Vol. 17, No. 2 • May 2013

CFTs and Placement Fit

by Billy Poindexter

Among the many issues a social worker and foster family must address in the early stages of a child's entry into foster care is the connection between the child and this new family. How will this child relate to the family and its regimen? What will the child's needs be and how will they impact the foster family?

Unfortunately, when placement is sudden, focus on "fit" isn't foremost. However, almost immediately after placement it becomes a central concern, since we want the child to experience as few placements or moves as possible while we are trying to reunite the family.

The child and family team meeting (CFT) process can be a powerful way to build and strengthen connections among the foster family, child, and birth family while the child is in foster care. Here are some of the ways I have seen the CFT process strengthen important connections in foster care.

1. CFTs help us focus on meeting the needs of the child. Especially in the period right after the child is placed in foster care, birth families experience many strong emotions, including defensiveness and fear. It is natural for conversations at this stage to be contentious. By providing a neutral facilitator, CFTs create an environment where discussion centers around how best to minimize the emotional roller-coaster the child will experience in their new "family" situation.

2. CFTs ensure the child's voice is heard. For example, an older teen placed with kin felt his voice was being drowned out by conflict within the extended family. The conflict was so serious that there was a risk of the placement disrupting or being changed by the court.

Arguing between family members during the CFT was so bad the child left the room and refused to return. Non-family members in the meeting pointed out to those arguing that whatever their issues were, THE issue was the impact their conflict was having on the child. This refocused the family, enabling them to do meaningful planning.

3. CFTs can help find the supports needed to improve placement "fit." Sometimes after a placement is made we recognize that the family and child are not a great match and that the family is struggling to meet the child's needs. An effective CFT process can help foster parents, birth family members, professionals, and others understand problem areas and identify resources for addressing them. In this way a placement can be stabilized and
improved. It may never be a perfect fit, but it won't become a broken placement.

The bottom line? The child and family team process can be an effective way to strengthen foster care placements, avoid the trauma of unnecessary moves, and enhance child well-being.

Billy Poindexter is a CFT facilitator with Catawba County DSS and a trainer for the Center for Family & Community Engagement at NC State University.

~ Family and Children's Resource Program, UNC-CH School of Social Work ~