2024 Edition

Child and Family Services Definition

Purpose

Child and Family Services improve family functioning, promote child and family well-being, protect children’s safety, stablilize and strengthen families, and ensure permanency.

Definition

The Child and Family Services Standards include an array of services needed to promote family stability and ensure child safety, permanency, and well-being. Agency functions typically include the following:
  • Reports of suspected child maltreatment are received, screened, and investigated or assessed.
  • When a case is opened and children are able to remain at home with their families, the agency monitors the safety of children and helps parents stabilize their families, fulfill their parental roles and responsibilities, and gain the skills and resources needed to keep the family together in the future.
  • When necessary, the agency separates children from their families as a protective intervention and arranges for appropriate out-of-home care. Out-of-home care settings include: 
    • Family Foster Care, which is provided by foster parents who volunteer to bring children into their families and give them opportunities for family and community living. Foster parents always care for children in the custody of the agency.
    • Kinship Care, which is the full-time care of children by relatives, members of tribes or clans, or anyone to whom a family relationship is ascribed. Kinship caregivers may provide care through arrangements made privately or informally in the family, or through arrangements made with the involvement and oversight of the agency.  In some jurisdictions or circumstances, kin may serve as foster parents.  
    • Treatment Foster Care, which provides a therapeutic family environment and intensive clinical services for children whose medical, developmental, or psychiatric needs cannot be met in traditional family foster care, or who may be transitioning from a more intensive care setting, such as residential treatment, the juvenile justice system, or a hospital. With the support of a multidisciplinary treatment team, specially trained resource families provide nurturing care and treatment-based interventions that promote improved functioning. In some jurisdictions, treatment foster parents may be paid professionals, or kin may serve as treatment foster parents.
    • Residential Treatment Programs, when children are in need of short- or long-term structured medical or behavioral/mental health treatment and no other appropriate and more family-like setting is possible.
  • While children are separated from their homes and families, the agency provides services, supports, and monitoring to ensure that children’s needs are met and facilitate family reunification.
  • When children are separated from their families and reunification is no longer an option, the agency collaborates with children, their families, and resource families to facilitate permanency through adoption or guardianship.

Interpretation

 Agencies should be familiar with the relevant legal requirements of the Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA), which govern child welfare proceedings involving American Indian and Alaska Native children in state child welfare systems. To ensure compliance with ICWA, agencies must have established procedures for determining if children are members or eligible for membership in a federally recognized tribe, include tribal representatives throughout all aspects of service delivery in cases to which ICWA applies, and determine their role in the context of tribal-state child welfare agreements, ICWA, and any relevant state laws pertaining specifically to Indian child welfare. 

  • Note: The following definitions apply throughout this section of standards:The term “children” includes infants, toddlers, school-age children, and youth, including youth in care after age eighteen. The term “youth” is used only when standards refer to older children, generally fourteen years old and up. 
  • The terms “parent” and “family” typically refer to a child’s biological parents and/or family of origin, but can also refer to anyone who is the child’s guardian or primary caregiver prior to agency involvement. For example, while core concepts addressing “Services for Parents” and “Family Reunification” are typically for birth parents, they can also be applicable to other primary caregivers from whom the child was separated due to maltreatment concerns. “Parent” and “family” are also used to refer to adoptive parents and families and legal guardians in the core concepts that refer to expectations and supports for these families. However, the term “family” is typically not intended to include “resource families,” which are defined separately below, except when referencing the extended family that may include related kinship caregivers.  
  • The terms “resource parent” and “resource family” refer to foster parents, formal and informal kinship caregivers, and treatment foster parents, as well as prospective adoptive parents and guardians. When standards address practice requirements relevant only to certain sub-groups of resource parents (e.g., kinship caregivers, or treatment foster parents), this is indicated in the language of the standard.

Note:Please see CFS Reference List for the research that informed the development of these standards. 


​​​​​​Note: For information about changes made in the 2020 Edition, please see PA-CFS Crosswalk. 

2024 Edition

Child and Family Services (PA-CFS) 1: Person-Centered Logic Model

The agency implements a program logic model that describes how resources and program activities will support the achievement of positive outcomes for children and families. 

Note: Please see the Logic Model Template for additional guidance on this standard.  

1
Full Implementation, Outstanding Performance
A rating of (1) indicates that the agency's practices fully meet the standard and reflect a high level of capacity.  
  • All elements or requirements outlined in the standard are evident in practice, with rare or no exceptions; exceptions do not impact service quality or agency performance. 
2
Substantial Implementation, Good Performance
A rating of (2) indicates that an agency's infrastructure and practices are basically sound but there is room for improvement. 
  • The majority of the standards requirements have been met and the basic framework required by the standard has been implemented.  
  • Minor inconsistencies and not yet fully developed practices are noted; however, these do not significantly impact service quality or agency performance.  
3
Partial Implementation, Concerning Performance
A rating of (3) indicates that the agency's observed infrastructure and/or practices require significant improvement.  
  • The agency has not implemented the basic framework of the standard but instead has in place only part of this framework.   
  • Omissions or exceptions to the practices outlined in the standard occur regularly, or practices are implemented in a cursory or haphazard manner. 
  • Service quality or agency functioning may be compromised.   
  • Capacity is at a basic level.
4
Unsatisfactory Implementation or Performance
A rating of (4) indicates that implementation of the standard is minimal or there is no evidence of implementation at all.  
  • The agency’s observed service delivery infrastructure and practices are weak or non-existent; or show signs of neglect, stagnation, or deterioration.  
 

PA-CFS 1.01

A program logic model, or equivalent framework, identifies:

  1. needs the program will address;
  2. available human, financial, agency, and community resources (i.e. inputs);
  3. program activities intended to bring about desired results;
  4. program outputs (i.e. the size and scope of services delivered); 
  5. desired outcomes (i.e. the changes you expect to see in persons served); and
  6. expected long-term impact on the agency, community, and/or system.

Examples: Please see the W.K. Kellogg Foundation Logic Model Development Guide and COA Accreditation’s PQI Tool Kit for more information on developing and using program logic models. 


Examples: Information that may be used to inform the development of the program logic model includes, but is not limited to: needs assessments and periodic reassessments; 

  1. risks assessments conducted for specific interventions; 
  2. the voices of children, families, resource families, and community partners;
  3. the social and cultural context of the community served; and 
  4. the best available evidence of service effectiveness.
 

PA-CFS 1.02

The logic model identifies individual outcomes in at least two of the following areas:

  1. change in clinical status;
  2. change in functional status;
  3. health, welfare, and safety;
  4. permanency of life situation; 
  5. quality of life; 
  6. achievement of individual service goals; and 
  7. other outcomes as appropriate to the program or service population.

Interpretation: Outcomes data should be disaggregated to identify patterns of disparity or inequity that can be masked by aggregate data reporting. See PA-PQI 5.02 for more information on disaggregating data to track and monitor identified outcomes. 

Examples: Outcomes that align with nationally recognized indicators of quality in the areas of prevention, safety, permanency, and well-being include, but are not limited to:
  1. percentage of cases in which the provision of in-home services prevented the need for out-of-home care;
  2. percentage of cases in which family relationships and connections were preserved;
  3. percentage of families with increased economic or housing stability;
  4. percentage of children with improved behavioral, social, cognitive, and/or physical functioning;
  5. percentage of parents with improved mental and/or physical health;
  6. percentage of cases in which families were successful reunified following out-of-home care;
  7. percentage of children who transitioned to a less restrictive setting;
  8. percentage of children who have attained appropriate educational levels or milestones;
  9. percentage of cases in which placements remained permanent and stable;
  10. percentage of youth transitioning to adulthood with appropriate skills, permanent family resources, and support networks;
  11. number of cases of recurring maltreatment;
  12. number of cases of maltreatment-related fatalities; and
  13. percentage of children whose parents lack secure employment.
2024 Edition

Child and Family Services (PA-CFS) 2: Personnel

Program personnel have the competency and support needed to provide services that ensure the safety of children and promote the well-being of children and families. 
Interpretation:  Competency can be demonstrated through education, training, or experience. Support can be provided through supervision or other learning activities to improve understanding or skill development in specific areas.

1
Full Implementation, Outstanding Performance
A rating of (1) indicates that the agency's practices fully meet the standard and reflect a high level of capacity.  
  • All elements or requirements outlined in the standard are evident in practice, with rare or no exceptions; exceptions do not impact service quality or agency performance. 
2
Substantial Implementation, Good Performance
A rating of (2) indicates that an agency's infrastructure and practices are basically sound but there is room for improvement. 
  • The majority of the standards requirements have been met and the basic framework required by the standard has been implemented.  
  • Minor inconsistencies and not yet fully developed practices are noted; however, these do not significantly impact service quality or agency performance.  
3
Partial Implementation, Concerning Performance
A rating of (3) indicates that the agency's observed infrastructure and/or practices require significant improvement.  
  • The agency has not implemented the basic framework of the standard but instead has in place only part of this framework.   
  • Omissions or exceptions to the practices outlined in the standard occur regularly, or practices are implemented in a cursory or haphazard manner. 
  • Service quality or agency functioning may be compromised.   
  • Capacity is at a basic level.
4
Unsatisfactory Implementation or Performance
A rating of (4) indicates that implementation of the standard is minimal or there is no evidence of implementation at all.  
  • The agency’s observed service delivery infrastructure and practices are weak or non-existent; or show signs of neglect, stagnation, or deterioration.  
 

PA-CFS 2.01

Workers are appropriately qualified in accordance with union contracts and/or civil service requirements, when applicable.
Interpretation: COA recommends the following worker qualifications: 
  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 with two years of related experience.
 

PA-CFS 2.02

Supervisors are appropriately qualified in accordance with union contracts and/or civil service requirements.
Interpretation:  COA recommends that supervisors possess an advanced degree in social work or a comparable human service field and two years of experience working with children and families, preferably in child welfare.

Additional support in the form of monthly clinical consultation should be provided for supervisors in treatment foster care programs who do not have an appropriate advanced degree or sufficient experience.
 
 

PA-CFS 2.03

All direct service personnel are trained on, or demonstrate competency in: 

  1. empowering, supporting, and mentoring parents and children; 
  2. responding to the diverse needs and characteristics of children in care including those related to race, ethnicity, culture, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, and ability; 
  3. engaging and motivating individuals who may be disengaged or difficult to reach;
  4. assessing risk and safety;
  5. conducting comprehensive assessments of strengths, needs, and protective factors;
  6. collaborating with families to develop effective service plans;
  7. conducting well-planned, quality home visits that focus on issues pertinent to safety and service delivery;
  8. preventing and intervening in stressful and crisis situations;
  9. understanding child development, including child and adolescent brain development; 
  10. understanding individual and family functioning, including family systems and ecological perspectives;
  11. understanding and collaborating with the different organizations, agencies, and systems likely to serve or encounter children and families, including the behavioral health, health, educational, and justice systems; 
  12. evaluating progress on identified goals and the continued need for services;
  13. facilitating permanency, family connections, and community supports;
  14. following agency protocols for responding to allegations of maltreatment in resource homes or residential treatment programs; and
  15. understanding immigration law and enforcement policies. 
 

PA-CFS 2.04

All direct service personnel who collaborate with resource families are trained on, or demonstrate competency in: 

  1. recruiting, assessing, and engaging resource parents;
  2. helping resource families to meet the needs of the children in their care and provide a physically and psychologically safe, nondiscriminatory, and nurturing environment; 
  3. providing timely and responsive support to resource families; and
  4. facilitating relationships between birth parents and resource families, when appropriate.
Interpretation: Personnel responsible for conducting resource parent assessments (as per PA-CFS 23) should receive initial and periodic training on how to conduct these assessments in order to reinforce the consistent application of the methods. 
NA The agency does not work with resource families.
 

PA-CFS 2.05

All direct service personnel who support expectant and parenting youth are trained on, or demonstrate competency in: 
  1. presenting information in a manner that will resonate with expectant and parenting youth;
  2. addressing the dual developmental needs of adolescents and young children;
  3. promoting youths’ transition to adulthood while parenting; and
  4. facilitating father involvement when appropriate and feasible.
 

PA-CFS 2.06

All direct service personnel who arrange adoptions are trained on, or demonstrate competency in: 
  1. facilitating adoptions that meet applicable legal requirements;
  2. providing support to persons affected by adoption to cope with social and emotional issues;
  3. facilitating adoptions for children with special needs; and
  4. maintaining and protecting confidential information and assisting persons served to access information, as outlined by applicable law.
NA The agency does not provide adoption services.
 
Fundamental Practice

PA-CFS 2.07

Workers and supervisors, depending on job responsibilities, are trained on, or demonstrate competency in, relevant provisions of the Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA), including:  
  1. the importance of ICWA and special considerations for working with American Indian and Alaska Native children; 
  2. the identification of American Indian and Alaska Native children; 
  3. determination of jurisdiction; 
  4. appropriate notice and collaboration with children's tribes; 
  5. placement preferences that support children's connections to their native culture and heritage; 
  6. active efforts requirements to prevent separation and reunify families;
  7. processes for, and alternatives to, terminating parental rights; and 
  8. court procedures.
Interpretation: All child welfare personnel should be trained in the basic requirements of ICWA and informed of the cultural norms and historical trauma associated with Indian tribes, and staff in specialized service units (e.g., intake or permanency planning) should receive additional specialized training.  All screening personnel must be trained on how to identify children with American Indian or Alaska Native heritage.  
 

PA-CFS 2.08

The agency minimizes the number of workers assigned to the family over the course of their contact with the agency by:
  1. assigning a worker at intake or early in the contact; and
  2. avoiding the arbitrary or indiscriminate reassignment of direct service personnel.

Examples: Agencies can strive to minimize the number of workers assigned to the family by, for example: (a) examining any policies or procedures that require families to be passed from one specialty worker to another as they move through the system; (b) addressing factors that may contribute to personnel turnover (e.g., by ensuring caseloads are reasonable and providing appropriate training, supervision, and support); and (c) establishing transition procedures for internal turnover (e.g. limiting case reassignment due to promotions or other role changes).

Organizations providing both traditional and treatment foster care can promote continuity during level of care transitions by instituting: (a) blended caseloads; (b) cross-training; and/or (c) team lead or dyad supervision models. 
 

PA-CFS 2.09

Caseloads support the achievement of child and family outcomes, are regularly reviewed, and generally do not exceed:
  1. 12 active investigations at a time, including no more than 8 new investigations per month;
  2. 15-17 families receiving ongoing in-home services; 
  3. 12-15 children in out-of-home care, and their families;
  4. 8 children in treatment foster care, and their families; and
  5. 12-25 families when arranging adoptions or guardianships.
Interpretation:  When workers manage a blend of case types, caseloads should be weighted and adjusted accordingly.  For example, a worker conducting 4 active investigations should not simultaneously be responsible for more than 10-11 families receiving ongoing in-home services, and a worker for both children in out-of-home care and intact families should have no more than 15 total families with no more than 10 children in out-of-home care.
 
There are circumstances under which caseloads may exceed these limits.  For example, caseloads may be higher when agencies are faced with temporary staff vacancies, or if administrative case functions (e.g., entering notes, filing, etc.) are assigned to other personnel.  New personnel should not carry independent caseloads prior to the completion of training.
 

Examples:  Factors that may be considered when determining employee workloads include, but are not limited to:
  1. the qualifications, competencies, and experience of the worker, including the level of supervision needed; 
  2. whether services are provided by multiple professionals or team members;
  3. case complexity and circumstances, including the intensity of child and family needs, the size of the family, travel time, and the goal of the case;
  4. case status, including progress toward achievement of desired outcomes;
  5. the work and time required to accomplish assigned tasks, including those associated with caseloads and other job responsibilities; and
  6. service volume.
 

PA-CFS 2.10

Supervisory personnel familiar with the needs of children and families are available to direct service personnel by telephone 24 hours a day. 
 

PA-CFS 2.11

When peer mentors provide support to birth parents or resource parents, the agency: 
  1. clearly defines the role and responsibilities of the mentors;
  2. establishes guidelines for the recruitment of prospective mentors, including how much time must elapse before a former client is eligible for the role;
  3. carefully screens prospective mentors to ensure they are a good fit for the program;
  4. trains mentors to fulfill their roles; and
  5. provides ongoing support and supervision to ensure that mentors have the skills they need, address any issues that arise, and respond to signs of trauma among mentors.
NA The agency does not use peer mentors to provide services.

Examples: Responsibilities of peer mentors may include: providing non-judgmental social and emotional support; facilitating family engagement in services; helping families understand and navigate the child welfare system, foster parent certification process, or adoption process; connecting families to needed resources; helping families advocate appropriately for themselves; and/or supporting recruitment and outreach efforts to prospective resource families. 
2024 Edition

Child and Family Services (PA-CFS) 3: Screening

Reports of child maltreatment are screened and evaluated in a prompt and consistent manner.
NA The agency does not provide child abuse/neglect hotline services or initial child abuse/neglect screening.

1
Full Implementation, Outstanding Performance
A rating of (1) indicates that the agency's practices fully meet the standard and reflect a high level of capacity.  
  • All elements or requirements outlined in the standard are evident in practice, with rare or no exceptions; exceptions do not impact service quality or agency performance. 
2
Substantial Implementation, Good Performance
A rating of (2) indicates that an agency's infrastructure and practices are basically sound but there is room for improvement. 
  • The majority of the standards requirements have been met and the basic framework required by the standard has been implemented.  
  • Minor inconsistencies and not yet fully developed practices are noted; however, these do not significantly impact service quality or agency performance.  
3
Partial Implementation, Concerning Performance
A rating of (3) indicates that the agency's observed infrastructure and/or practices require significant improvement.  
  • The agency has not implemented the basic framework of the standard but instead has in place only part of this framework.   
  • Omissions or exceptions to the practices outlined in the standard occur regularly, or practices are implemented in a cursory or haphazard manner. 
  • Service quality or agency functioning may be compromised.   
  • Capacity is at a basic level.
4
Unsatisfactory Implementation or Performance
A rating of (4) indicates that implementation of the standard is minimal or there is no evidence of implementation at all.  
  • The agency’s observed service delivery infrastructure and practices are weak or non-existent; or show signs of neglect, stagnation, or deterioration.  
 
