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Home > Family-Centered Practice > Overview > Key Elements of Family-Centered Practice
Key Elements of Family-Centered Practice
These practice elements can be incorporated into the work of diverse systems, including child welfare, early childhood development, the courts, and other community-based systems of care. Resources include State and local examples.
Key components of family-centered practice include
- Working with the family unit to ensure the safety and well-being of all family members
- Strengthening the capacity of families to function effectively
- Engaging, empowering, and partnering with families throughout the decision- and goal-making processes
- Providing individualized, culturally responsive, flexible, and relevant services for each family
- Linking families with collaborative, comprehensive, culturally relevant, community-based networks of supports and services
CWLA Standards of Excellence for Services to Strengthen and Preserve Families With Children
Child Welfare League of America (2003, rev. ed.)
View Abstract
Recommends practices in family support, family-centered casework, and intensive, family-centered crisis services. Introduction traces the development of family-centered practice in child welfare.
Elements of Best Practice in Family Centered Services (PDF - 354 KB)
Wells (2000)
Report designed to provide Illinois Family Centered Services with the elements of best practice and tools for measuring child welfare outcomes.
Family Support Services (PDF - 183 KB)
Center for the Study of Social Policy (2004)
Describes how several early childhood programs have structured their family support services and identifies challenges for supporting families.
A Family Systems Paradigm for Legal Decision Making Affecting Child Custody
Brooks
Cornell Journal of Law and Public Policy, 6(1), 1996
View Abstract
Explains the application of family systems theory to judicial decision-making about child custody and placement.
Supporting and Strengthening Families. Vol. 1: Methods, Strategies, and Practices
Dunst, Trivette, & Deal (Eds.) (1994)
View Abstract
Examines the theory behind the family empowerment approach and describes methods, strategies, and practices for strengthening individual and family functioning. Addresses elements of family empowerment; family support program development; individual family support plan development; family needs, strengths, and resources; and effective practices for helping.
Toward Developing Standards and Measurements for Family Centered Practice in Family Support Programs (PDF - 115 KB)
Allen & Petr (1996)
In Redefining Family Support: Innovations in Public-Private Partnerships
Discusses the development of standards and measurements for family-centered practice in family support programs, and offers a new definition of family-centeredness based on the elements of family choice and a commitment to family strengths and capabilities.
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State and local examples
State and local agencies provide examples of the practical application of key elements of family-centered practice in documents that address planning, implementing, and evaluating services. These agencies seek to strengthen and empower families; partner with them in providing individualized, culturally responsive, flexible, and relevant services; and link them with collaborative, comprehensive, diverse, community-based networks of supports and services.
Family-Centered, Neighborhood-Based Services: Performance-Based Behaviors for the Child Welfare Practitioner and Community Providers (PDF - 121 KB)
Public Children Services Association of Ohio (2003)
Designed to assist Ohio counties; lists specific performance-based behaviors in different areas of child protective services that reflect a family-centered, neighborhood-based approach.
Family to Family in Monterey County: "Everyone's Chance to Care" (PDF - 312 KB)
Gomez & Harper (2005)
Case study on the planning, implementation, and outcomes of initiating the Family to Family model in Monterey County, California.
Strengthening Families: A Blueprint for Realigning Arizona's Child Welfare System (PDF - 107 KB)
Arizona Department of Economic Security (2005)
Describes agency goals and objectives for child protection and family strengthening reform, and strategies for achieving them.
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