Resources for Upfront Practices and Policies

Handouts

• Placement Priorities Kin-first Approach Links to an external site.. A chart reflecting workflow best practices for priority and emergency placements at the time of Detention.
• Family Search and Engagement: Comprehensive Practice Guide Links to an external site.. A Comprehensive Practice Guide developed by Catholic Community Services of Western Washington and EMQ Children & Family Services.
  
• Ventura County Family Engagement Practice Guide. Links to an external site. The practice guide includes policies/procedures that are in place to support with identification and engagement of relatives and other family supports at various stages of the child welfare process.
• Racial Equity Toolkit Links to an external site.. A Reflection and Resource Guide for Collective Impact Backbone Staff and Partners.
• FFES Funding Opportunities: Quick Reference Guide Links to an external site.. A list of funding streams that can be leveraged as kin-first supports.
  
• Foster Youth Bill of Rights Links to an external site.. A guide to foster youth’s rights while in foster care.
  
• Integrated Core Practice Model Resources.
  • California Department of Social Services ICPM Links to an external site.. In this website you will find information and resources that offer detailed practice guidance and direction to support child welfare and system partners in delivery of timely, effective and collaborative services to children, youth and families.
    
  • ICPM and Family Stability Connections Links to an external site.. This PDF highlights how ICPM supports and informs the pursuit of permanency and kinship-based care.

Toolkits

• Policy Toolkit. This toolkit is intended to be a practical implementation guide of a kin-first framework. It contains best practice recommendations from child welfare agencies that have placed more than 70% of children with kin as their first placement. The toolkit includes what is required by law, best practices on staffing, leveraging available funding, and processes for implementing a kin-first framework.
  
• Bench and Bar Toolkit. Bench and Bar are key partners in all areas of child welfare practice, and this site contains essential materials to assist with the establishment and maintenance of a Kin-First culture as well as fidelity to existing laws and practices, including the Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA), where Kin-First culture has been the gold standard and practice since its passage.
  
• SOP Toolkit. The goal of this statewide SOP toolkit is to support consistency and fidelity of Safety Organized Practice across California, and to ensure social workers, supervisors and leaders in all counties have access to the same resources to support the practice.
  
• ICWA Desk Reference Guide Links to an external site. and How to Use ICWA Desk Reference Guide Links to an external site.. The desk reference guide provides a resource for social workers handling juvenile dependency cases that are subject to the requirements of the federal Indian Child Welfare Act. It also intends to support child welfare policy development and training.
  

Webinars

• Transforming Child Welfare to a Kin-first Culture Links to an external site. by Dr. Kenneth Hardy and Kevin Campbell
• Cultivating a Kin-first Culture Through Family Engagement Links to an external site. by Dr. Jessica Price, Judge Bill Thorne, and Karan (Kolb) Thorne
• Partnering with Kin to Foster Belonging Links to an external site. by Amelia Franck Meyer and Alia Innovation Partners

Legislation & Policy

• Adoptions Assistance Act Links to an external site.. Requires, in part, that states receiving federal monies under the Adoptions Assistance Act make “reasonable efforts” to prevent the removal of children from their homes and, whenever possible, to reunify children placed in foster care with their families.
• California Department of Social Services Family First Prevention Services Act Links to an external site.. This website intends to support county cross-sector collaboratives, community members, stakeholders and tribes in the planning and implementation of FFPSA. FFPS made funding available to address areas of need within the social determinants of health for families within their own family and their community. Supports enhancements to the primary level of prevention.

Welfare & Institutions Codes (Subsection)

• WIC 309(a) Links to an external site.. Upon delivery to the social worker of a child who has been taken into temporary custody under this article, the social worker shall immediately investigate the circumstances of the child and the facts surrounding the child's being taken into custody and attempt to maintain the child with the child's family through the provision of services
• WIC 309(d) Links to an external site.. The law: if a relative, an extended family member of an Indian child, or a nonrelative extended family member is available and requests emergency placement of the child pending the detention hearing, or after the detention hearing and pending the dispositional hearing the county must initiate an assessment of the relative’s or nonrelative extended family member’s suitability for emergency placement.
• WIC 300(g) Links to an external site.; WIC 361(c)(5) Links to an external site.; WIC 300.2 Links to an external site.. When an allegation is brought forth that the parents are whereabouts unknown, the law sets forth requirements that the agency holds the responsibility of reasonable efforts to locate the parent.
• WIC §361.3 Links to an external site.; WIC 281.5 Links to an external site.. Preferential consideration means relatives shall be given preferential consideration for the placement of the child (regardless of the relative’s immigration status). The relative seeking placement shall be the first placement to be considered and investigated.
• WIC 202 Links to an external site.. Purpose of the Juvenile Justice System is to provide safety and protection of the public and ensure minors are rehabilitated.
  
• WIC 319(f)(1); WIC 319(d)(1)(2) Links to an external site.. If the child cannot be returned home, the court must determine if the child can be placed with a relative or nonrelative extended family member (NREFM). Certain relatives are to be given preferential consideration for placement.

All County Letters (ACL) (Subsection)

• ACL 23-12. Excellence In Family Finding, Engagement, And Support Program And The Center For Excellence In Family Finding, Engagement, And Support.
• ACL23-64 Links to an external site.. Safety Assessment, Emergency Removal And Emergency Placement Of Indian Children.
  
• ACL 17-65 Links to an external site.. Juvenile Court Findings Of Due Diligence By Social Workers In Identifying, Locating And Notifying A Dependent Child’s Relatives; Assessing Relatives For Placement Of A Dependent Child.
• ACL 24-18 Links to an external site.. Providing Active Efforts Where It Is Known, Or There Is Reason To Know, A Child Is An Indian Child.
• ACL 23-64 Links to an external site.. The purpose of this All County Letter (ACL) is to engage, support, and assist county child welfare services (CWS) agencies with Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA) and will focus on emergency removals and emergency placements.
• ACL 19-71 Links to an external site.. The purpose of this All County Letter (ACL) is to provide information and clarification regarding the approval, payment, and placement preservation of Tribally Approved Homes (TAHs) resulting from changes in state and federal law.