Fundamental Practice

PA-CFS 3.01

The agency:
  1. maintains a 24-hour access line to receive reports of suspected child abuse and neglect; and
  2. conducts ongoing education and outreach addressing how to recognize and report cases of suspected child abuse and neglect. 
Interpretation: Education and outreach should address:
  1. state statutes and agency guidelines related to child maltreatment, and the types of cases that should be reported to child protective services;
  2. the type of information needed in a report; and 
  3. how to file a report.  
 
Fundamental Practice

PA-CFS 3.02

When a report of suspected abuse or neglect is received, the agency obtains: 
  1. information needed to identify and locate the child and family;
  2. an account of the alleged maltreatment, including any imminent risks that might require an immediate response or referral to law enforcement;
  3. a description of the child, including condition, behavior, and functioning;
  4. a description of the alleged perpetrator, including condition, behavior, functioning, and history;
  5. a description of the family as a whole, including family members, dynamics, functioning, and supports; and
  6. information regarding any other safety concerns or hazards.
Interpretation: The description of the alleged perpetrator and the family should include attention to both general parenting skills and disciplinary practices, as well as any presence or history of domestic violence.
 

PA-CFS 3.03

Reporters of abuse and neglect are informed about: 
  1. the agency's responsibilities, including protection of reporters’ identities;
  2. the process for screening and investigation;
  3. whether reporters can have any ongoing role in the screening or investigation process; and
  4. the result of the screening or investigation, unless prohibited by law or court order.

Examples: Methods for informing reporters about the result of the screening or investigation may vary. For example, while some jurisdictions may require active follow-up with reporters, others may expect reporters to call back to the hotline if they wish to find out about the results of the process. 
 
Fundamental Practice

PA-CFS 3.04

Within 24 hours of receiving a report, standardized decision-making criteria and supervisory/clinical consultation are used to determine if a report meets the state’s statutory definition of child maltreatment and if it will be: 
  1. accepted for agency response;
  2. screened out; and/or
  3. reported to other authorities.
Interpretation: Procedures should include provisions for expedited decision-making when the information reported indicates that an immediate response, or an immediate referral to law enforcement, may be necessary.

Examples: Some agencies may establish differential response systems whereby they employ two different pathways for responding to reports of child abuse and neglect based on the severity of the allegation - a traditional "investigation" track for more serious maltreatment allegations, or an alternative "assessment" track for lower-risk cases.
 
Fundamental Practice

PA-CFS 3.05

When reports are accepted for CPS response, standardized decision-making criteria and supervisory/clinical consultation are used to establish how quickly the agency should respond to the referral, based on the family’s situation and the nature of the alleged maltreatment.

Note: See PA-CFS 4.01 for more information regarding timeframes for the initial visit with the child. 
 
Fundamental Practice

PA-CFS 3.06

The agency identifies American Indian and Alaska Native children and has a process to ensure outreach and collaboration with the tribe or Indian organization to:  
  1. determine jurisdiction; 
  2. ensure compliance with the Indian Child Welfare Act; 
  3. provide families with information regarding their rights under the Indian Child Welfare Act; 
  4. facilitate their participation in the investigation, safety planning, assessment, and service planning to determine the most appropriate plans for children and families; and 
  5. maintain connections between children, their extended family, and their tribes.
Interpretation: The agency should have established procedures for identifying American Indian and Alaska Native children to determine if the child or his/her biological parent(s) are members of a federally recognized tribe, or if the child is eligible for membership in a federally recognized tribe. Physical appearance, blood quantum, and perceived presence or absence of cultural cues within the family are not appropriate determinants of ICWA applicability. The agency should document efforts to identify and contact children’s tribes, and if tribes are unknown, the agency should contact the regional office of the Bureau of Indian Affairs to identify, locate, and notify the child's tribe. 
2024 Edition

Child and Family Services (PA-CFS) 4: Initial Assessment of Safety and Risk

An initial assessment or investigation allows the agency to evaluate safety and risks, and determine whether ongoing efforts are needed to protect children and strengthen families.
Interpretation: The agency should refer to tribal-state agreements, the Indian Child Welfare Act, and the Indian Child Protection and Family Violence Prevention Act to determine investigative roles and responsibilities, and to ensure the investigation or assessment complies with all necessary legal requirements and includes tribal participation if provided for by protocol or agreement. 

Interpretation: While most agencies will complete “investigations,” the standards in this core concept can also apply when an agency employs a differential response system and assigns some cases to an alternative “assessment” track rather than to a traditional “investigation” track.
 
NA The agency does not provide initial in-person child abuse/neglect investigations or assessments.

1
Full Implementation, Outstanding Performance
A rating of (1) indicates that the agency's practices fully meet the standard and reflect a high level of capacity.  
  • All elements or requirements outlined in the standard are evident in practice, with rare or no exceptions; exceptions do not impact service quality or agency performance. 
2
Substantial Implementation, Good Performance
A rating of (2) indicates that an agency's infrastructure and practices are basically sound but there is room for improvement. 
  • The majority of the standards requirements have been met and the basic framework required by the standard has been implemented.  
  • Minor inconsistencies and not yet fully developed practices are noted; however, these do not significantly impact service quality or agency performance.  
3
Partial Implementation, Concerning Performance
A rating of (3) indicates that the agency's observed infrastructure and/or practices require significant improvement.  
  • The agency has not implemented the basic framework of the standard but instead has in place only part of this framework.   
  • Omissions or exceptions to the practices outlined in the standard occur regularly, or practices are implemented in a cursory or haphazard manner. 
  • Service quality or agency functioning may be compromised.   
  • Capacity is at a basic level.
4
Unsatisfactory Implementation or Performance
A rating of (4) indicates that implementation of the standard is minimal or there is no evidence of implementation at all.  
  • The agency’s observed service delivery infrastructure and practices are weak or non-existent; or show signs of neglect, stagnation, or deterioration.  
 
Fundamental Practice

PA-CFS 4.01

In an effort to keep children safe:
  1. every child determined during screening to be in imminent danger is seen immediately; and 
  2. in all other cases, children are seen within a timeframe intended to ensure their safety, generally within 72 hours. 
Interpretation: In some cases, authority to make an initial in-person visit may be delegated to other professionals, such as law enforcement officials. When contact is delegated child protection personnel should provide appropriate follow-up. 
 
Fundamental Practice

PA-CFS 4.02

At the first meeting parents are helped to understand:  
  1. their rights and responsibilities; 
  2. the allegations under investigation; 
  3. the role of agency personnel and any other involved providers; and
  4. the assessment or investigation process, including how safety and risk will be evaluated, and how it is determined whether a case will be opened or closed.
Related Standards:
 
Fundamental Practice

PA-CFS 4.03

At the outset and conclusion of the assessment/investigation the agency conducts a systematic safety assessment to determine whether children are in imminent danger of serious harm, considering:
  1. threats of danger in the family;
  2. children’s vulnerability to those threats; and
  3. caregivers’ capacity to protect the children from threats. 
Interpretation: When children are vulnerable to a threat and caregivers are unable or unwilling to protect the children, the children are considered unsafe.  In contrast, vulnerable children are considered safe when no threats of danger exist, or when caregivers are capable of controlling or managing any threats that do exist.
 
Fundamental Practice

PA-CFS 4.04

A systematic assessment of family risks and protective factors enables the agency to determine the likelihood that children will be abused or neglected in the future. 
Interpretation: “Risk,” as addressed in this standard, is considered to be distinct from “safety,“ as addressed in PA-CFS 4.03 above. Whereas safety is the danger of serious harm in the short-term, risk represents the likelihood of future harm. Accordingly, while safety concerns require an immediate response to ensure that children are protected, the risk of future harm can be addressed over time with services designed to promote long-term change.

Examples: Since clinical judgments of risk can vary, using actuarial risk assessment tools may help estimate the risk of future maltreatment. For example, the Structured Decision-Making model utilizes a risk assessment tool that classifies families as having a "high," "medium," or "low" risk of future maltreatment based on research exploring the relationship between family characteristics and child welfare case outcomes. 
 
Fundamental Practice

PA-CFS 4.05

The process for initial assessment or investigation includes: 
  1. visiting the family’s home, as well as any other location where the abuse/neglect allegedly occurs;
  2. conducting separate, individual interviews with all family members, including both the alleged victim and perpetrator of the maltreatment, as well as any other children and adults living in, or frequent visitors to, the home;
  3. observing family members and their interactions; and
  4. observing the physical status of the family’s home.
Interpretation: Although extenuating circumstances may occur, interviews should ideally be conducted in the following order:
  1.  the alleged victim of the maltreatment; 
  2. any other children in the home; 
  3. the non-maltreating adults; and
  4. the alleged perpetrator of the maltreatment.
When interviewing young children the agency should utilize age-appropriate tools and techniques in an effort to minimize both potential suggestibility and the trauma of the process. 
 

PA-CFS 4.06

The agency provides children with information regarding the circumstances and events that led to the involvement of the child welfare system that is:
  1. appropriate to children’s ages and developmental levels;
  2. conveyed verbally, and repeated as needed; and
  3. provided in writing when appropriate to children’s ages and developmental levels.
 

PA-CFS 4.07

Information is gathered from other sources that may be able to provide insight regarding factors related to risk and safety, as appropriate and in accordance with any applicable legal requirements.

Examples: Other sources may include both sources that are familiar with the family (e.g., extended family, neighbors, teachers, day care providers, medical or mental health care providers, and the person who initially reported the child maltreatment) as well as professionals who may conduct their own evaluations related to the alleged maltreatment (e.g., medical or mental health care practitioners, or domestic violence experts). 
 

PA-CFS 4.08

In an effort to reduce trauma to children and families, the process for initial assessment or investigation is designed to:
  1. minimize duplication; and
  2. assume the presence of trauma, and foster a trauma-sensitive approach to engagement. 

 

Examples:  Interacting with the child welfare system can be a trauma reminder that leads to challenging behaviors that are actually a defensive or protective reaction to agency involvement, such as anger, avoidance, apathy, or resistance.  A trauma-sensitive approach to engagement can include addressing these behaviors/reactions in an appropriate manner, and ensuring that interactions with children and families are sensitive and responsive to any history of trauma.  
 
Fundamental Practice

PA-CFS 4.09

The worker uses standardized decision-making protocols, in conjunction with supervisory/clinical consultation, to consider the results of risk and safety assessments and determine whether to:  
  1. close a case; 
  2. close and refer a case to community providers; or 
  3. open a case for ongoing services. 
Interpretation:  Regarding element (b), when a case involves an American Indian or Alaska Native child services offered by the tribe or local Indian organization should be prioritized.

Examples: Ongoing services may be delivered directly by the agency, or delivered by a contracted provider and monitored by the agency.
 

PA-CFS 4.10

When the agency collaborates with law enforcement or other parties to respond to allegations of child maltreatment: 
  1. roles and responsibilities are clearly defined; and
  2. information is shared between parties, as appropriate and in accordance with applicable law and regulation.
Related Standards:
 

PA-CFS 4.11

When assessment or investigation reveals that an initial maltreatment report was deliberately and maliciously filed by a person who knew the allegation to be false, the agency: 
  1. tracks the incident; and
  2. refers the incident to relevant authorities for further investigation and follow-up, as appropriate.

Examples: False reporting may be especially prevalent in situations involving domestic violence or custody battles between divorcing spouses.
 

PA-CFS 4.12

Initial assessments and investigations are completed in a timely manner and at least within forty-five days, in accordance with agency procedures, which outline: 
  1. timeframes for conducting and completing assessments/investigations; and
  2. weekly milestones and deliverables in the assessment/investigation process, including which components are to be completed within thirty days. 
2024 Edition

Child and Family Services (PA-CFS) 5: Safety Planning

When children are unsafe at home with their families, the agency immediately institutes plans to protect them. 
Interpretation: When children are determined to be unsafe during the initial assessment, safety planning may happen prior to the initial assessment of risk in order to ensure that children are protected while the investigation proceeds. Plans may also be developed later if safety threats are discovered during the course of service provision. When children have been separated from their families in order to provide safety, the agency can subsequently develop safety plans to facilitate reunification even if ongoing services to reduce risk are still necessary. 

Interpretation:  When a case involves an American Indian or Alaska Native child, the child's tribe should be consulted, and resources available through the tribe or local Indian organization should be considered when developing the safety plan.  
 

1
Full Implementation, Outstanding Performance
A rating of (1) indicates that the agency's practices fully meet the standard and reflect a high level of capacity.  
  • All elements or requirements outlined in the standard are evident in practice, with rare or no exceptions; exceptions do not impact service quality or agency performance. 
2
Substantial Implementation, Good Performance
A rating of (2) indicates that an agency's infrastructure and practices are basically sound but there is room for improvement. 
  • The majority of the standards requirements have been met and the basic framework required by the standard has been implemented.  
  • Minor inconsistencies and not yet fully developed practices are noted; however, these do not significantly impact service quality or agency performance.  
3
Partial Implementation, Concerning Performance
A rating of (3) indicates that the agency's observed infrastructure and/or practices require significant improvement.  
  • The agency has not implemented the basic framework of the standard but instead has in place only part of this framework.   
  • Omissions or exceptions to the practices outlined in the standard occur regularly, or practices are implemented in a cursory or haphazard manner. 
  • Service quality or agency functioning may be compromised.   
  • Capacity is at a basic level.
4
Unsatisfactory Implementation or Performance
A rating of (4) indicates that implementation of the standard is minimal or there is no evidence of implementation at all.  
  • The agency’s observed service delivery infrastructure and practices are weak or non-existent; or show signs of neglect, stagnation, or deterioration.  
 
Fundamental Practice

PA-CFS 5.01

When assessments indicate that children are in imminent danger of serious harm, the agency immediately develops safety plans that: 
  1. specify the threats to safety;
  2. identify the people, services, and actions needed to protect children from harm;
  3. clearly establish how the interventions included in the plan will have an immediate impact in controlling any threats of danger to the children;
  4. do not rely upon the caregivers who pose the threats to keep the children safe; 
  5. include the potential results or consequences if the plan is not maintained; and
  6. are designed to be time-limited.
Interpretation: It is important to note that the safety plan should be distinct from the service plan.  While the interventions in the safety plan are intended only to control immediate threats of danger, and are not expected to impact risk of future harm, the interventions in the service plan are intended to promote behavior change that will improve the parent’s ability to keep a child safe in the long term but will not have an immediate impact on controlling danger in the present.

Examples: Safety plans may employ in-home safety strategies, out-of-home safety strategies, or a combination of the two. When establishing a plan to keep children safe at home relatives, neighbors, and service providers may be enlisted to check in on and aid the family; children may spend time in day care, after-school care, or respite care; or emergency services to meet basic needs may be provided.  For example, if a mother is depressed and cannot take care of her children, the safety plan might enlist an aunt to help the children get ready for school and drop them off at day care, and a grandmother to pick them up from day care and stay with them until bed.  An agency might also require an alleged perpetrator to leave the home, or a non-maltreating parent might be supported in moving to a safe environment with the children.  Similarly, a safety plan might require children to temporarily stay with a close relative or family friend.  At the extreme, children may be separated from their families and connected to out-of-home care. 
 

PA-CFS 5.02

Plans are designed to control threats in the least intrusive manner, keeping children at home with their families when possible, and only placing children into out-of-home care when less intrusive strategies are insufficient to protect safety.

Examples: Factors to consider when determining whether out-of-home placement can be avoided include: whether the individuals and providers responsible for providing safety services are available immediately and without the need for assessment; whether the individuals and providers responsible for providing safety services are committed to intervening at the level required to ensure safety; whether parents are willing and able to comply with the safety plan; and the stability of the home environment.
 

PA-CFS 5.03

In an effort to promote the development of strong safety plans:
  1. families are engaged in safety planning and involved in identifying potential safety strategies and resources;
  2. families are encouraged to include supportive people of their choice in safety planning, as time permits; and
  3. outside organizations and providers are involved in safety planning, when necessary and appropriate.

Examples: Supportive people of the family's choice can include, for example, extended family, friends, community members, and service providers.  

Families experiencing domestic violence can benefit from safety planning that involves a domestic violence specialist or advocate.

 
2024 Edition

Child and Family Services (PA-CFS) 6: Comprehensive Family Assessment

Children and families are engaged in an individualized, strengths-based, and culturally responsive comprehensive assessment process that guides support, services, and permanency planning.
Related Standards:

1
Full Implementation, Outstanding Performance
A rating of (1) indicates that the agency's practices fully meet the standard and reflect a high level of capacity.  
  • All elements or requirements outlined in the standard are evident in practice, with rare or no exceptions; exceptions do not impact service quality or agency performance. 
2
Substantial Implementation, Good Performance
A rating of (2) indicates that an agency's infrastructure and practices are basically sound but there is room for improvement. 
  • The majority of the standards requirements have been met and the basic framework required by the standard has been implemented.  
  • Minor inconsistencies and not yet fully developed practices are noted; however, these do not significantly impact service quality or agency performance.  
3
Partial Implementation, Concerning Performance
A rating of (3) indicates that the agency's observed infrastructure and/or practices require significant improvement.  
  • The agency has not implemented the basic framework of the standard but instead has in place only part of this framework.   
  • Omissions or exceptions to the practices outlined in the standard occur regularly, or practices are implemented in a cursory or haphazard manner. 
  • Service quality or agency functioning may be compromised.   
  • Capacity is at a basic level.
4
Unsatisfactory Implementation or Performance
A rating of (4) indicates that implementation of the standard is minimal or there is no evidence of implementation at all.  
  • The agency’s observed service delivery infrastructure and practices are weak or non-existent; or show signs of neglect, stagnation, or deterioration.  
 

