A critical goal in the effort to improve outcomes for children and youth who receive services through California’s child welfare, juvenile justice and mental health systems is ensuring that placement with kin is prioritized and kin placements are provided adequate supports to ensure safety, permanency and well-being. This comprehensive training program provides the foundational knowledge, skills and values to successfully implement kin-first, kin-focused family finding, engagement and support in practice.
Who Should Attend?
The Kin-first Academy is intended for upfront family finding and engagement social workers and support staff, their supervisors, as well as for other types of case carrying workers, specialized staff and designated units focused on upfront family finding, engagement and support.
Series Format
The Kin-first Academy is divided into four separately scheduled segments.
- Foundations, Values and Impact*
- Engagement in Kin-first Culture
- Best Practices in Policies and Implementation
- Racial Equity and Anti-Racist Practice
*Completion of the Foundations, Values and Impact training is recommended (but not required) before attending additional courses within the Kin-first Academy series.