Link to the Webinar recording: February Webinar
Link to the Presentation slides: presentation slides
This webinar aims at recognizing the inherent trauma that is associated with child welfare involvement and looking at how the upfront family finding program focuses on targeted collaborative family finding practices. This program aims to identify, notify, and engage family members early and throughout the life of the case. It also dives into the law and legal mandates of Family Finding. It provides the opportunity to build/sustain networks, promoting family resilience to ensure permanency and well-being beyond DCFS/government intervention. It provides a way to engage parents and families and fosters the building and maintenance of life long connections for children/youths. It aids in the inclusion of those which have been traditionally overlooked (fathers, extended relatives- both paternal and maternal, NREFMs). Furthermore, it highlights the importance of building a partnership (with families and staff) when conducting family finding.
Presenters:
Jane Gonzalez is the program manager for the permanency partners program which focuses on engaging relatives and non-related extended family members or nerf funds with a goal of integrating them into the family and child team. Originally, focused on providing services for the department’s long-staying youth. The program has now evolved to initiate these family finding services at the beginning of a case. Jane has over 17 years of child welfare experience with Los Angeles county, department of children family services.