PA-CFS 6.01

The assessment process is initiated in a timely manner and completed within established timeframes.
Interpretation: The assessment should be completed within a timeframe that facilitates the development of a service plan within 30 days of the date a case is opened, as addressed in PA-CFS 7.01. When children are separated from their families before the assessment is initiated it will be especially important to initiate the assessment process in a timely manner, ideally within 72 hours of separation.  When children will be placed in treatment foster care and are separated from their families before the assessment is initiated, the assessment process should begin on the day of placement. 
 

PA-CFS 6.02

Families participate in an individualized, strengths-based, culturally and linguistically responsive comprehensive assessment that is designed to: 
  1. engage all immediate family members, including absent fathers, when applicable and possible; 
  2. identify and involve extended family and other supports and service providers, whenever possible; 
  3. include the child and family’s telling of their own story; 
  4. explore the pathway that has led to the family’s involvement with the child welfare system, including individual and family functioning over time and any historical factors that have contributed to the concerns identified in the initial assessment of risk and safety; 
  5. determine the specific challenges, factors, and patterns that lead to child maltreatment in the family’s daily life;
  6. learn about times the family managed challenging situations successfully, and identify competencies and resources family members can utilize to promote change and reduce the risk of maltreatment; and
  7. identify barriers to change. 

Interpretation: The Assessment Matrix - Private, Public, Canadian, Network determines which level of assessment is required for COA’s Service Sections. The assessment elements of the Matrix can be tailored according to the needs of specific individuals or service design.


Interpretation: The assessment process should be adapted based on the characteristics and needs of families, as necessary and appropriate. For example, engagement strategies should account for and accommodate family dynamics and histories, particularly when kin are caring for children; the process for engaging family members should be adapted to protect the safety of domestic violence victims, as needed; and if fathers are absent the agency should make a diligent attempt to locate them. Family participation in the assessment process may not be possible when the agency is serving children with limited family involvement or unaccompanied minors. 

Examples: Allowing the child and family to tell their own story can facilitate a better understanding of: (1) individual family members' experiences and perspectives, (2) how the family functions as a whole, and (3) how the family is impacted by the broader community.

Given that parents may be reluctant to tell their own story due to stigma, cultural norms, and concerns that the information they provide will be used against them, it may be helpful to provide parents with multiple opportunities to tell their story, over time, as trust is gradually established.
 
Fundamental Practice

PA-CFS 6.03

Assessments explore parents’ strengths, needs, and functioning related to the following areas and their impact on parenting capacity:  
  1. family relationships, dynamics, and functioning, including any presence or history of domestic violence, child abuse or neglect, or human trafficking;
  2. informal and social supports, including relationships with extended family and community members, as well as connections to community and cultural resources;
  3. trauma exposure and related symptoms;
  4. ability to meet basic financial needs and obtain adequate housing, food, and clothing;
  5. physical health and behavioral health;
  6. educational and vocational development and attainment; and
  7. parenting and disciplinary practices.
Interpretation: Standardized and evidence-based assessment tools are recommended to inform decision-making in a structured manner and objectively gather data across cases.   

Interpretation: Regarding element (c), the expectation of this standard is that personnel will conduct a screening to identify trauma exposure and reactions and arrange for a follow-up trauma-focused assessment when needed. Clinical trauma assessment must be provided by appropriately trained clinicians.
 
 
Fundamental Practice

PA-CFS 6.04

Assessments explore children’s strengths, needs, and functioning related to the following areas:  
  1. physical health, including any chronic health problems;
  2. emotional stability and adjustment;
  3. behavior, including any risk of harm to self or others;
  4. education and cognitive development, including school readiness;
  5. family relationships, including with siblings and kin; 
  6. informal and social supports, including relationships with adults and peers in the extended family and community, as well as connections to community and cultural resources;
  7. substance use;
  8. trauma exposure and related symptoms;
  9. gender identity and sexual orientation; and
  10. any history of or exposure to domestic violence or human trafficking.
Interpretation: Regarding element (h), the expectation of this standard is that personnel will conduct a screening to identify trauma exposure and reactions, and arrange for a follow-up trauma-focused assessment when needed. Clinical trauma assessment must be provided by appropriately trained clinicians.

Regarding element (i), when exploring gender identity and sexual orientation personnel should ask open-ended questions that prompt discussion and help establish rapport, as opposed to asking direct questions. Information shared should be used to inform service planning, as well as for matching children with resource families they may be able to join, when appropriate, and should only be included in written plans when children give explicit consent.
 

Examples: Several tools are available to help identify a potential victim of human trafficking and determine the next steps toward an appropriate course of treatment. Examples of these tools include, but are not limited to, the Rapid Screening Tool for Child Trafficking and the Comprehensive Screening and Safety Tool for Child Trafficking.
2024 Edition

Child and Family Services (PA-CFS) 7: Service Planning

The agency partners with children and families to develop service plans that are the basis for the delivery of appropriate services and support.
Interpretation: Although service planning will typically build on the assessment process, in some cases, such as when emergency placements occur, the agency may be required to develop an initial service plan before conducting an assessment. In those instances, the service plan should be revised based on the results of the assessment once it has been completed. 

Interpretation: When the case involves an American Indian or Alaska Native child and family, the agency must: 
  1. give tribal or local American Indian or Alaska Native representatives an active role in all aspects of service planning, service monitoring, and service delivery, including in assessment, permanency planning, transition planning, case closing, and aftercare; and
  2. consider and prioritize culturally relevant resources available through or recommended by the tribe or local Indian organization.
Related Standards:

1
Full Implementation, Outstanding Performance
A rating of (1) indicates that the agency's practices fully meet the standard and reflect a high level of capacity.  
  • All elements or requirements outlined in the standard are evident in practice, with rare or no exceptions; exceptions do not impact service quality or agency performance. 
2
Substantial Implementation, Good Performance
A rating of (2) indicates that an agency's infrastructure and practices are basically sound but there is room for improvement. 
  • The majority of the standards requirements have been met and the basic framework required by the standard has been implemented.  
  • Minor inconsistencies and not yet fully developed practices are noted; however, these do not significantly impact service quality or agency performance.  
3
Partial Implementation, Concerning Performance
A rating of (3) indicates that the agency's observed infrastructure and/or practices require significant improvement.  
  • The agency has not implemented the basic framework of the standard but instead has in place only part of this framework.   
  • Omissions or exceptions to the practices outlined in the standard occur regularly, or practices are implemented in a cursory or haphazard manner. 
  • Service quality or agency functioning may be compromised.   
  • Capacity is at a basic level.
4
Unsatisfactory Implementation or Performance
A rating of (4) indicates that implementation of the standard is minimal or there is no evidence of implementation at all.  
  • The agency’s observed service delivery infrastructure and practices are weak or non-existent; or show signs of neglect, stagnation, or deterioration.  
 

PA-CFS 7.01

Service plans are developed within 30 days of the date a case is opened for ongoing services, and the process for service planning is expedited when a crisis or urgent need is identified. 
Interpretation: Service plans are not likely to be approved by the court in 30 days, but within this timeframe, an initial plan that identifies goals and allows for service identification and referral should be developed.  

Note:  See PA-CFS 13 for more information regarding expectations related to the court-determined permanency plan and planning for permanency, which often occurs in conjunction with service planning when children are in out-of-home care.
 

PA-CFS 7.02

Service plans are developed: 
  1. with the full participation of children and families; 
  2. with the involvement of a team of supportive people chosen by children and families; 
  3.  in collaboration with other service providers and systems involved with children and families; and
  4. with the involvement of resource families or residential treatment providers, when children are in out-of-home care.
Interpretation: Procedures for involving family members should be adapted based on the specific circumstances of children and families. For example, in cases where the child is a victim of human trafficking, the agency should be aware that the child’s parent or caregiver may be the trafficker or complicit in the trafficking. In such cases, determining the appropriate level of involvement should include the input of the child, as well as child welfare and law enforcement systems. Similarly, procedures should be adapted as needed in cases involving domestic violence to promote the safe, healthy, and active participation of all family members. For example, the agency may determine that meetings involving both the perpetrator and the victim/survivor would pose a safety risk or would limit the participation of the victim/survivor and would not be appropriate.  Family participation may not be possible when the agency is serving children with limited family involvement or unaccompanied minors. Generally, children age 6 and older should be included in service planning unless there are clinical justifications for not doing so. 

Examples: Supportive people chosen by children and families can include, for example, extended family, friends, and community members. Other service providers and systems involved with children and families may include, but are not limited to: health and mental health providers; substance use treatment providers; domestic violence advocates; educational institutions; and the judicial system, including both state and tribal courts. 
 

PA-CFS 7.03

An individualized and assessment-based service plan includes:
  1. clearly-articulated goals and desired outcomes, as well as the specific tasks and objectives that support their achievement; 
  2. strategies for addressing the needs and challenges that lead to, and stem from, abuse and neglect; 
  3. strategies for maintaining and strengthening family relationships, including when children are not living with their parents; 
  4. services and supports to be provided, by whom, and by when; 
  5. timeframes for accomplishing tasks and goals, evaluating progress, and updating plans; 
  6. clear and transparent criteria for closing the case, including conditions for return, when applicable; and
  7. the signatures of parents, children, and family teams, whenever possible. 
Interpretation: While some agencies may develop one service plan for the family as a whole, others may develop separate plans for parents and children.  

Interpretation: When children have been placed in out-of-home care, service plans should address strategies for working on challenging behaviors, including their antecedents, coping strategies, and contributing factors. For some agencies, this may include physical interventions, which should not include: 
  1. mechanical restraints;
  2. the use of drugs as a restraint or off label;
  3. the seclusion of a child in a locked room;
  4. corporal punishment;
  5. methods that interfere with the child’s right to humane care (e.g. deprivation of sleep or food); or
  6. physical restraint holds, except for a child who is at imminent risk of harm to themselves or others, if already outlined as permissible in the agency’s policy and the service plan.
Interpretation: When the child or youth is a victim of human trafficking, the agency should work with the victim to develop a safety plan that focuses on increasing physical safety by securing needed documents, property, and services; maintaining the youth’s location in confidence; and linking efficiently to law enforcement, if needed. 

Examples: Since only attending a required service is not sufficient to reduce risk and promote safety, it may be helpful to develop specific goals for behavioral change that target the issues that led to the involvement of the child welfare system, and describe what caregiver behavior will look like when changed.  
 

PA-CFS 7.04

Personnel promote commitment to services by: 
  1. providing clear, transparent, and comprehensible information that enables parents and children, according to their abilities, to understand the agency’s role, processes, concerns, and expectations, including the potential ramifications of not participating in services; 
  2. valuing family members’ input and perspectives regarding their experiences, strengths, risks, and needs; and 
  3. offering choices that respect the role of parents in the lives of their children and help family members retain a sense of control.
2024 Edition

Child and Family Services (PA-CFS) 8: Ongoing Assessment and Case Review

Ongoing assessments and evaluations of progress enable the agency to protect children’s safety, meet children’s and families’ needs, and determine when cases can be closed.
Interpretation: When the case involves an American Indian or Alaska Native child and family, the agency must provide timely notification of case reviews to tribal representatives to ensure their involvement, particularly when changes are made to the plan.
Related Standards:

Note: See PA-CFS 13 for more information regarding evaluations of progress toward permanency and the appropriateness of the permanency goal.

1
Full Implementation, Outstanding Performance
A rating of (1) indicates that the agency's practices fully meet the standard and reflect a high level of capacity.  
  • All elements or requirements outlined in the standard are evident in practice, with rare or no exceptions; exceptions do not impact service quality or agency performance. 
2
Substantial Implementation, Good Performance
A rating of (2) indicates that an agency's infrastructure and practices are basically sound but there is room for improvement. 
  • The majority of the standards requirements have been met and the basic framework required by the standard has been implemented.  
  • Minor inconsistencies and not yet fully developed practices are noted; however, these do not significantly impact service quality or agency performance.  
3
Partial Implementation, Concerning Performance
A rating of (3) indicates that the agency's observed infrastructure and/or practices require significant improvement.  
  • The agency has not implemented the basic framework of the standard but instead has in place only part of this framework.   
  • Omissions or exceptions to the practices outlined in the standard occur regularly, or practices are implemented in a cursory or haphazard manner. 
  • Service quality or agency functioning may be compromised.   
  • Capacity is at a basic level.
4
Unsatisfactory Implementation or Performance
A rating of (4) indicates that implementation of the standard is minimal or there is no evidence of implementation at all.  
  • The agency’s observed service delivery infrastructure and practices are weak or non-existent; or show signs of neglect, stagnation, or deterioration.  
 
Fundamental Practice

PA-CFS 8.01

Assessment is ongoing and formal re-assessments of strengths, needs, risk, and safety are conducted periodically, including:  
  1. as part of case reviews;
  2. for decision-making processes;
  3. when children’s or families’ circumstances change; and
  4. in accordance with any regulatory or administrative requirements, as applicable.

Examples: Assessment of family relations is often an ongoing process that begins when the worker first meets the family and continues throughout service delivery as interventions are implemented and their effects are observed.  Because disclosure of trauma often occurs gradually, organizations can consider integrating routine trauma screenings into the ongoing assessment process, and including multiple reporters, to develop a more complete understanding of the child or family's trauma history.
 
Fundamental Practice

PA-CFS 8.02

The worker and family, and supportive individuals of the family’s choosing, when appropriate: 
  1. regularly review any safety concerns that threaten children; and
  2. develop or revise safety plans, as needed.

Examples: Depending on safety threats and family circumstances it may be appropriate to develop or revise an in-home safety plan, or to place a child in out-of-home care.  In-home safety plans are not only useful in preventing out-of-home placements - they can also enable children in out-of-home care to return home if safety concerns can be managed with an in-home plan, even when ongoing services to reduce risk remain necessary.   
 

PA-CFS 8.03

The worker and family, and supportive individuals of the family’s choosing, when appropriate:  
  1. regularly review and document progress toward achievement of service goals;
  2. discuss family members’ concerns and identify any barriers to goal achievement; and
  3. sign revisions to service goals and plans.
Interpretation: When children are in out-of-home care resource families or residential treatment providers should be involved in progress reviews and sign updated service plans, with the parent’s consent when possible, unless parental rights have been terminated. 
 
Fundamental Practice

PA-CFS 8.04

The worker and a supervisor, or a clinical, service, or peer team, review the case quarterly, or more frequently depending on case status, to assess: 
  1. safety concerns and the appropriateness of safety plans;
  2. service plan implementation; 
  3. progress toward achieving service goals and desired outcomes, including permanency goals, as well as factors contributing to or impeding that progress; 
  4. the continuing appropriateness of service goals, including permanency goals; 
  5. family time plans, as applicable; and
  6. compliance with the Indian Child Welfare Act, as applicable.
Interpretation: When experienced workers are conducting reviews of their own cases, the worker’s supervisor must review a sample of the worker’s evaluations as per the requirements of the standard.  When arranging an adoption or guardianship, a review should occur weekly for infants and monthly for all other children awaiting adoption or transfer of custody.  
 
Fundamental Practice

PA-CFS 8.05

The agency considers safety, risk, and progress toward goals in making decisions regarding the status of the case, including in determining whether a case can be closed. 
Interpretation: When the permanency goal has been changed to adoption or guardianship, the case will be closed once permanency has been achieved or the youth has transitioned from the system, rather than based on an evaluation of risk and safety.
2024 Edition

Child and Family Services (PA-CFS) 9: Services for Parents

Parents receive individualized services and supports that address their needs, increase their capacities for effective parenting, and assist them in stabilizing and strengthening their families. 
Interpretation: This core concept is applicable to both parents whose children remain with them, and parents who have been separated from their children. It also applies when agencies provide in-home services after reunification.

Examples: Providing services in home and community settings can help parents learn to address problems and use new skills in their natural environments. 

Examples:The Solution-Based Casework model emphasizes the importance of helping families build the skills they need to handle the everyday tasks that result in threats to safety and well-being, from supervising young children, to keeping the home clean and safe, to controlling anger or substance use. Caseworkers can partner with parents to identify the situations that pose challenges for the family, develop specific plans of action for dealing with those challenges in ways that reduce risk, promote safety, and celebrate the behavioral changes that occur.  

1
Full Implementation, Outstanding Performance
A rating of (1) indicates that the agency's practices fully meet the standard and reflect a high level of capacity.  
  • All elements or requirements outlined in the standard are evident in practice, with rare or no exceptions; exceptions do not impact service quality or agency performance. 
2
Substantial Implementation, Good Performance
A rating of (2) indicates that an agency's infrastructure and practices are basically sound but there is room for improvement. 
  • The majority of the standards requirements have been met and the basic framework required by the standard has been implemented.  
  • Minor inconsistencies and not yet fully developed practices are noted; however, these do not significantly impact service quality or agency performance.  
3
Partial Implementation, Concerning Performance
A rating of (3) indicates that the agency's observed infrastructure and/or practices require significant improvement.  
  • The agency has not implemented the basic framework of the standard but instead has in place only part of this framework.   
  • Omissions or exceptions to the practices outlined in the standard occur regularly, or practices are implemented in a cursory or haphazard manner. 
  • Service quality or agency functioning may be compromised.   
  • Capacity is at a basic level.
4
Unsatisfactory Implementation or Performance
A rating of (4) indicates that implementation of the standard is minimal or there is no evidence of implementation at all.  
  • The agency’s observed service delivery infrastructure and practices are weak or non-existent; or show signs of neglect, stagnation, or deterioration.  
 

