it is of the utmost importance to ensure that all efforts are made so the child remains living in-home with their parent, guardian or Indian custodian whenever safely possible. Early engagement of relatives and like-kin connections may reduce the likelihood, or need, of out-of-home placement. When a child cannot safely remain in their home, every effort must be made to place a child with a relative or like-kin caregiver as their first – and ideally only – placement. Placing the child with relatives or like-kin not only minimizes the trauma of separation, but increases the likelihood of remaining connected to siblings, families of origin, and community, which improves their overall well-being. Connections to relatives and like-kin helps children develop a sense of belonging. These connections are the most important contributing factor to positive outcomes for children placed in out-of-home care. Federal laws related to promoting relative engagement and placement includes the Fostering Connections Act of 2008, Preventing Sex Trafficking and Strengthening Families Act of 2014, and the Family First Prevention Services Act of 2018. When compared to children in non-relative foster care, children in the care of a relative or like-kin have been found to experience fewer behavioral and mental health challenges, less placement disruptions, and have shorter lengths of stay in out-of-home care. Family Find and Engagement (FFE) What is Family Find Engagement? Family Find and Engagement is a holistic approach to family contact and support while seeking family connections for children placed in out-of-home care or to assist children in remaining in-home. The process directs child welfare professionals to make every effort to identify and locate relatives and like-kin. The focus of Family Find and Engagement is not only to identify placements but to build connections for the child. Even when an identified relative or connection is not a placement resource, they can still serve as a meaningful support and positive influence for the child and family. Frequently, these individuals become valuable long-term connections and may later offer placement or permanency. While legal permanence marks the conclusion of child welfare system involvement and the child's discharge from out-of-home care, relational permanence extends beyond legal outcomes. It emphasizes a lasting sense of belonging that is grounded in the child’s understanding of their personal history and identity and supported by a network of committed, caring adults rather than a single legal caregiver. Resources, Training Tools, Templates Resources Family Find and Engagement Initiative (DCF Policy Memo 2015-06i) - describes the Family Find and Engagement initiative in the state of Wisconsin. Training Tools Family Find and Engagement Team Expectations and Responsibilities - describes the roles and responsibilities of child welfare workers and the State Permanency Consultants during the Family Find and Engagement process. Family Find and Engagement Consultation Talking Points for Agency Supervisors - provides consultation talking points for agency supervisors when reviewing cases that are part of the Family Find and Engagement process. Mobility Mapping Instructions - offers instructions and descriptions of creating a Mobility Map in the Family Find and Engagement process. Connectedness Map Instructions - provides information and directions in creating a Connectedness Map in the Family Find and Engagement process. Tree of Life Instructions - provides descriptions and instructions about creating a Tree of Life in the Family Find and Engagement process. Development of the Permanency Team - describes the development of the Permanency Team as part of the Family Find and Engagement process. Templates Letter to Relatives from Caseworker Template - a template for child welfare agencies to utilize when contacting relatives of a child during the Family Find and Engagement process. Permanency Team Meeting Agenda Template - provides an agenda template for a Permanency Team Meeting in the Family Find and Engagement process. Blended Perspectives Meeting Facilitator Agenda - is an agenda that a child welfare agency can utilize when conducting a Blended Perspective Meeting in the Family Find and Engagement process. Blended Perspective Meeting Agenda Template is an agenda template for the Blended Perspective Meeting in the Family Find and Engagement process. Notice to Foster Parents Regarding Confidentiality of Records (DCF-F-CFS2186) English Spanish Child-Specific Recruitment Consent (DCF-F-5057-E) English Hmong Spanish Extended Relative and Non-Relative Search and Engagement Consent (DCF-F-5058-E) English Hmong Spanish Seneca Search Request (DCF-F-5059-E) Contact Information Out of Home Care Section StaffDCF SenecaDepartment of Children and Families201 W. Washington Ave.P.O. Box 8916Madison, WI 53708-8916
