1201 Child Placement Services

C. Using One Caseworker or Casework Team

In a one caseworker or casework team approach, the social worker(s) responsible for CPS services continue to serve the child and family after the Department of Social Services has obtained custody and/or placement responsibility. This approach provides more continuity and stability for children and families during the times they most need it. By retaining the same social worker or a team of social workers, children and parents retain some familiarity and stability during an otherwise unstable period. There is no loss of information about the child and family and no adjustment period for the social worker, child, and family. The team approach likewise facilitates the transfer of information about the family. Social workers may even overlap or share services to the child and family before, during, and after the transition to foster care. If the agency contracts for some or all of the direct social work services, the contract social worker functions as part of the casework team.

In agencies that do not use the one caseworker or casework team approach, a thorough transfer of information between social workers is critical. A complete and effective transfer of information facilitates continuity of services for the child and family. Sharing information also helps the foster care social worker in developing a timely Out of Home Family Services Agreement for the family and a parallel legal plan for achieving safety and permanency for the child within one year. All information previously obtained about the family and a history of the agency’s involvement with the family must be thoroughly documented in the case record and effectively transferred from one social worker to the next. Whenever the case is transferred between social workers, a transitional visit should be planned to allow the family and child to meet the new social worker.

(Refer to Section 1201, the Yellow Pages for more information about One Caseworker / One Casework Team.)