PA-CFS 9.01

Parents are helped to obtain items, supports, and services that can help them meet basic needs and stabilize their families, including:  
  1. food;
  2. clothing;
  3. housing;
  4. transportation;
  5. child care;
  6. financial assistance such as public benefits and other income support, including any assistance needed to obtain utility services;
  7. immigration services;
  8. home care and support services, including household management and home health aide services; 
  9. medical and dental care; 
  10. respite care; 
  11. legal services; and
  12. education and employment services.
 
Fundamental Practice

PA-CFS 9.02

Families receive specialized services, as needed, from domestic violence, mental health, and substance use treatment specialists.  
 

PA-CFS 9.03

Service interventions are designed to help parents: 
  1. understand the issues that precipitated agency involvement, including the factors and patterns that lead to the identified issues;
  2. take responsibility for the role they may play in contributing to the identified issues;
  3. evaluate the impact of their past experiences on current functioning and parenting practices; 
  4. target situations that pose challenges for the family; and
  5. increase their motivation to make positive changes.

Examples: Personnel can help motivate parents to make positive changes by, for example:
  1. encouraging parents to discuss their own reasons for wanting change;
  2. helping parents examine the consequences of the issues they face, including any discrepancies between the current situation and their hopes for the future;
  3. avoiding argumentative or blaming strategies that might prompt parents to become defensive or withdraw from the process;
  4. helping parents see how services can help them;
  5. evoking rationales for change that make sense to parents; 
  6. highlighting past successes and strengths parents can draw upon when trying to change; and
  7. reducing negativity and blame within the family.
 

PA-CFS 9.04

Parents are helped to develop the competencies they need to manage challenges, including, as appropriate: 
  1. communicating in a healthy and effective manner;
  2. solving problems effectively;
  3. managing conflicts;
  4. coping with adversity, stress, and emotions;
  5. maintaining and strengthening interpersonal relationships;
  6. accessing needed services and support; and
  7. managing a household.
 

PA-CFS 9.05

Parent education and support services promote the development of the competencies needed to: 
  1. understand the physical, cognitive, social, and emotional development of children, as well as factors and conditions that can promote or impede healthy development;
  2. parent in a sensitive and responsive manner designed to provide protection, meet basic needs, foster attachment and emotional security, and promote positive interactions, as appropriate to children’s ages and developmental levels;
  3. implement age-appropriate techniques for providing supervision, setting limits, and managing behavior, including negative or maladaptive behaviors;
  4. maintain a safe home environment; and
  5. meet any special needs that children may present, including needs related to medical conditions or mental health diagnoses.
Interpretation: Parents involved with the child welfare system due to family conflict or rejection related to their child’s sexual orientation or gender identity should be connected to counseling and educational resources that will help them develop the knowledge and skills needed to manage the conflict, accept and support the child, understand and meet the needs of the child, and rebuild the parent-child relationship.
 

PA-CFS 9.06

Parents are helped to develop and hone new competencies through:
  1. instruction and discussion about the topics and practices being targeted, why they are important, and their relevance to the family;
  2. modeling of the skills and strategies being targeted;
  3. opportunities for practice, along with coaching, positive reinforcement, or corrective feedback, as needed; and
  4. support in planning how to use skills and strategies in different situations, how to manage setbacks, and how to avoid future crises.

Examples: When children have been separated from their families, family time can provide an opportunity to practice new skills and improve parenting abilities.
 

PA-CFS 9.07

Joint parent-child interventions are provided in order to:
  1. support the development of healthy connections between children and parents; and 
  2. repair any harm in the parent-child relationship, as needed.
 

PA-CFS 9.08

In an effort to encourage the development of strong and healthy networks that can provide long-term support, parents are helped to: 
  1. develop plans for managing any negative influences in their social support networks; 
  2. consider how they can expand their social support networks, as necessary; and
  3. plan how to use their social support networks to foster and maintain positive changes.

Examples: Extended family, friends, neighbors, co-workers, and other community members may help to provide the ongoing support a family will need over time. Efforts to help parents strengthen their support networks may overlap with efforts undertaken during assessment or service planning to develop a family "team". In some cases helping parents strengthen their interpersonal skills, as addressed in PA-CFS 9.04, may support the development and maintenance of their social support networks.  It may also be helpful for parents to consider how to incorporate both give and take into their social relationships, since relationships will be more likely to endure if they are mutually satisfying and beneficial.
 

PA-CFS 9.09

When parents have experienced trauma they are: 
  1. treated in a trauma-informed manner;
  2. helped to explore and understand the connection between their past experiences and current functioning;
  3. helped to identify, anticipate, and manage their responses to trauma reminders; and
  4. connected to trauma-informed services.

Examples: A history of trauma can impact a parent's ability to regulate emotions, control impulses, make decisions, develop positive self-esteem and coping mechanisms, engage in relationships, and parent his or her children. It can also impact a parent's ability to work with caseworkers, meet the demands of the child welfare system, and remain involved with children in out-of-home care. 
 
 

PA-CFS 9.10

When children have been separated from their parents, out-of-home care providers maintain connections with parents to mutually share information about the children and support parents’ involvement in their children’s care, unless contraindicated.
Interpretation: It is particularly important that regular communication be maintained with the parents of infants and toddlers, who may be unable to express their needs, in order to best meet needs and keep parents abreast of changes during this period of rapid child development. 

Interpretation: In treatment foster care, regular communication should also address the child’s treatment progress, including services received, responses to current interventions, behaviors, new information about trauma history, identified triggers, and upcoming appointments.  
NA The agency does not work with children placed in out-of-home care.

Examples: The information shared may address, for example, the child's educational progress, social connections, health concerns and medical care received, interests, preferences, and special events.
2024 Edition

Child and Family Services (PA-CFS) 10: Services for Children Receiving In-Home Services

Children who are at home with their families receive individualized services that promote positive development and address any effects of maltreatment.
NA The agency does not provide services to children who are home with their families.

1
Full Implementation, Outstanding Performance
A rating of (1) indicates that the agency's practices fully meet the standard and reflect a high level of capacity.  
  • All elements or requirements outlined in the standard are evident in practice, with rare or no exceptions; exceptions do not impact service quality or agency performance. 
2
Substantial Implementation, Good Performance
A rating of (2) indicates that an agency's infrastructure and practices are basically sound but there is room for improvement. 
  • The majority of the standards requirements have been met and the basic framework required by the standard has been implemented.  
  • Minor inconsistencies and not yet fully developed practices are noted; however, these do not significantly impact service quality or agency performance.  
3
Partial Implementation, Concerning Performance
A rating of (3) indicates that the agency's observed infrastructure and/or practices require significant improvement.  
  • The agency has not implemented the basic framework of the standard but instead has in place only part of this framework.   
  • Omissions or exceptions to the practices outlined in the standard occur regularly, or practices are implemented in a cursory or haphazard manner. 
  • Service quality or agency functioning may be compromised.   
  • Capacity is at a basic level.
4
Unsatisfactory Implementation or Performance
A rating of (4) indicates that implementation of the standard is minimal or there is no evidence of implementation at all.  
  • The agency’s observed service delivery infrastructure and practices are weak or non-existent; or show signs of neglect, stagnation, or deterioration.  
 

PA-CFS 10.01

The agency ensures children are enrolled and participate in education services and supports that address identified needs and promote positive development.

Examples: Depending on a child's age and developmental level, appropriate education services and supports may include: early childhood education programs; early intervention services; special education programs; accredited primary and secondary schools; and after-school or youth development programs.
 
Fundamental Practice

PA-CFS 10.02

Children are connected to services that address any identified needs they may have for: 
  1. medical and dental care;
  2. mental health care;
  3. substance use treatment; and
  4. specialized services and supports for children with special needs.
 

PA-CFS 10.03

Children receive the support and services they need to:  
  1. regulate their emotions and behavior;
  2. communicate effectively;
  3. form positive relationships with adults and peers;
  4. manage any negative influences in their social support networks; and
  5. explore and develop their personal, social, and cultural identities.

Examples: Support may be provided directly by the worker, as well as through connections to outside supports and services that can include, but are not limited to:
  1. counseling or group therapy; 
  2. formal opportunities for social skills development; 
  3. mentoring services; 
  4. educational and support services for LGBTQI youth; 
  5. services and activities that support children born outside of the U.S. to make a positive personal and social adjustment, increase cross-cultural skills, maintain their ethnic identity, and move forward with long-term acculturation; and
  6. normative activities, such as clubs and sports or arts activities.
 

PA-CFS 10.04

Children are treated in a trauma-informed manner and when needed are connected to trauma-informed services that are designed to: 
  1. maximize their sense of safety; 
  2. help them understand and process their traumatic experiences;
  3. facilitate the development of skills and strategies to use when confronted with reminders of trauma; 
  4. help create and sustain positive attachments with caring adults and peers; and
  5. help parents understand how children’s past experiences may impact their present behavior, and appropriately support children’s recovery.

Examples:  Parents may be better able to support children who have experienced trauma if they understand the concept of trauma; recognize that children's social, emotional, and behavioral difficulties may be the result of trauma; and are prepared to manage difficult behaviors and trauma reminders. 
 
2024 Edition

Child and Family Services (PA-CFS) 11: Separating Children from Their Families

When children cannot safely remain at home with their families and must be separated, the agency strives to minimize the negative effects of separation, including the impact of separating siblings. 
Interpretation: When the case involves an American Indian or Alaska Native child, the agency should collaborate with the tribe to ensure the process for separating the child from his or her family meets the requirements outlined in the Indian Child Welfare Act.
NA The agency does not make the determination for or execute separations/removals.

1
Full Implementation, Outstanding Performance
A rating of (1) indicates that the agency's practices fully meet the standard and reflect a high level of capacity.  
  • All elements or requirements outlined in the standard are evident in practice, with rare or no exceptions; exceptions do not impact service quality or agency performance. 
2
Substantial Implementation, Good Performance
A rating of (2) indicates that an agency's infrastructure and practices are basically sound but there is room for improvement. 
  • The majority of the standards requirements have been met and the basic framework required by the standard has been implemented.  
  • Minor inconsistencies and not yet fully developed practices are noted; however, these do not significantly impact service quality or agency performance.  
3
Partial Implementation, Concerning Performance
A rating of (3) indicates that the agency's observed infrastructure and/or practices require significant improvement.  
  • The agency has not implemented the basic framework of the standard but instead has in place only part of this framework.   
  • Omissions or exceptions to the practices outlined in the standard occur regularly, or practices are implemented in a cursory or haphazard manner. 
  • Service quality or agency functioning may be compromised.   
  • Capacity is at a basic level.
4
Unsatisfactory Implementation or Performance
A rating of (4) indicates that implementation of the standard is minimal or there is no evidence of implementation at all.  
  • The agency’s observed service delivery infrastructure and practices are weak or non-existent; or show signs of neglect, stagnation, or deterioration.  
 
Fundamental Practice

PA-CFS 11.01

When children cannot safely remain at home the agency collaborates with their parents to establish voluntary agreements, or otherwise petitions a court of proper jurisdiction, to obtain appropriate care.
 
Interpretation: When possible the agency should employ a family teaming model that encourages families to include supportive people of their choice, such as extended family, friends, community members, and service providers, in establishing voluntary agreements. 
 
 
Fundamental Practice

PA-CFS 11.02

A professional with two years of related experience and an advanced degree in social work, or another comparable clinical human services profession, is involved in the decision to separate a child from his or her family.
 

PA-CFS 11.03

When domestic violence is indicated:
  1. the agency coordinates the separation of children from their homes with a domestic violence unit or specialist; and
  2. specialized procedures are followed to ensure the safety of the domestic violence victim.

Note: Given that attention to domestic violence sometimes wanes once a child has been separated from the family and connected to out-of-home care, the agency should seek to ensure that:
  1. assessments continue to include attention to domestic violence, as addressed in PA-CFS 6 and PA-CFS 8; and
  2. needed services are provided to both parents and children, as addressed in PA-CFS 9, PA-CFS 15, PA-CFS 17, PA-CFS 18, and PA-CFS 19.
 
Fundamental Practice

PA-CFS 11.04

The agency minimizes the negative effects separation can have on children by: 
  1. providing as much age and developmentally appropriate information as possible about why children are being separated from their parents and, if applicable, why they are being separated from their siblings;
  2. providing as much age and developmentally appropriate information as possible about what will happen next, including where the children are going;
  3. identifying personal items the children will bring, including favorite toys or items of comfort;
  4. explaining when children will see their families again and describing how the children can maintain contact with their families and cultural or tribal communities while in out-of-home care;
  5. discussing separation and loss;
  6. collecting information from parents about children’s daily routines, cultural practices, preferred foods and activities, education, and specialized health needs (including any allergies and needed therapeutic or medical care);
  7. ensuring any needed medications and/or medical equipment are obtained; and
  8. obtaining any additional information needed to ensure that children will receive safe, appropriate, and nurturing out-of-home care.

 
Interpretation: Implementation of elements (f) and (h) will be especially critical in cases where children are separated from their families before comprehensive assessments have been conducted.

Interpretation: Information about why children are being separated and what will happen next should be conveyed verbally, repeated as needed, given that children may be in a shocked or agitated state, and provided in writing when appropriate to the age and developmental level of the children.

Examples: Additional information needed to ensure that children will receive safe, appropriate, and nurturing care can include, for example, whether children are afraid of dogs, or whether children pose a risk of harm to self or others.
 
Fundamental Practice

PA-CFS 11.05

The agency minimizes the negative effects separation can have on families by: 
  1. providing as much information as possible about what will happen next, including where children are going;
  2. explaining parents’ rights and responsibilities;
  3. explaining the rights and responsibilities of resource families and residential treatment providers; 
  4. explaining how family members can maintain contact with children, including when they can next see or speak to the children;
  5. explaining how communication will occur with the agency and resource families or residential treatment providers; 
  6. discussing separation and loss; and
  7. addressing immediate and critical needs related to the separation. 
Related Standards:
2024 Edition

Child and Family Services (PA-CFS) 12: Child Placement

When children are in need of out-of-home care they are placed with resource families or residential treatment programs that can best meet their needs for safety, permanency, and well-being, and best support their ties to family and community.
 
Interpretation: When placements are made by the court rather than the agency, the agency should collaborate with the court to advocate for appropriate placement and promote placement stability, as emphasized throughout this core concept.  An agency that provides emergency placements must document efforts made to meet the standards given the emergency nature of the placement. 
NA The agency does not match children with placements in out-of-home care.

Note: Please note that this core concept addresses placement into foster care, kinship care, or residential treatment. See PA-CFS 28 for standards regarding relevant practices when arranging adoptions or guardianships.

1
Full Implementation, Outstanding Performance
A rating of (1) indicates that the agency's practices fully meet the standard and reflect a high level of capacity.  
  • All elements or requirements outlined in the standard are evident in practice, with rare or no exceptions; exceptions do not impact service quality or agency performance. 
2
Substantial Implementation, Good Performance
A rating of (2) indicates that an agency's infrastructure and practices are basically sound but there is room for improvement. 
  • The majority of the standards requirements have been met and the basic framework required by the standard has been implemented.  
  • Minor inconsistencies and not yet fully developed practices are noted; however, these do not significantly impact service quality or agency performance.  
3
Partial Implementation, Concerning Performance
A rating of (3) indicates that the agency's observed infrastructure and/or practices require significant improvement.  
  • The agency has not implemented the basic framework of the standard but instead has in place only part of this framework.   
  • Omissions or exceptions to the practices outlined in the standard occur regularly, or practices are implemented in a cursory or haphazard manner. 
  • Service quality or agency functioning may be compromised.   
  • Capacity is at a basic level.
4
Unsatisfactory Implementation or Performance
A rating of (4) indicates that implementation of the standard is minimal or there is no evidence of implementation at all.  
  • The agency’s observed service delivery infrastructure and practices are weak or non-existent; or show signs of neglect, stagnation, or deterioration.  
 
Fundamental Practice

PA-CFS 12.01

Children are placed with resource families that are licensed, approved, or certified according to state, tribal, or local regulation.
Interpretation: In some instances, children may be placed with kin on an emergency basis, including on the same day as separation from their homes, in order to facilitate family connections and minimize disruptions. When this is the case the agency may allow kin a period of time to work towards certification or licensing as a resource family home. However, consistent with the Adam Walsh Act, criminal and child abuse background checks and same-day preliminary safety assessments must be conducted prior to placement. Issues that may be revealed during these checks do not necessarily preclude placement of children in relatives’ homes, but should be one component of an overall assessment of relatives’ capacity and appropriateness. When the agency is not assuming custody of a child, the kinship caregiver’s home may be approved as a temporary placement option while the family works towards stabilization. 
 
 

PA-CFS 12.02

The agency identifies the best living environment for each child using all available information regarding children’s and potential caregivers’ strengths, needs, and resources, including:
  1. information obtained during initial and comprehensive assessments of children and families;
  2. information obtained during assessments and annual reviews of resource parents;
  3. information obtained during ongoing assessments and case reviews; and
  4. the needs of any children already placed with the resource family or residential treatment provider.
Interpretation: Needs to consider should include, but are not limited to: language, any risk of harm to self or others, number of previous placements, history of running away and other behaviors, and any history of human trafficking/exploitation/sexual abuse. The agency should also consider factors that would impact the resource family’s ability to collaborate with the birth family, including language, geographic proximity, and cultural background.

