SERVICE

One or more organization-operated programs or activities that have a common general objective and deploy the organization's material and human resources in a planned and systematic manner. An organization that publicly promotes or identifies itself in writing as offering a service, is licensed to deliver a service, assigns personnel and/or space to a service, or allocates financial resources to a service is considered to offer that service.		  
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  FAMILY

Two or more people who consider themselves family and who assume obligations, functions, and responsibilities generally essential to healthy family life. Child care and child socialization, income support, long-term care, and other caregiving are among the functions of family life. The definition of "family" will rest with an individual's indication of who plays a family member role, including current or former foster family, adoptive family, extended family members, fictive kin, or significant others. Organizations that believe family is the central constellation in a child's life, and that family attachments are of primary importance for human development, will strive to work with professional staff to develop a common understanding of "family."		  
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  CULTURE

The customs, habits, values, skills, technology, beliefs, and religious, social, and political behaviors of a group of people in a specific period of time.		  
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  PERSONNEL

The body of employees and/or volunteers that carries out the organization's tasks under the organization's administration and/or supervision. This definition does not include foster parents who are specifically referenced in relevant standards		  
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  EMPLOYEE

Paid member of an organization. Foster parents are not considered employees and are specifically referenced in relevant standards. 		 
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  CAREGIVER

The provider of physical, emotional, and social needs to another person, often dependent and unable to provide for his or her own needs. Caregiver is the generic term used for the direct service providers in Community Care and Support Services (CCS). 		 
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  SUPERVISION

Assumption of responsibility for directly overseeing and evaluating the work or work products of personnel within an organization. Also includes inspecting the act or process of accomplishing a function or activity.		  
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  WORKLOAD

The amount of work assigned to or expected from a person within a specified period of time. See also CASELOAD.		  
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  ADVANCED DEGREE

A degree at the Master's level or beyond from an institution of higher education. An advanced degree does not include a Bachelor's degree, an associate's degree, or an educational certificate.		  
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  SOCIAL WORK

Professionally responsible interventions carried out by persons with formal, professional education at the BSW or MSW level from an accredited school of social work and appropriate licensing, certification, and registration credentials. Interventions are directed toward improving the transactions between people and environments to enhance the adaptive capacities of the participants and improve environments for all that function within them. Social work is a professional practice with a consumer group consisting of individuals, families, small groups, organizations, neighborhoods, and communities and involving the disciplined application of knowledge and skill.		  
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  RESEARCH

For purposes of COA accreditation, all forms of internal or external research involving persons served except internal program evaluation and outcomes research, or educational projects performed by students and interns that are part of their professional training.		  
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  QUALITY

In this context, the extent to which contemporary and generally recognized standards for professional practice are met and exceeded, and desirable service outcomes achieved.		  
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  TRAINING

Instruction so as to make fit, qualified, or proficient in a skill or body of knowledge.		  
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  INDIAN CHILD

As defined in the Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA), "Any unmarried person who is under age eighteen and is either (a) a member of an Indian tribe or (b) eligible for membership in an Indian tribe and is the biological child of a member of an Indian tribe." For purposes of compliance with ICWA, the definition provided in the Act shall apply. For purposes of access to services and resources, other more inclusive definitions may apply (e.g. Indian Education Act, tribal definitions, etc.). 		 
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  PROCEDURES

Written instructions that outline the steps for performing a task(s) or operationalizing an administrative or service delivery process. A procedure can be written as a step-by-step set of instructions or as a narrative description of a process. A procedure tells someone how to do something not just what to do.

Unlike policies, procedures do not need to be approved or reviewed by the governing body, and need not be associated with a specific policy. For example, whereas a broad anti-discrimination policy requires grievance or other procedures in order to be operationalized within an organization, assessment procedures do not require a governing body approved assessment policy.

Note: Procedures are sometimes referred to as administrative policies.

