Core Values

Principle

Working Definition

            Actions

Safety

First/foremost to protect children from incidents of abuse & neglect and to make assurances that the emotional, physical, educational & safety needs of the child are adequately provided.

Face to face contacts.

Timeliness/scope of contact.

Individualized interventions.

Risk-vs-Safety.

Permanence

Placement/living situation to provide stability & a sense of belonging.  Outcome to be secured in reasonable time-frame given the age of the child.  To endure without fundamental negative impact.

364 days.

Reduction of disruptions.

Continuity of relationships.                                         

Concurrent planning.

Engagement

The ability to induce a family into participation within the system. A genuine display of commitment & emotional involvement into the process by all players. Beginnings of partnership.

Rapport building.

Establish trusting relationship.

Empathy.

Strength based/Solution focus.

Individualized

Planning & providing intervention & services based upon the unique needs of each of each family member, child & care-giver. Validating the strengths & success of this specific family.

No cookie cutter approach.

No menu of service.

Utilize strengths & culture.

Needs ID & across life domains.

Child & Family

Well Being

Family-Centered

Children & families are interdependent. Parents have the capacity to best provide for their family. Through appropriate planning & effective intervention one’s abilities can be enhanced to adequately meet the needs of the child.

Family preservation.

Access to decision making.

Empowerment of family unit.

Ownership of ‘the plan’.

Best Interest

Paramount focus on the child’s current & future needs. Term with implications of social work values used within the legal process referring to generic needs of the child to support specific action.

Suspension of parenting time.

Recommendation for termination.

Placement criterion issues.

Collaborative

Interactive process in which people with diverse expertise generate solutions to mutually defined problems.  Family driven with cross-systems involvement & natural support inclusion.

WA(WrapAround).

F2F (Family to Family).

Early-On.