Interpretation: Before placing additional children with resource families who are already providing treatment foster care, the agency should prioritize the needs of the child already in the home and consult with the resource family and members of the child’s treatment team to assess and prepare for the impact of another child joining the family. Logistical as well as clinical factors should be considered, such as the frequency and location of specialized services.  

Examples: Factors to consider when placing children with acute medical conditions or disabilities may include the accessibility of the resource family's home, such as the ability to accommodate mobility aids or medical devices, and any necessary modifications.
 
Fundamental Practice

PA-CFS 12.03

In order to ensure children are in the most family-like and familiar setting possible, the agency makes reasonable efforts to ensure children are placed: 
  1. with siblings;
  2. with kin; and
  3. within reasonable proximity to their families and home communities.
Interpretation: Policy must require that preference be given to kin, and the agency must make reasonable efforts in accordance with applicable law and the requirements of the standard unless it is contrary to children’s well-being. Children should only be placed in residential treatment settings when joining a family is not possible. Deviations from these placement preferences must be documented in the case record with justifications and plans for ongoing contact with siblings or kin.
 

PA-CFS 12.04

American Indian and Alaska Native children are placed according to the preferences specified in the Indian Child Welfare Act. 
Interpretation: When the agency is working with American Indian and Alaska Native children and families, tribal representatives and service providers must be involved in placement decisions and moves to ensure compliance with the Indian Child Welfare Act, which requires that preference be given to placements in the following order:  
  1.  a member of the child’s extended family;
  2. resource families licensed, approved, or selected by the child’s tribe; 
  3. American Indian or Alaska Native families licensed or approved by a non-Native licensing authority; and 
  4. an institution approved by an Indian tribe or operated by an Indian organization.
Alternative placement preferences established by the child’s tribe may apply, and the court may also take into consideration the preferences of the child or his/her birth parents. Agencies should work closely with the child’s tribe to identify placement options within the tribal community.  Families from all tribes to which the child has ties should be considered as placement options, and eligibility criteria should be consistent with the norms of the tribe.

Emergency placements must comply with the emergency proceeding provisions set out in the Indian Child Welfare Act. Efforts should be made to identify emergency placements that comply with the placement preferences in ICWA so as to prevent future placement changes in the event that a full child custody proceeding is initiated. 
 
 

PA-CFS 12.05

The agency promotes the stability of children’s living environments and prevents the need for placement changes through coordinated placement planning that: 
  1. ensures children, families, resource families, and residential treatment providers understand the steps involved in the process for a child joining a new living environment and receive support and information throughout; 
  2. provides all legally permissible information about each child’s characteristics, behaviors, histories, physical and behavioral health needs, and permanency goals to prospective resource families or residential treatment providers; 
  3. ensures that resource families and residential treatment providers make an informed decision to accept children into their care;
  4. arranges opportunities for children and parents to meet prospective resource families or visit residential treatment providers, when possible; 
  5. responds proactively to challenges that arise by assessing needs and arranging necessary services, supports, or interventions to preserve the placement when in the best interests of the child; 
  6. permits children transitioning from treatment foster care to remain in their living environment when possible and appropriate; and 
  7. facilitates workers’ ability to spend more time with children, families, and resource families or residential treatment providers after children first come into new living environments or when challenges arise.
Interpretation: Regarding element (b), information related to children’s behaviors and behavioral health needs should be prepared or delivered by qualified personnel who can provide a clinical and developmental perspective, including information about the child’s previous living environments and trauma history, and their relevance to the child’s current and previous behaviors and functioning. This may also include consulting the child, when appropriate, about the appropriate level of detail to be shared with prospective resource families concerning the child’s traumatic experiences.
 
Fundamental Practice

PA-CFS 12.06

Resource family homes contain no more than five total children in the home, including no more than: 
  1. two children under the age of two;
  2. four children over the age of thirteen; and 
  3. two children in treatment foster care.
Interpretation: The total number of children includes all children under the age of 18 residing with the family and includes any children residing with the family for overnight respite care. Exceptions to the licensed or certified capacity may be made on a case-by-case basis to keep siblings together, to place children with relatives, to keep parenting youth together with their children, or for other extenuating reasons that directly support plans for children to be connected to relationships that are safe, nurturing, and intended to be enduring.

Interpretation: This standard is not applicable for unlicensed kinship caregivers.

Interpretation: When resource family homes are routinely licensed, approved, or certified according to state, tribal, or local regulation to contain a total of six children in the home, they may receive a rating of 2 when they can demonstrate they are meeting the needs of every child in the home.  This can be demonstrated by a combination of factors, such as:
  1. strong performance on safety, permanency, and well-being outcomes, for instance, low placement change rates;
  2. strong performance in resource family satisfaction and retention;
  3. manageable caseload sizes for workers;             
  4. ensuring space sufficient to maintain a safe and home-like environment; 
  5. increasing the number and frequency of visits by the worker to the home;
  6. offering additional respite or child care opportunities to resource families; and
  7. maintaining a lower capacity in homes where foster children and other dependents have higher needs.
 

PA-CFS 12.07

The appropriateness of children’s placements is reviewed regularly, and changes occur to support children’s best interests and permanency goals, as needed.
Interpretation: In treatment foster care, when placements are reviewed in connection to changes to the child’s assessed level of care, placement decisions should be based on the child’s treatment progress and present needs rather than length of stay, and agencies should explore strategies for maintaining placement stability when indicated.

Examples: Changes that support children's best interests and permanency goals may include moving from a foster family to an adoptive family, moving from a foster family to a kinship family, or other changes that bring children closer to family or community.
 

PA-CFS 12.08

Children, families, and resource families or residential treatment providers receive additional support during placement changes that includes:  
  1. sufficient advanced notice, provided at least 14 days prior to the move, when possible; 
  2. formalized discussions of the reasons for the move or disruption, each party’s feelings about the change, and as needed, interventions to address the reasons for the change;
  3. identification of a resource family or other setting that can best promote safety, well-being, and permanency;
  4. providing opportunities for children and parents to meet with the new resource family and/or visit the new placement setting, when possible; and
  5. referral to additional services or supports.
2024 Edition

Child and Family Services (PA-CFS) 13: Child Permanency

When children have been separated from their families, the agency participates in or facilitates permanency planning to promote physical, emotional, and legal permanence for children. 
Interpretation: The permanency planning process for American Indian and Alaska Native children and families must always involve tribal representatives and service providers to ensure compliance with the Indian Child Welfare Act’s placement preferences and support culturally responsive planning that recognizes and incorporates tribal definitions of permanency and tribal perspectives of the best interests of the child into the permanency plan. To facilitate full participation, the agency must ensure that the tribe or local Indian organization receives timely notification of court or administrative case reviews, and is informed of any changes made to the permanency plan. 
NA The agency does not work with children placed in out-of-home care.

Note: Permanency planning often occurs in conjunction with service planning. 

1
Full Implementation, Outstanding Performance
A rating of (1) indicates that the agency's practices fully meet the standard and reflect a high level of capacity.  
  • All elements or requirements outlined in the standard are evident in practice, with rare or no exceptions; exceptions do not impact service quality or agency performance. 
2
Substantial Implementation, Good Performance
A rating of (2) indicates that an agency's infrastructure and practices are basically sound but there is room for improvement. 
  • The majority of the standards requirements have been met and the basic framework required by the standard has been implemented.  
  • Minor inconsistencies and not yet fully developed practices are noted; however, these do not significantly impact service quality or agency performance.  
3
Partial Implementation, Concerning Performance
A rating of (3) indicates that the agency's observed infrastructure and/or practices require significant improvement.  
  • The agency has not implemented the basic framework of the standard but instead has in place only part of this framework.   
  • Omissions or exceptions to the practices outlined in the standard occur regularly, or practices are implemented in a cursory or haphazard manner. 
  • Service quality or agency functioning may be compromised.   
  • Capacity is at a basic level.
4
Unsatisfactory Implementation or Performance
A rating of (4) indicates that implementation of the standard is minimal or there is no evidence of implementation at all.  
  • The agency’s observed service delivery infrastructure and practices are weak or non-existent; or show signs of neglect, stagnation, or deterioration.  
 

PA-CFS 13.01

Permanency planning: 
  1. occurs with families and the team of people that support them, including out-of-home care providers, service providers, and extended family members or other supportive individuals identified by the family, as appropriate; 
  2. is scheduled at times when appropriate parties can attend; and
  3. is child-driven, with children actively involved in every stage of the process as appropriate to their age and developmental level.

Examples: Child-driven permanency planning can include, but is not limited to, involving children in:
  1. conversations about what permanency means to them;
  2. the discovery of extended family and other significant adults; and 
  3. the formation of a permanency team that will support their desired outcomes and have an ongoing role in their lives. 
 

PA-CFS 13.02

The agency exercises due diligence in identifying and notifying all adult relatives of a child’s separation from his or her family within 30 days. 
Related Standards:
Interpretation: The agency should have established procedures for identification of kin that involve a combination of engaging children and family members, conducting a thorough review of the case record, and using technological resources for family-finding. Notification should be provided in family members’ preferred languages and in multiple forms, including written form, in order to ensure accountability and maintain a record of efforts to notify.  Intensive efforts should be made to identify and notify at least relatives up to the third degree, and ideally relatives up to the fifth degree, including non-custodial parents and their relatives, relatives of incarcerated parents, and family members outside of the country. While federal law does not require it, the agency should ideally also identify and involve other family-like supports, including non-related adults with a connection to the child. 

Interpretation: This standard does not apply to cases in which kinship care does not involve an exchange of custody that requires legal permanency planning.
 
 

PA-CFS 13.03

Concurrent planning is documented and includes:  
  1. early, preliminary, and reasoned assessment of the potential for reunification, the best interests of the child, and the need for an alternative plan; 
  2. full disclosure to involved parties of all permanency options, including expectations, implications, available supports, and legal timelines; 
  3. joining a resource family that is prepared to develop a life-long relationship with the child; and 
  4. counseling parents about relinquishment and alternative permanency options if needed.
Interpretation: The age of a child should not limit the consideration of all permanency options. 
 

PA-CFS 13.04

Permanency plans document: 
  1. permanency goals;
  2. why goals are in the best interest of children and their well-being;
  3. why other permanency options are not appropriate; and
  4. how service plans and identified interventions support permanency and child well-being.
Interpretation: State regulations may require obtaining the child’s consent when guardianship or adoption is pursued. However, when the case involves an American Indian or Alaska Native child, such regulations may also be superseded by the Indian Child Welfare Act, wherein consent is not required.
 
Fundamental Practice

PA-CFS 13.05

In compliance with applicable law and regulation, legal permanency planning occurs according to the following standard timeframes: 
  1. within 60 days of placement a court-determined permanency plan is developed;
  2. at least every six months, a court or administrative review of progress towards permanency occurs;
  3. within 12 months of placement, and every 12 months thereafter, a permanency hearing evaluates the permanency goal and determines the need for an alternative goal; and
  4. after a child has been in placement for 15 of the most recent 22 months, a legally-exempted permanency decision is made or proceedings are initiated for the termination of parental rights.
Interpretation: Resource parents and residential treatment providers should be notified of and are entitled to participate in any review or hearing. 

Interpretation: The length of time a child has been in care cannot be the only justification for terminating parental rights. In order to support parents that are actively making progress towards reunification but need more time, the agency can determine a compelling reason for not filing for the termination of parental rights. Whenever possible, the permanency timeline for parents with substance use conditions should reflect the time needed to receive substance use treatment services and make progress towards recovery.  The mental health status and readiness of the child should also be taken into consideration when assessing permanency goals, as well as long-term health needs, when permanency planning concerns a child with serious medical needs or disabilities.

Interpretation: This standard does not apply to cases in which kinship care does not involve an exchange of custody that requires legal permanency planning.

Interpretation: Regarding element (d), federal law permits American Indian and Alaska Native families to move forward with a customary adoption, without terminating parental rights.  Customary adoptions, approved or adjudicated by the tribal court, are arranged through custom and tradition and allow for the transfer of custody while preserving parental rights. 

Other circumstances that preclude termination of parental rights when the case involves an American Indian or Alaska Native child include: placement with extended family per ICWA placement preferences; transfer of jurisdiction to the tribal court; insufficient provision of “active efforts” to support reunification; and inability to satisfy the legal requirements for termination of parental rights under ICWA. 
 
 

PA-CFS 13.06

The agency acts in accordance with federal and state regulations for terminating parental rights through court order or voluntary surrender, and:
  1. advises parents of their rights and options; and
  2. supports parents throughout the process. 
Interpretation: The Indian Child Welfare Act includes provisions related to the termination of parental rights that apply to both public and private adoption proceedings.  Parents of American Indian and Alaska Native children should be informed of their right, under ICWA, to withdraw consent to voluntary termination and the process and timeframes for doing so. 
 

PA-CFS 13.07

Case records document efforts made to support parents towards reunification, including:  
  1. involvement in assessment, service planning, and service selection;
  2. diligent efforts to provide parents with needed services and supports, including both formal and informal community resources; 
  3. ongoing, constructive, and progressive contact with their children; and
  4. reduction of barriers to contact and involvement in their children’s care.
Interpretation: When the agency is working with American Indian and Alaska Native children and families, the Indian Child Welfare Act requires active efforts be provided to support reunification. Active efforts require affirmative, thorough, timely, and culturally responsive engagement with families to satisfy the case plan by accessing resources and services and partnering with the tribe. Early consultation with the child’s tribe is critical to ensuring that a full range of resources have been made available to the family and that active effort requirements are fulfilled.  Agencies may work with tribal leadership, elders, religious figures, or professionals with expertise concerning the given tribe to determine culturally responsive active efforts and identify culturally appropriate services for the family. 
 

PA-CFS 13.08

To support permanency goals, resource families are informed about, and assisted in, pursuing permanency options such as adoption or guardianship, as appropriate.

Examples: Resource families, especially kinship caregivers, may require assistance overcoming barriers to pursuing permanency options, including negotiating boundaries with birth parents, navigating altered relationships within the family, and managing costs of care for children with significant medical or behavioral health needs.
2024 Edition

Child and Family Services (PA-CFS) 14: Worker Contact and Monitoring

Workers maintain regular contact with children, parents, resource families and residential treatment providers, and collaborating organizations and agencies to promote safety, well-being, and progress towards service and permanency goals.
Interpretation: When the agency is working with American Indian or Alaska Native children and families representatives from tribes or local Indian organizations should be informed of regular contact with children, families, and caregivers, and be given an opportunity to participate.

1
Full Implementation, Outstanding Performance
A rating of (1) indicates that the agency's practices fully meet the standard and reflect a high level of capacity.  
  • All elements or requirements outlined in the standard are evident in practice, with rare or no exceptions; exceptions do not impact service quality or agency performance. 
2
Substantial Implementation, Good Performance
A rating of (2) indicates that an agency's infrastructure and practices are basically sound but there is room for improvement. 
  • The majority of the standards requirements have been met and the basic framework required by the standard has been implemented.  
  • Minor inconsistencies and not yet fully developed practices are noted; however, these do not significantly impact service quality or agency performance.  
3
Partial Implementation, Concerning Performance
A rating of (3) indicates that the agency's observed infrastructure and/or practices require significant improvement.  
  • The agency has not implemented the basic framework of the standard but instead has in place only part of this framework.   
  • Omissions or exceptions to the practices outlined in the standard occur regularly, or practices are implemented in a cursory or haphazard manner. 
  • Service quality or agency functioning may be compromised.   
  • Capacity is at a basic level.
4
Unsatisfactory Implementation or Performance
A rating of (4) indicates that implementation of the standard is minimal or there is no evidence of implementation at all.  
  • The agency’s observed service delivery infrastructure and practices are weak or non-existent; or show signs of neglect, stagnation, or deterioration.  
 
Fundamental Practice

PA-CFS 14.01

When children live with their families and in-home services are provided, workers’ meetings with children and parents:  
  1. occur at a frequency determined by the family’s risk level, and no less than once per month;
  2. take place primarily in the home;
  3. happen when convenient for the family; and
  4. include time for private discussions with all parties to ensure that both parents and children can feel comfortable sharing information.

 
Interpretation: This standard applies both:
  1. when children have not been separated from their families, and
  2. when children are reunited with their families following out-of-home care.  
When an agency is legally required to meet with children and parents more frequently (e.g., at least twice per month), the agency is expected to abide by those requirements.

 
NA The agency does not provide services to children who are home with their families.

Examples: While one contact per month may be sufficient in low-risk cases, families with a higher risk level may be seen as often as four times per month.
 
 
 

PA-CFS 14.02

When children are placed in out-of-home care or moved to a new placement, the worker meets with children and out-of-home-care providers, in the new setting, within three days.


 
Interpretation: When treatment foster care is provided children should be seen on the first day of placement. 

 
NA  The agency does not work with children placed in out-of-home care.
 
Fundamental Practice

PA-CFS 14.03

When children are in out-of-home care, workers’ meetings with children, parents, and resource parents or residential treatment providers: 
  1. occur at least once a month;  
  2. happen on a consistent, scheduled basis, at mutually agreed upon times, whenever possible;
  3. take place primarily in the resource family home or treatment setting, when meeting with children and out-of-home care providers; 
  4. take place primarily in the home, when meeting with parents; and
  5. include time for private discussions with all parties to ensure that all parties can feel comfortable sharing information.

 
Interpretation: When treatment foster care is provided, workers should meet with children and resource families at least twice per month. 
 
 

Examples: While regular visits will occur on a consistent, scheduled basis, some agencies may also make one unannounced visit per quarter.
 