  
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  CASE

A general term used to designate clients (including individuals, families, and groups) served by an organization for purposes of monitoring the provision of services. A foster care case is generally based on the placement of an individual child, although casework for the child may include services to the child's family. A child protective services case is based on an entire family household if a family assessment model is used; otherwise a case is defined as a child.		  
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  CLIENT

See service recipient.		  
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  ASSESSMENT

An evaluation, which utilizes professional expertise and skills in the collection and analysis of data to understand and describe the nature of service needs of an individual, family, or group. Assessment, as in needs assessment, is also used to determine priorities of program planning and service development for the organization as a whole. See also DIAGNOSIS.		  
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  CASELOAD

The aggregate number of clients and/or consumers of service (including individuals, families, and groups) for whom a given employee is responsible. See also WORKLOAD 		 
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Kinship Care Services
  
Private Org Public Agency  

KC 16: Personnel

 
Personnel are qualified, and receive support, to promote the safety and well-being of children and families, and facilitate permanency within established timeframes.
Interpretation: KC 16 refers to employees only. Kinship caregivers are not considered personnel.
Note: When the organization is unable to fully implement one or more of the standards within this section, intensive efforts should be made to fully implement the other standards. For example, if the organization is unable to recruit workers with specific qualifications, it can ensure that appropriate supervision and workload standards are implemented.

KC 16.01

 

Kinship care workers are qualified by:

  1. an advanced degree in social work or a comparable human service field; or
  2. a bachelor’s degree in social work or a comparable human service field withtwo years of related experience.
Note: Research has shown that workers with MSW and BSW degrees receive higher ratings on quality assurance scales and on state merit examinations. Additionally, while it may be more expensive to hire workers with MSWs, there should be a cost savings in the reduced amount of training and supervision that would be required for such workers.

KC 16.02

 
Supervisors are qualified by an advanced degree in social work or another comparable human service field, and 2 years experience working with children and families, preferably in kinship care services.
related TS 3

KC 16.03

 
Supervisors or experienced workers provide additional support when personnel are new or are still developing competencies.

KC 16.04

 

Kinship care workers have the competencies and support needed to:

  1. help children and families, including Indian families, plan for and adjust to transitions;
  2. protect family privacy and promote caregiver autonomy;
  3. help families manage conflict;
  4. provide support to older caregivers; and
  5. support family reunification or another permanent living arrangement.
related TS 1,  TS 2
Interpretation: Competency can be demonstrated through education, training, or experience.

KC 16.05

 

Kinship care workers and supervisors, depending on job responsibilities, are knowledgeable about provisions of the Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA) including:

  1. the importance of ICWA and special considerations for working with Indian children;
  2. the identification of Indian children;
  3. determination of jurisdiction;
  4. appropriate notice and collaboration with the child's tribe;
  5. placement preferences that support the child's connection to their native culture and heritage;
  6. active efforts requirements to reunify families; and
  7. court procedures.
related TS 1,  TS 2
Interpretation: The organization can consider the average number of cases where the Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA) applies when determining which personnel need to be trained. Screening personnel must be trained on the relevant provisions of ICWA.
NA The organization only provides informal kinship care services.

KC 16.06

 

Employee workloads support the achievement of client outcomes, are regularly reviewed, and are based on an assessment of the following:

  1. the qualifications, competencies, and experiences of the worker including the level of supervision needed;
  2. the work and time required to accomplish assigned tasks including those associated with individual caseloads and other organizational responsibilities;
  3. service elements provided by other team members or collaborating providers; and
  4. service volume, accounting for the complexity and status of each case.

Interpretation: Case complexity can take into account: intensity of child and family needs, size of the family, and the goal of the case. Generally, caseloads do not exceed 18 children or 8 children with special therapeutic needs. However, there are circumstances under which caseloads may exceed these limits. For example, caseload size may vary depending upon the volume of administrative case functions (e.g., entering notes, filing, etc.) assigned to the worker. Caseloads may also be higher when organizations are faced with temporary vacancies on staff.

Note: The evaluation of this standard will focus on whether the assigned workload is manageable for staff, taking into account the factors cited in the standard and interpretation. The specific caseload sizes stated in the interpretation are only a suggestion of what might be appropriate. Each organization should determine what caseload size is appropriate, and reviewers will evaluate: (1) whether the organization’s designated caseload size reflects a manageable workload, and (2) whether the organization maintains caseloads of the size it deemed appropriate.
Research Note: Staff retention literature attributes large caseloads and time consuming paperwork to high turnover rates in the child welfare field. Timely reunification is less likely when the organization has a high worker turnover rate. A manageable workload enables a worker to conduct home visits where they can build positive relationships and regularly assess the safety of the child. A system for assigning caseloads can be developed with input from staff members, time study data, and case studies of workers achieving positive outcomes.
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PURPOSE: Kinship Care Services maintain the family system as the primary source of care and preserve the continuity of care, culture, relationships, and environment essential for child safety and well-being.
 
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