 

PA-CFS 14.04

Contacts with children and parents are used to: 
  1. cultivate strong, supportive, and productive relationships; 
  2. monitor and promote safety, permanency, and well-being; and
  3. share information about the children, and facilitate parental involvement in children’s care and activities, when children have been separated from their families. 



 
Interpretation: This standard applies both when children are living at home with their families and when children are in out-of-home care.

When children are in out-of-home care parents should be encouraged to participate in their health appointments, school activities, and other events, and involved in everyday decision making whenever possible, unless contraindicated. 
 

Examples: Personnel can cultivate strong, supportive, and productive relationships by, for example:  
  1.  being honest, predictable, and dependable;
  2. expecting that families want the best for their children and emphasizing that the agency and family share a common goal of keeping children safe;
  3. listening to feelings and concerns without judging, criticizing, shaming, blaming, or arguing;
  4. demonstrating empathy and concern for all family members;
  5. understanding and acknowledging that families may be fearful of the agency’s power and that the agency’s impact on a family can be life-changing;
  6. recognizing that family members may exhibit anger, avoidance, apathy, or resistance as a result of agency involvement and their own personal histories of adverse experiences or trauma, and addressing family members’ reactions in an appropriate manner; and 
  7. ensuring that interactions with family members are sensitive and responsive to any history of adverse experiences or trauma. 
 
Fundamental Practice

PA-CFS 14.05

When children are in out-of-home care, workers regularly consult with out-of-home caregivers to:  
  1. maintain positive relationships; 
  2. monitor and promote safety and well-being;
  3. share all relevant and legally permissible information concerning the children;
  4. clarify their role in supporting and contributing to the service and permanency plan;
  5. inform them about, and encourage their participation in, upcoming team meetings and court hearings, as appropriate;
  6. provide ongoing feedback regarding performance that includes attention to both strengths and needs; 
  7. assess whether additional assistance or support is needed; and
  8. respond to questions, concerns, and issues, as needed.
Interpretation: Safety monitoring should include attention to potential concerns including: inadequate or unsafe heat, light, water, refrigeration, cooking, and toilet facilities; malfunctioning smoke detectors; unsanitary conditions; lack of phone service; unsafe doors, steps, and windows, or missing window guards where necessary; exposed wiring; access to hazardous substances, materials, or equipment; rodent or insect infestation; walls and ceilings with holes or lead; and insufficient space. 

Interpretation: While support and consultation will be provided during the regularly scheduled visits described in PA-CFS 14.03, workers must also respond to questions and requests for assistance between visits.
NA  The agency does not work with children placed in out-of-home care.

Examples: Regarding element (a), factors that can positively influence resource family retention and satisfaction with worker contact include:
  1. reliable appointment scheduling and follow-up;
  2. receptiveness to feedback;
  3. flexibility;
  4. advocacy;
  5. open communication; and
  6. recognition of the resource parents' relational role.
 

PA-CFS 14.06

The agency promotes the delivery and coordination of services across systems by: 
  1. facilitating timely and consistent referrals for assessments and services;
  2. helping family members access needed services and navigate different systems;
  3. communicating with children, families, and out-of-home care providers to monitor service delivery, including both confirming that services were initiated and are appropriate, and responding to complaints or problems; 
  4. communicating with other involved service providers and systems in a regular and timely manner to share information and monitor service participation and progress; and
  5. ensuring appropriate communication and coordination among the other providers serving children and families. 


 
Related Standards:
Interpretation: Communication among providers is especially critical when providers work with family members regarding specific issues that may impact safety, such as substance use, mental health, and domestic violence.
 

PA-CFS 14.07

Agency personnel work cooperatively and follow formal procedures for sharing relevant information about a case internally:  
  1. when different workers are responsible for different components of service; and
  2. when responsibility for the case is transferred to a different worker. 


 
Interpretation: Information should be shared to facilitate case continuity and ensure that the needs of children, families, and resource families (or residential treatment providers) are met. For example, the information collected by licensing workers during resource parent assessments should be shared with caseworkers and inform ongoing work with children and resource families, and caseworkers’ ongoing work with children and resource families should be considered when updating resource family assessments and conducting annual reviews of strengths, needs, and performance. Similarly, workers arranging adoptions should access all relevant information about both children and prospective matches when identifying families that will develop lifelong relationships with the children.
 
Fundamental Practice

PA-CFS 14.08

When children are reunified with their families following out-of-home care, they are visited in the home on the day following return to confirm safety.
NA  The agency does not provide reunification services.
 
Fundamental Practice

PA-CFS 14.09

Current information about children’s placements is updated within 24 hours of any change and available to authorized personnel at all times.
 
 
Fundamental Practice

PA-CFS 14.10

The agency collaborates with law enforcement, tribal governments, and other community agencies to establish procedures for preventing and responding to missing children that address: 
  1. creating an environment that provides a sense of safety, support, and community;
  2. assessing the risk of abduction or running away;
  3. immediately reporting missing children to the agency, law enforcement, and parents;
  4. working in partnership with other relevant agencies, including law enforcement, to find missing children, and protocols for the sharing and release of information needed to assist in a search;
  5. the specific responsibilities of law enforcement, tribal governments, and other community agencies, as appropriate;
  6. welcoming, screening, debriefing, and conducting event-based re-assessments, including re-entry examinations and clinical consultations, when children return; and
  7. addressing issues that led to the episode or that arose while children were missing by providing needed supports and ensuring appropriate placements, including new placements when necessary.
 
Fundamental Practice

PA-CFS 14.11

Procedures for responding to allegations of maltreatment by a resource family or residential treatment provider: 
  1. respect the rights and needs of children, their families, and the resource family or residential treatment provider under investigation;
  2. address the process for investigation, appeal, and resolution;
  3. address access to resources or services that can provide support throughout the investigation process; and
  4. are developed in collaboration with law enforcement, tribal governments, and other community agencies, and incorporate input from resource families and residential treatment providers.


 
NA  The agency does not work with children placed in out-of-home care.
2024 Edition

Child and Family Services (PA-CFS) 15: Supports and Services for Children in Out-of-Home Care

Children in out-of-home care receive developmentally-appropriate support and services that promote well-being.
 
 
Interpretation: Informal Kinship Care Programs should work closely with kinship caregivers to meet the needs identified in the standards through support and mentoring, advocacy, direct referrals for service, and linkages to community resources. 


 
NA  The agency does not work with children placed in out-of-home care.

1
Full Implementation, Outstanding Performance
A rating of (1) indicates that the agency's practices fully meet the standard and reflect a high level of capacity.  
  • All elements or requirements outlined in the standard are evident in practice, with rare or no exceptions; exceptions do not impact service quality or agency performance. 
2
Substantial Implementation, Good Performance
A rating of (2) indicates that an agency's infrastructure and practices are basically sound but there is room for improvement. 
  • The majority of the standards requirements have been met and the basic framework required by the standard has been implemented.  
  • Minor inconsistencies and not yet fully developed practices are noted; however, these do not significantly impact service quality or agency performance.  
3
Partial Implementation, Concerning Performance
A rating of (3) indicates that the agency's observed infrastructure and/or practices require significant improvement.  
  • The agency has not implemented the basic framework of the standard but instead has in place only part of this framework.   
  • Omissions or exceptions to the practices outlined in the standard occur regularly, or practices are implemented in a cursory or haphazard manner. 
  • Service quality or agency functioning may be compromised.   
  • Capacity is at a basic level.
4
Unsatisfactory Implementation or Performance
A rating of (4) indicates that implementation of the standard is minimal or there is no evidence of implementation at all.  
  • The agency’s observed service delivery infrastructure and practices are weak or non-existent; or show signs of neglect, stagnation, or deterioration.  
 
Fundamental Practice

PA-CFS 15.01

Children receive a developmentally-appropriate orientation to their new living situation that addresses: 
  1. their rights and responsibilities when they are not living with their parents or primary caregivers;
  2. what they need to feel safe, what to do and who to contact to report violations of rights or when they feel unsafe, and the risks of and alternatives to running away;
  3. the rules in the home or program and their response to the rules; and
  4. their ongoing contact with their parents, siblings, extended families, friends, and communities.
 
Fundamental Practice

PA-CFS 15.02

Children reside in safe and supportive homes or programs that provide:  
  1. a safe, pleasant, and welcoming atmosphere;
  2. nurturing and nonjudgmental relationships that promote positive attachment and support emotional development and well-being;
  3. age- and developmentally-appropriate boundaries, supervision, and discipline;
  4. an orderly but flexible daily schedule that is balanced with attention to development and well-being; and
  5. space in their room to personalize.
 
Fundamental Practice

PA-CFS 15.03

In order to ensure that their personal care needs are met, children are provided with: 

  1. a physical environment and materials that support healthy development;
  2. sufficient and nutritious meals and snacks; 
  3. clothing that supports their self-expression and is clean, seasonal, age-appropriate, and comfortable;
  4. an allowance for personal needs, as appropriate, including access to appropriate and individualized grooming and hygiene products; 
  5. assistance in meeting personal care needs, as appropriate; and
  6. regular access to a telephone to contact workers, advocates, service providers, and approved family and friends.
 

PA-CFS 15.04

Children have opportunities to participate in a range of age- and developmentally-appropriate social, recreational, cultural, educational, religious, and community activities of their choice.


 
Interpretation: Participation in activities should be incorporated into the child’s service plan and/or treatment plan, and should not be leveraged as a disciplinary measure. As per the Preventing Sex Trafficking and Strengthening Families Act of 2014, children in out-of-home care should be encouraged to participate in the same range of normal activities and life experiences as children living with their families of origin. It is also important to note that children should have the right to choose whether or not they wish to participate in a resource family’s religious activities. 

 

Examples: Participating in "normal" activities  can help children and youth form healthy relationships, develop interests, build skills and resilience, promote positive physical and mental health, and prepare for responsible adulthood and may include:
  1. joining a club or sports team;
  2. attending a dance class;
  3. spending time with friends;
  4. having a sleepover;
  5. attending field trips;
  6. volunteering;
  7. dating;
  8. learning to drive; and
  9. working a part-time job.
 

PA-CFS 15.05

In an effort to facilitate normalcy and help resource parents make appropriate decisions regarding the children in their care, the agency clarifies: 
  1. resource parents’ authority to make day-to-day decisions regarding children’s participation in activities, including the specific types of activities they are permitted to authorize;
  2. factors to consider in determining whether an activity is safe and appropriate for a particular child; and
  3. the extent to which resource parents are protected from liability if a child is harmed during the course of an activity they approved.
Interpretation: Under the Preventing Sex Trafficking and Strengthening Families Act of 2014, the reasonable and prudent parent standard permits caregivers to make everyday decisions regarding children’s participation in extracurricular and social activities.  In determining whether a child should be allowed to participate in a particular activity the resource parent should consider: (1) the child’s age, developmental level, maturity, and behavioral history; (2) potential risk factors associated with the activity; (3) the best interest of the child, including potential for emotional and developmental growth; and (4) whether the resource parent would permit his or her own children to participate in the activity in question.

In treatment foster care, treatment parents may consult the treatment team to: (1) identify additional factors to consider, (2) regularly review the types of activities and level of independence that should be encouraged or limited based on treatment progress, and (3) address promoting the child’s development of abilities necessary for safe participation in a chosen activity.
 
 

PA-CFS 15.06

Children receive any support and services they need in order to: 
  1. regulate their emotions and behavior;
  2. communicate effectively;
  3. form positive relationships with adults and peers;
  4. manage any negative influences in their social support networks; and
  5. explore and develop their personal, social, and cultural identities.

Examples: Sources of support may include but are not limited to: agency workers, resource families, residential treatment providers, family members, peers, and community members and organizations.  Services can include, but are not limited to: counseling or group therapy; formal opportunities for social skills development; and mentoring services.  
 

PA-CFS 15.07

Children receive support to achieve their full educational potential through:  
  1. enrollment and participation in school and other educational programs that promote positive development;
  2. regular and ongoing communication and collaboration between agency workers, educators, resource families or residential treatment providers, and parents regarding children’s educational achievements and challenges, as well as any social or behavioral issues in the school setting; 
  3. stability in their home schools, unless it is determined not to be in their best interest;
  4. educational assessments and an individual education plan when needed;
  5. tutoring; and 
  6. advocacy.
Interpretation: Educational advocacy, communications, and collaboration should include:
  1. identifying trauma triggers and effective behavior support techniques and resources in the school setting;
  2. consistent communication with teachers, administrators, counselors, and other school support personnel about court dates, family time plans, medical appointments, and other external factors that may impact the child’s attendance, behavior, or academic performance; and
  3. negotiating flexibility around school policies that create barriers to academic and placement stability, such as exclusionary disciplinary actions or zero tolerance policies towards previous behavior.

Examples: Depending on age and developmental level, school and other educational programs that promote positive development may include:
  1. early childhood education programs; 
  2. early intervention services; 
  3. special education programs;
  4. accredited primary and secondary schools; and
  5. after-school or youth development programs.
 

PA-CFS 15.08

Children are treated in a trauma-informed manner and when needed are connected to trauma-informed services that are designed to: 
  1. maximize their sense of safety;
  2. help them understand and process their traumatic experiences;
  3. facilitate the development of skills and strategies to use when confronted with reminders of trauma;
  4. help create and sustain positive attachments with caring adults and peers; and
  5. help caregivers and parents understand how children’s past experiences may impact their present behavior, and appropriately support children’s recovery.


 

Examples: Caregivers and parents may be better able to support children who have experienced trauma if they understand the concept of trauma; recognize that children's social, emotional, and behavioral difficulties may be the result of trauma; and are prepared to manage difficult behaviors and trauma reminders.
 

PA-CFS 15.09

In an age- and developmentally-appropriate manner, the agency works with children, parents, and resource families or residential treatment providers to promote children’s self-sufficiency and informed decision making related to:  
  1. activities of daily living; 
  2. practicing effective interpersonal communication and conflict resolution;
  3. promoting and managing health;
  4. obtaining housing and managing their households; 
  5.  accessing educational opportunities;
  6. obtaining and maintaining employment;
  7.  managing money, including budgeting, saving, investing, buying on credit, and debt counseling;
  8. accessing community resources; and 
  9. navigating public assistance and other governmental programs.

 
Interpretation: This standard is applicable for all children regardless of age. PA-CFS 21 provides further detail as to the services and supports that should be provided to youth as they move towards the transition to adulthood.
 
 
Fundamental Practice

PA-CFS 15.10

Resource parents sign a statement indicating that for children placed in their care they agree to: 
  1. identify and report abuse and neglect;
  2. employ positive discipline techniques; 
  3. refrain from using physical and degrading punishment; and
  4. ensure that others refrain from using physical and degrading punishment.
Related Standards:
2024 Edition

Child and Family Services (PA-CFS) 16: Developing and Maintaining Connections when Children are in Out-of-Home Care

When children are in out-of-home care, the agency promotes the development of social and emotional well-being and positive support systems by facilitating connections with family, peers, and community.


 
Interpretation: COA uses the term “family time” rather than “visitation” to emphasize that children belong with their families, and highlight the importance of the time families spend together when children are in out-of-home care.

Interpretation: If the agency does not facilitate or supervise in-person contact it should maintain documentation of all in-person contact between children and families, children’s response to contact with family, and all efforts to support other forms of contact between children and their families and networks of support.
 
NA  The agency does not work with children placed in out-of-home care.

1
Full Implementation, Outstanding Performance
A rating of (1) indicates that the agency's practices fully meet the standard and reflect a high level of capacity.  
  • All elements or requirements outlined in the standard are evident in practice, with rare or no exceptions; exceptions do not impact service quality or agency performance. 
2
Substantial Implementation, Good Performance
A rating of (2) indicates that an agency's infrastructure and practices are basically sound but there is room for improvement. 
  • The majority of the standards requirements have been met and the basic framework required by the standard has been implemented.  
  • Minor inconsistencies and not yet fully developed practices are noted; however, these do not significantly impact service quality or agency performance.  
3
Partial Implementation, Concerning Performance
A rating of (3) indicates that the agency's observed infrastructure and/or practices require significant improvement.  
  • The agency has not implemented the basic framework of the standard but instead has in place only part of this framework.   
  • Omissions or exceptions to the practices outlined in the standard occur regularly, or practices are implemented in a cursory or haphazard manner. 
  • Service quality or agency functioning may be compromised.   
  • Capacity is at a basic level.
4
Unsatisfactory Implementation or Performance
A rating of (4) indicates that implementation of the standard is minimal or there is no evidence of implementation at all.  
  • The agency’s observed service delivery infrastructure and practices are weak or non-existent; or show signs of neglect, stagnation, or deterioration.  
 
Fundamental Practice

PA-CFS 16.01

Unless contraindicated, planned, ongoing contact between children, parents, and siblings occurs as frequently as possible based on children’s ages and developmental needs, and at a minimum in-person contact occurs: 
  1. weekly between children and parents; and
  2. monthly between siblings.
Interpretation: Children and parents are entitled to in-person contact unless parental rights are terminated and in some cases after termination. Incarcerated or detained parents are entitled to in-person contact unless restricted. Contact with siblings and parents should take place concurrently whenever possible and appropriate. 

In addition to in-person contact, children can maintain contact with their families in other ways, such as through web-based technologies and other electronic communications.

 

Examples: Very young children benefit from in-person contact as frequently as possible in order to develop and maintain strong attachments with their parental figures and promote developmental progress.  Infants may need daily contact and toddlers may need contact at least every two to three days.  
 

PA-CFS 16.02

The agency offers a continuum of family time options, and family time plans are:  
  1. developed in collaboration with parents, children, and resource parents or residential treatment providers;
  2. informed by assessment information; 
  3. focused on relationship-building;  
  4. determined by permanency goals and modified in accordance with permanency planning; and
  5. in compliance with all court orders.

 
Interpretation: The agency should encourage unsupervised contact in normative community settings when possible and appropriate, and should only require supervised family time (i.e. supervised visitation) when assessments indicate safety concerns or a need for coached family time.
 
Interpretation: When the agency is working with American Indian or Alaska Native children and families, representatives from their tribes or local Indian organizations should also be included in the development of family time plans. 
 
 

PA-CFS 16.03

Written family time plans include:   
  1. start dates, frequency, time, length, and location of in-person contacts; 
  2. participants; 
  3. transportation arrangements;  
  4. supervision or monitoring requirements, if any; 
  5. developmentally appropriate and interactive activities;
  6. opportunities to practice caregiving skills and activities;
  7. cancellation arrangements; and
  8.  preparation and debriefing arrangements.

Examples: Plans may involve appropriate extended family and friends to support regular contact and maintain families' support systems. For example, these supports might provide transport, offer their homes for parents and children to spend time together, or involve children in cultural or community events. 

Examples: When children are in treatment foster care, family time can be an opportunity for birth parents and treatment parents to discuss the child's condition(s) and collaboratively develop strategies for managing the child's needs after reunification or while in out-of-home care.
 

PA-CFS 16.04

Workers or designees promote meaningful and constructive contact by: 
  1. helping children, parents, and resource families or residential treatment providers prepare for and transition to and from in-person contact;
  2. following up with children, parents, and resource families or residential treatment providers after in-person contact to process the experience, ascertain progress, and assess for concerns that may indicate the need to modify plans or services; and
  3. documenting the activities that occurred and behaviorally-specific observations that pertain to family relationships and parenting.

Examples: Workers can help children, parents, and resource families or residential treatment providers prepare for and transition to and from in-person contact by, for example:
  1. helping parents and children prepare for relationship-building activities related to their service or family time plans; 
  2. helping resource parents and residential treatment providers understand issues surrounding family time and their role in supporting both the child and the family time process; and 
  3. helping all parties understand that negative responses to family time in either parents or children can be a normal response to separation-related trauma rather than an indication that the family time plan or services should be changed.  
 
Fundamental Practice

PA-CFS 16.05

Agency policy prohibits cancellation or restriction of in-person contact as a disciplinary action for either parents or children.
 

PA-CFS 16.06

Children are assisted to develop social support networks by identifying, building, and sustaining relationships with caring individuals of their choosing, including:  
  1. extended family; 
  2. peers;
  3. former resource families;
  4. other individuals with whom they had a prior relationship; and 
  5. members of their community, ethnic group, faith group, clan, or tribe.
Interpretation: In situations with known or suspected concerns about human trafficking, the agency should be aware that traffickers may pose as a boyfriend or older relative, or communicate through another individual, and utilize in-person contact to continue the exploitation of the victim.
2024 Edition

Child and Family Services (PA-CFS) 17: Physical and Mental Healthcare for Children in Out-of-Home Care

Children in out-of-home care receive comprehensive healthcare services within appropriate timeframes to promote optimal physical, mental, and developmental health.

 
Interpretation: When possible, American Indian and Alaska Native children should receive services from qualified professionals who have experience working with the tribe and knowledge of tribal customs and practices. Agencies that have the responsibility for placing Indian children should be aware of services that the child may have access to through tribally contracted health facilities or through the federal Indian Health Services. The agency should work with the tribe or a local Indian organization to ensure they have access to needed medical information.

 
NA The agency does not work with children placed in out-of-home care.

Examples: Providing children with a medical or health home, where care is provided by professionals with expertise on the issues of children in out-of-home care, can help to ensure that they receive comprehensive services that meet their needs.

 
 

1
Full Implementation, Outstanding Performance
A rating of (1) indicates that the agency's practices fully meet the standard and reflect a high level of capacity.  
  • All elements or requirements outlined in the standard are evident in practice, with rare or no exceptions; exceptions do not impact service quality or agency performance. 
2
Substantial Implementation, Good Performance
A rating of (2) indicates that an agency's infrastructure and practices are basically sound but there is room for improvement. 
  • The majority of the standards requirements have been met and the basic framework required by the standard has been implemented.  
  • Minor inconsistencies and not yet fully developed practices are noted; however, these do not significantly impact service quality or agency performance.  
3
Partial Implementation, Concerning Performance
A rating of (3) indicates that the agency's observed infrastructure and/or practices require significant improvement.  
  • The agency has not implemented the basic framework of the standard but instead has in place only part of this framework.   
  • Omissions or exceptions to the practices outlined in the standard occur regularly, or practices are implemented in a cursory or haphazard manner. 
  • Service quality or agency functioning may be compromised.   
  • Capacity is at a basic level.
4
Unsatisfactory Implementation or Performance
A rating of (4) indicates that implementation of the standard is minimal or there is no evidence of implementation at all.  
  • The agency’s observed service delivery infrastructure and practices are weak or non-existent; or show signs of neglect, stagnation, or deterioration.  
 
Fundamental Practice

PA-CFS 17.01

Prior to or within 72 hours of initial entry into care children receive an initial health screening from a qualified medical practitioner to: 
  1. identify health conditions that require immediate or prompt medical attention;
  2. identify health conditions that should be considered in making placement decisions; and
  3. determine the need for further developmental assessment for children under age six.


 
Interpretation:  The initial health screening, as recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics, should only be conducted by a qualified medical practitioner. When possible the screening should be performed by the child’s primary care physician who has knowledge of the child’s medical history or a physician that can serve as the child’s medical home while in out-of-home care. The screening may be completed by a nurse practitioner, registered nurse, or physician’s assistant if a physician is unavailable. The screening may be included in the assessment that occurs when a child is taken into custody following treatment at a hospital, clinic, or medical office.  
 
Interpretation: Agencies should develop their own procedures regarding whether it is appropriate for children in the temporary legal custody of kin to receive an initial health screening. 

Examples:  Conditions that require immediate or prompt medical attention include, but are not limited to: acute illnesses, chronic diseases requiring therapy, signs of abuse or neglect, signs of infection or communicable diseases, hygiene or nutritional problems, pregnancy, and significant developmental or mental health disturbances. 
 
Fundamental Practice

PA-CFS 17.02

Qualified professionals provide children with age-appropriate health services including:  
  1. comprehensive medical examinations within 30 days of entry into care and according to well-child guidelines; 
  2. dental examinations for children over age three within 30 days of entry into care and every 6 months thereafter, or more frequently based on clinical need; 
  3. developmental screenings within 30 days of entry into care to identify the need for further assessment for children over age six;
  4. ongoing developmental screenings according to well-child guidelines to identify the need for further assessment;
  5. alcohol and drug abuse screenings within 30 days of entry into care and when indicated thereafter to identify the need for further diagnostic assessment; and 
  6. any services needed to address issues or conditions identified during health screenings, assessments, or examinations.


 
Interpretation: Agencies should follow the Recommendations for Preventative Health Care for children in foster care published by the American Academy of Pediatrics. Medical assessments should include, as appropriate to children’s ages and circumstances: lead exposure, tuberculosis testing, and HIV/STD risk assessment screening. 

Interpretation: Regarding dental exams, the agency can receive a rating of “2” if there is an annual preventive exam and evidence that recommendations from the dental care provider indicate children are not in need of more frequent care.
 
Fundamental Practice

PA-CFS 17.03

Children receive: 
  1. mental health screenings within 30 days of entry into care, and when indicated thereafter; and
  2. diagnostic mental health assessments, when indicated.

 
Interpretation: Initial screenings can be conducted by trained caseworkers, but follow-up mental health assessments must be provided by qualified mental health professionals in accordance with applicable state or local regulations. Screenings should include attention to trauma exposure and symptoms, and trauma-focused assessments should be provided when needed. When a child is in treatment foster care the diagnostic mental health assessment must occur within 30 days prior or subsequent to placement.
 
 
Fundamental Practice

PA-CFS 17.04

Qualified mental health professionals provide: 
  1. any needed mental health services, including evidence-based psychosocial services and pharmacological treatments, as appropriate; and
  2. appropriate oversight of psychotropic medication use, including close supervision and monitoring of children receiving multiple medications or medications for off-label uses.
 

PA-CFS 17.05

Relevant information, as available and/or appropriate, is shared with providers and resource parents or residential treatment providers concerning the child’s:
  1. physical and mental health;
  2. family history;
  3. trauma history; and
  4. prescribed medications, including dosages, targeted symptoms, side effects, and monitoring processes for any psychotropic medications.
Related Standards:
 
Fundamental Practice

PA-CFS 17.06

Children receive age-and developmentally-appropriate support and education regarding:  
  1. proper nutrition and exercise;
  2. substance use and smoking;
  3. personal hygiene;
  4. safe and healthy relationships;
  5. sexual development;
  6. family planning and pregnancy options;
  7. pregnancy, prenatal care, and effective parenting;
  8. prevention and treatment of sexually transmitted infections/diseases; and
  9. HIV/AIDS prevention.
2024 Edition

Child and Family Services (PA-CFS) 18: Supports and Services for Expectant and Parenting Youth in Out-of-Home Care

The agency promotes the safety, permanency, and well-being of children and youth in out-of-home care who are expectant or parenting by providing, or assisting with access to, resources and supports that empower them to make informed decisions about pregnancy, experience healthy births, and develop the skills needed for personal functioning and parenthood. 

Interpretation: The needs of expectant and parenting children and youth can be met through a continuum of care that includes “whole family” placements, specialized foster care, residential treatment, and supported living arrangements. The agency should aim to meet the needs of expectant and parenting youth and their children in the most family-like setting that best meets their needs. Given that youths’ needs often go unmet, it is crucial that caseworkers provide close oversight and play an active role in monitoring the receipt of services. 


Interpretation: The term “expectant youth” refers to both birth mothers and fathers. The term “parenting youth” refers to both custodial and non-custodial mothers and fathers. The term “pregnant youth” refers exclusively to birth mothers. 

NA  The agency does not work with children placed in out-of-home care.

1
Full Implementation, Outstanding Performance
A rating of (1) indicates that the agency's practices fully meet the standard and reflect a high level of capacity.  
  • All elements or requirements outlined in the standard are evident in practice, with rare or no exceptions; exceptions do not impact service quality or agency performance. 
2
Substantial Implementation, Good Performance
A rating of (2) indicates that an agency's infrastructure and practices are basically sound but there is room for improvement. 
  • The majority of the standards requirements have been met and the basic framework required by the standard has been implemented.  
  • Minor inconsistencies and not yet fully developed practices are noted; however, these do not significantly impact service quality or agency performance.  
3
Partial Implementation, Concerning Performance
A rating of (3) indicates that the agency's observed infrastructure and/or practices require significant improvement.  
  • The agency has not implemented the basic framework of the standard but instead has in place only part of this framework.   
  • Omissions or exceptions to the practices outlined in the standard occur regularly, or practices are implemented in a cursory or haphazard manner. 
  • Service quality or agency functioning may be compromised.   
  • Capacity is at a basic level.
4
Unsatisfactory Implementation or Performance
A rating of (4) indicates that implementation of the standard is minimal or there is no evidence of implementation at all.  
  • The agency’s observed service delivery infrastructure and practices are weak or non-existent; or show signs of neglect, stagnation, or deterioration.  
 
Fundamental Practice

PA-CFS 18.01

Pregnant youth receive access to timely, ongoing, and relevant services appropriate to their needs that address: 

  1. pregnancy counseling;
  2. prenatal health care;
  3. diagnosis and treatment of health concerns, including sexually transmitted diseases;
  4. genetic risk identification;
  5. food and nutrition;
  6. mental health care, including information, screening, and treatment for prenatal depression;
  7. substance use conditions;
  8. medication use;
  9. smoking cessation; and
  10. labor and delivery.
Interpretation: Regarding element (h), a qualified mental health professional should re-evaluate pharmacological treatments for safety, risks, and benefits during pregnancy and make appropriate adjustments to the treatment plan, such as tapering or adjusting dosages or increasing monitoring of symptoms.  
 
 
Fundamental Practice

PA-CFS 18.02

Following childbirth, the agency promotes child and maternal well-being and prepares youth to recognize and respond to signs of problems in both themselves and their infants, by ensuring youth receive timely postnatal care and support related to: 
  1. postpartum health care;
  2. postpartum depression, including screening for and addressing changes in the new mother’s mood, emotional state, behavior, and coping strategies;
  3. breastfeeding education and assistance;
  4. pediatric care, including well-baby visits and immunizations; and
  5. family planning.
 

PA-CFS 18.03

Expectant and parenting youth are informed of their legal rights regarding the custody of their children, and agency policy:
  1. prohibits the separation of children from youth parents for reasons other than abuse or neglect; and
  2. clearly asserts that children should not be separated from youth parents due solely to the youth’s age, or involvement with the child welfare system, or as a means of obtaining services or financial support for the children. 
 

PA-CFS 18.04

Expectant and parenting youth are helped to develop skills and knowledge related to: 
  1. basic caregiving routines;
  2. child growth and development;
  3. meeting children’s social, emotional, and physical health needs;
  4. environmental safety and injury prevention;
  5. parent-child interactions and bonding;
  6. age-appropriate behavioral expectations and appropriate discipline; 
  7. family planning; and 
  8. establishing a functioning support network of family members or caring adults.


 

Examples: Agencies can tailor how topics are addressed based on service recipients' needs. For example, when serving expectant parents or parents of young children, education on environmental safety and injury prevention will typically address topics such as safe practices for sleeping and bathing.
 

PA-CFS 18.05

Workers collaborate with expectant and parenting youth and their caregivers, co-parents, and other family members when appropriate, to develop individualized parenting plans that define: 
  1. the rights and responsibilities of the youth parents; and
  2. each individual’s role and expectations for supporting the youth parents to care for their children.

 
 

PA-CFS 18.06

Workers assist expectant and parenting youth to obtain or enroll in assistance that will support them to care for their children and work towards financial independence, including:   
  1. public benefits such as Medicaid, WIC, SNAP, and TANF;
  2. transportation;
  3. maternal and child health programs;
  4. legal advocacy;
  5. affordable and quality child care;
  6. community resources, such as free clinics; and
  7. educational or vocational programs that support and accommodate the circumstances of expectant and parenting youth.
 

PA-CFS 18.07

The agency promotes responsible fatherhood and paternal engagement by: 
  1.  indicating in the case record when youth in out-of-home care become fathers;
  2. identifying the relationship between expectant youth parents;
  3.  linking youth fathers to services that help them understand their legal rights and responsibilities, establish legal paternity, and adjust to the parenting role; and
  4. assisting pregnant youth to notify birth fathers and engage them in service planning, when appropriate.

 
2024 Edition

Child and Family Services (PA-CFS) 19: Treatment Foster Care

Children with significant emotional, behavioral, medical, or developmental needs receive structured treatment within a therapeutic family setting that promotes well-being, family connections, and community integration.


 
NA The agency does not provide treatment foster care services.

1
Full Implementation, Outstanding Performance
A rating of (1) indicates that the agency's practices fully meet the standard and reflect a high level of capacity.  
  • All elements or requirements outlined in the standard are evident in practice, with rare or no exceptions; exceptions do not impact service quality or agency performance. 
2
Substantial Implementation, Good Performance
A rating of (2) indicates that an agency's infrastructure and practices are basically sound but there is room for improvement. 
  • The majority of the standards requirements have been met and the basic framework required by the standard has been implemented.  
  • Minor inconsistencies and not yet fully developed practices are noted; however, these do not significantly impact service quality or agency performance.  
3
Partial Implementation, Concerning Performance
A rating of (3) indicates that the agency's observed infrastructure and/or practices require significant improvement.  
  • The agency has not implemented the basic framework of the standard but instead has in place only part of this framework.   
  • Omissions or exceptions to the practices outlined in the standard occur regularly, or practices are implemented in a cursory or haphazard manner. 
  • Service quality or agency functioning may be compromised.   
  • Capacity is at a basic level.
4
Unsatisfactory Implementation or Performance
A rating of (4) indicates that implementation of the standard is minimal or there is no evidence of implementation at all.  
  • The agency’s observed service delivery infrastructure and practices are weak or non-existent; or show signs of neglect, stagnation, or deterioration.  
 

PA-CFS 19.01

Treatment foster care services are delivered by individualized treatment teams that include: 
  1. family members; 
  2. treatment foster parents or kinship caregivers; 
  3. child welfare agency workers;
  4. treatment foster care program personnel, including the program supervisor, case managers, and clinicians or clinical consultants;
  5. educators or school administrators; and
  6. a range of specialized providers, as appropriate to children’s emotional, behavioral, medical, and/or developmental needs.
Interpretation: The treatment team should include at least two agency or contract employees who have an advanced degree in social work or a related field and at least two years of professional experience working with children with specialized treatment needs.
 

Examples: Depending on the needs of children, specialized providers may include, but are not limited to: behavior support specialists; nurses; primary care and specialist physicians; psychiatric nurses and psychiatrists; and occupational, physical, and speech rehabilitation therapists. The team may also include the child's guardian ad litem or legal representative. 
 

PA-CFS 19.02

Preliminary treatment plans developed prior to placement identify: 
  1. diagnoses;
  2. strategies to ensure children’s adjustment to treatment families; and
  3. short-term goals for the first 30 days of out-of-home care.
 

PA-CFS 19.03

Within 30 days of placement, treatment teams develop individualized, comprehensive treatment plans that:  
  1. identify, incorporate, and build on children’s strengths and assets;
  2. specify diagnoses and presenting problems that prompted the referral to treatment foster care or were identified during assessment;
  3. address needs in major developmental areas;
  4. specify short- and long-term therapeutic interventions;
  5. review any psychotropic medication use, including dosages, side effects, and contraindications;
  6. address stressors in the children’s environment that are trauma reminders or contribute to their emotional or behavioral issues;
  7. establish an emergency response plan for medical emergencies or behavioral health crises related to the child’s condition; and
  8. establish initial plans for respite care, discharge, and aftercare.
Related Standards:
Interpretation: When children are prescribed psychotropic medications, the treatment team must collaborate to ensure the treatment parent understands the specified medication’s intended use, relevant precautions, protocols for monitoring efficacy and side effects, and what to do in the event of negative reaction or improper administration.
 

PA-CFS 19.04

Treatment plans are: 
  1. discussed weekly by the treatment team to coordinate an effective response to current issues and behaviors;
  2. reviewed monthly to evaluate progress towards treatment goals; and 
  3. officially updated every 90 days to evaluate progress and the continued need for treatment foster care.
Related Standards:
Interpretation: Intervals for discussing treatment plans for medically fragile children should be established based on the intensity of the child’s ongoing needs.

When children transition to a lower intensity level of care, such as traditional foster care, but are able to remain in the care of the same resource family, treatment foster parents should be helped to prepare for any resulting changes in supports and services, including reduced worker contact or reimbursement rates.

Interpretation: Treatment planning and review should also address the use of restrictive interventions, when authorized, including an evaluation of the frequency of use and effectiveness of prevention strategies. 
 
 

PA-CFS 19.05

The agency coordinates and ensures the provision of needed therapeutic, rehabilitative, and support services, including specialized treatment services. 

 

Examples: Needed services may include, but are not limited to: 
  1. individual, family, and/or group therapy, 
  2. social skills groups, and 
  3. medical treatment. 
Providing formal and informal support to other service providers can help the agency maximize service benefits and best meet the specialized needs of the children in the program.
 
 
Fundamental Practice

PA-CFS 19.06

Formal agreements are established between the agency and: 

  1. mental health facilities, medical institutions including neonatal and pediatric facilities, and other rehabilitation service providers to ensure the availability of requisite medical and mental health services; and 
  2. a board-certified physician with experience appropriate to the level and intensity of service, and the needs of the population served, who assumes responsibility for medical elements of a program that serves children with acute medical needs.
Related Standards:

Examples: The board-certified physician can provide service as an employee or contractor, or through a formal arrangement. 
 
 
Fundamental Practice

PA-CFS 19.07

The agency selects treatment parents based on established criteria that are determined based on the characteristics of children who need treatment foster care, and include:  
  1. an assessment of the family's capacity to provide therapeutic care for children with significant needs; 
  2. three non-relative references; and 
  3. attainment of at least twenty-one years of age.

Examples: Regarding element (a), demonstrated capacity may include previous experience as a resource parent or work experience in a therapeutic setting, such as a residential treatment center, or as a healthcare provider, when selecting treatment parents for children with acute medical needs or physical disabilities. 

Agencies can foster recruitment of existing resource families to become treatment families by facilitating opportunities to connect with experienced treatment parents to learn about the treatment parent experience. 
 

PA-CFS 19.08

Treatment foster parents receive specialized pre-service treatment foster care training to prepare for their professional and parenting roles and to assume primary responsibility for: 
  1. implementing in-home treatment strategies;
  2. assisting children to understand treatment goals and interventions; 
  3. documenting children’s behaviors and progress in targeted areas and responses to services and interventions received; and
  4. acting as liaisons with clinical personnel.
Interpretation: Pre-service training should include learning opportunities that incorporate the experience of veteran treatment parents, such as peer mentoring, coaching, situational role-play, or other training activities that illustrate real life scenarios.

Examples: Treatment foster care programs can provide joint trainings for workers and treatment parents in certain areas, such as trauma informed care, to facilitate mutual learning, foster positive relationships between workers and treatment parents, and reinforce treatment parents' professional role.
 

PA-CFS 19.09

Treatment parents receive initial and ongoing training that addresses:
  1. managing the needs and diagnoses specific to each child;
  2. crisis prevention and de-escalation;
  3. navigating the child welfare, behavioral health, and healthcare systems;
  4. educational advocacy skills and the special education system;
  5. incorporating other providers and medical equipment, as necessary, into the home; and
  6. engaging with birth families, including when appropriate, discussing and/or demonstrating interventions, advocacy skills, and other competencies related to the child’s conditions.
Interpretation: Regarding element (a), the agency should provide treatment parents with enhanced training or other relevant learning opportunities when placing children with treatment parents who do not have experience with the child’s specific needs or conditions.

Depending on children’s needs, enhanced training should address:
  1. adjusting parenting and communication styles to the child’s emotional or developmental needs;
  2. teaching basic life skills;
  3. engagement strategies for youth;
  4. verbal de-escalation techniques;
  5. recognizing the child’s triggers, antecedents, and crisis cycle;
  6. strategies for preventing retraumatization, including adjusting rules or disciplinary practices that can be triggering;
  7. responding to aggression or assaultive behavior; and
  8. repairing the treatment parent-child relationship after conflict or crisis.

Examples: Educational advocacy skills may include:
  1. maintaining relationships with teachers and administrators;
  2. monitoring attendance and academic performance;
  3. participating in collaborative planning around academic goals, behavior support, and extracurricular activities;
  4. advocating for additional social and educational supports;
  5. staying up-to-date on school policies and programs that could affect the child; and
  6. ensuring prompt response to harassment or discrimination.
 
Fundamental Practice

PA-CFS 19.10

Treatment foster parents receive the support they need to carry out their role, including:  
  1. weekly contact by the assigned worker; 
  2. in-person contact every two weeks and more frequently when indicated; 
  3. on-call crisis intervention 24-hours a day, seven days a week;
  4. routine follow-up on training topics and competencies;
  5. respite care;
  6. resources for recognizing and coping with secondary trauma and stress; and 
  7. the availability of additional personnel and technical assistance, as needed.
Interpretation: Additional personnel should be available during critical or stressful periods, such as the time from the end of the school day until bedtime.

Examples: More frequent in-person contact may be indicated during periods of transition, such as in the initial six weeks of placement, and when changes occur to the child's level of care or treatment team, which can be triggering for children and stressful for treatment parents.
 

PA-CFS 19.11

Discharge reports are tailored to support the transition to the next care setting, and document: 
  1. the course of treatment and treatment recommendations;
  2. the transfer of records and appointment information; and
  3. the nature, frequency, and duration of follow-up services, when applicable.
2024 Edition

Child and Family Services (PA-CFS) 20: Family Reunification

Children and families receive the support and services they need to ease the transition to reunification, stabilize the home, and prevent re-entry into out-of-home care.
 
 
Interpretation: COA recognizes that in instances where the court suddenly orders a child home without advance notice, the agency will not be able to fully implement all the practice standards in this section. However, the agency should still try to implement the standards to the extent possible. For example, while the agency may not be able to develop an individualized transition plan prior to reunification as per PA-CFS 20.06, it should collaborate with the family to develop the plan as soon as possible after reunion.

 
NA  The agency does not provide reunification services.
 

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VIEW THE STANDARDS

1
Full Implementation, Outstanding Performance
A rating of (1) indicates that the agency's practices fully meet the standard and reflect a high level of capacity.  
  • All elements or requirements outlined in the standard are evident in practice, with rare or no exceptions; exceptions do not impact service quality or agency performance. 
2
Substantial Implementation, Good Performance
A rating of (2) indicates that an agency's infrastructure and practices are basically sound but there is room for improvement. 
  • The majority of the standards requirements have been met and the basic framework required by the standard has been implemented.  
  • Minor inconsistencies and not yet fully developed practices are noted; however, these do not significantly impact service quality or agency performance.  
3
Partial Implementation, Concerning Performance
A rating of (3) indicates that the agency's observed infrastructure and/or practices require significant improvement.  
  • The agency has not implemented the basic framework of the standard but instead has in place only part of this framework.   
  • Omissions or exceptions to the practices outlined in the standard occur regularly, or practices are implemented in a cursory or haphazard manner. 
  • Service quality or agency functioning may be compromised.   
  • Capacity is at a basic level.
4
Unsatisfactory Implementation or Performance
A rating of (4) indicates that implementation of the standard is minimal or there is no evidence of implementation at all.  
  • The agency’s observed service delivery infrastructure and practices are weak or non-existent; or show signs of neglect, stagnation, or deterioration.  
 

PA-CFS 20.01

In an effort to facilitate a smooth transition to family reunification: 
  1. children and parents are involved in making decisions regarding reunification;
  2. children, parents, and resource families or residential treatment providers are provided with sufficient advance notice that children will return home;
  3. a graduated process for family time enables both children and parents to prepare for reunification; and
  4. collaborating service providers are involved in preparation for reunification and notified when reunification has occurred.

.


 

Examples: While procedures regarding the transition to reunification may vary, many agencies utilize a graduated step-down process that includes home visits, extended home visits, and trial discharge.
 

PA-CFS 20.02

Parents are prepared for the return of their children and the challenges of reunification through support and guidance that helps them to: 
  1. understand expectations and responsibilities related to their children’s return;
  2. develop strategies for providing appropriate care, managing children’s behavior, meeting any special needs children may present, and preventing reoccurrence of the safety concerns that led to the separation of the children;
  3. consider how everyday living and family relationships will be impacted by their children’s return;
  4. understand how children may react and behave as they adjust to the return home; and
  5. explore any anxiety, uncertainty, or ambivalence they may feel about responsibilities related to their children’s return.

Examples: In treatment foster care, treatment parents may support reunification by sharing information with birth parents about their child's treatment progress, and supporting birth parents to develop strategies for managing their child's conditions and navigating specialized service providers and the school system. 
 

PA-CFS 20.03

Children receive individualized, age- and developmentally-appropriate support and guidance that help them explore their feelings about reunification, and prepare for the return home.

 

Examples: The support and guidance provided may vary in amount or type depending on children's circumstances, including length of time in out-of-home care. Topics to discuss may include, but are not limited to: the child's experiences while in out-of-home care, including a review of the child's life book; the reunification process; expectations for the return home; any protections in place to ensure the child's safety; any fear or anxiety the child may be experiencing; and coping with any grief or loss the child may experience upon leaving a resource family. While support and guidance may be provided by child welfare workers, resource families and residential treatment providers may also play an important role in preparing a child for reunification. 
 
 

PA-CFS 20.04

The agency collaborates with out-of-home care providers to: 
  1. explain their role in supporting and facilitating reunification;
  2. help them explore and cope with any anxiety, grief, or other emotions they may feel as a result of the decision to reunify the family; and
  3. clarify whether there will be opportunities for contact with children following reunification.


 
Interpretation: Elements (b) and (c) will likely be unnecessary when children are leaving residential treatment settings.
 

PA-CFS 20.05

Parents are provided with needed documents and information related to their children’s time in care, including: 
  1. legal documents;
  2. educational records, including copies of report cards and the most current Individualized Education Plan (IEP); 
  3. health and mental health records, including the names and addresses of children’s doctors, as well as information regarding any special needs and appropriate treatment, including any needed medication, as applicable; and 
  4. a written summary of children’s placements, experiences, and growth while separated from their families.
 

PA-CFS 20.06

Prior to reunification, the agency collaborates with families to develop individualized plans for promoting family stability after reunion, by addressing:  
  1. the issues, behaviors, and conditions that led to the involvement of the child welfare system; 
  2. any issues stemming from children’s separation from their families, including any assistance needed to address separation and rebuild the parent-child relationship; and
  3. any additional formal and informal services and supports that the children and family may need.

 
Interpretation: The plan for maintaining family stability after reunification will likely be an extension of the family’s service plan. While plans should be developed prior to reunification, they should also allow for flexibility based on changing needs and circumstances. 

 
 

Examples: Families often have both concrete and clinical needs, and may need help addressing many of the same issues and challenges that led to the involvement of the child welfare system in order to prevent re-entry into out-of-home care. Services may be needed by both parents and children, and may include, but are not limited to: substance use treatment; mental health treatment; counseling; medical and dental care, including access to any needed medications; educational advocacy and supports; specialized medical, mental health, developmental, or educational supports for children with special needs; child care; respite care; income support; housing assistance; transportation; homemaker assistance; vocational assistance; case management; mentoring; support groups; and health insurance. Sources of informal and social support (e.g., extended family, neighbors, and other community members and institutions) may help to support the family over time, even after the case has been closed.
 

PA-CFS 20.07

Upon reunification, children and families receive services, support, and monitoring for a period of time specified by the agency or court, and until case closing criteria are met.


 

Examples: To promote family stabilization and prevent re-entry to out-of-home care,  services are often recommended to be maintained for at least 12 months after reunification. Families reunifying from treatment foster care may need additional time and support to adjust to the child's behavioral, emotional, or medical needs.

Note: See PA-CFS 14 regarding expectations for contact and monitoring following reunification, and PA-CFS 8 for criteria to consider in determining whether a case can be closed.

 
2024 Edition

Child and Family Services (PA-CFS) 21: Transition to Adulthood

Youth in out-of-home care are supported in their transition to adulthood through individualized planning and preparation that promote well-being, strong support systems, access to needed resources, and skill development.


 
Interpretation:  PA-CFS 21.01 through PA-CFS 21.06 apply to all youth in care who are approaching adulthood, regardless of their plans for permanency. In cases where youth will transition from the system without having achieved legal permanency, PA-CFS 21.07 and PA-CFS 21.08 will also apply.

 
NA  The agency does not work with children placed in out-of-home care.

1
Full Implementation, Outstanding Performance
A rating of (1) indicates that the agency's practices fully meet the standard and reflect a high level of capacity.  
  • All elements or requirements outlined in the standard are evident in practice, with rare or no exceptions; exceptions do not impact service quality or agency performance. 
2
Substantial Implementation, Good Performance
A rating of (2) indicates that an agency's infrastructure and practices are basically sound but there is room for improvement. 
  • The majority of the standards requirements have been met and the basic framework required by the standard has been implemented.  
  • Minor inconsistencies and not yet fully developed practices are noted; however, these do not significantly impact service quality or agency performance.  
3
Partial Implementation, Concerning Performance
A rating of (3) indicates that the agency's observed infrastructure and/or practices require significant improvement.  
  • The agency has not implemented the basic framework of the standard but instead has in place only part of this framework.   
  • Omissions or exceptions to the practices outlined in the standard occur regularly, or practices are implemented in a cursory or haphazard manner. 
  • Service quality or agency functioning may be compromised.   
  • Capacity is at a basic level.
4
Unsatisfactory Implementation or Performance
A rating of (4) indicates that implementation of the standard is minimal or there is no evidence of implementation at all.  
  • The agency’s observed service delivery infrastructure and practices are weak or non-existent; or show signs of neglect, stagnation, or deterioration.  
 

PA-CFS 21.01

Preparation for adulthood begins well in advance of a youth’s transition and: 
  1. ensures maximum youth participation in all aspects of exploring and planning for the future;
  2. includes adults and peers important to the youth; and
  3. involves collaboration and coordination among all service providers.


 
Interpretation: For youth who will be transitioning into adult systems of care, planning meetings and discussions should include providers from the adult-serving systems that will be working with the youth.  This will be especially critical when youth have developmental disabilities or mental health needs. 

Examples: Adults and peers that are important to youth can include, for example, family members, friends, and natural mentors.

 
 

PA-CFS 21.02

Preparing for adulthood is a strengths-based process that promotes safety, permanency, and well-being by helping youth explore: 
  1. their family relationships, including the family’s readiness for healthy participation in the youth’s life;
  2. relationships with supportive peers and adults, including involved adults’ commitment to the youth;
  3. strategies for coping with and healing from stress and trauma associated with grief and life transitions;
  4. the range of housing options available, including tribal options for American Indian/Alaska Native youth, as well as the risks and benefits of different housing options; 
  5. their academic needs and interests and available educational paths; and
  6. their work interests and skillsets, as well as different career paths and employment supports.


 

Examples: Housing options may include the full range of living situations from supported living to fully independent living environments. 
 

PA-CFS 21.03

The agency works with youth, parents, and resource families or residential treatment providers to assess the independent living skills of youth 14 years and older, at regular intervals, using a standardized assessment instrument that includes the following areas:
  1. educational and vocational development; 
  2. interpersonal skills; 
  3. financial management; 
  4. household management; and 
  5. self-care. 

 
Interpretation: The first assessment should be completed as soon as possible after youths’ 14th birthdays to establish a benchmark for measuring progress in identified areas.  Systematic assessment normally reoccurs at six-or twelve-month intervals.
 
 

PA-CFS 21.04

The agency ensures that youth transition to adulthood with basic social supports, including:  
  1. strong, consistent relationships with committed, caring adults; 
  2. access to cultural and community supports; and 
  3. connections to positive peer support.

Examples: The agency can facilitate continued connection between youth and their former resource families, who can offer youth valuable, lasting support even if legal permanency was not achieved. 
 

PA-CFS 21.05

The agency assists youth in obtaining or compiling documents necessary to function as an independent adult, including, as appropriate:  
  1. an identification card or a driver’s license, when the ability to drive is a goal; 
  2. a social security or social insurance number; 
  3. a resume, describing work experience and career development; 
  4. an original copy of their birth certificate; 
  5. bank account access documents;
  6. religious documents and information; 
  7. documentation of immigration or refugee history and status; 
  8. documentation of tribal eligibility or membership; 
  9. death certificates if parents are deceased; 
  10. a life book or a compilation of personal history and photographs; 
  11. a list of known relatives, with relationships, addresses, telephone numbers, and permissions for contacting involved parties; 
  12. information about places they have lived (previous placement information);
  13. educational records, such as a high school diploma or general equivalency diploma, and a list of schools attended; and
  14. health and mental health records, including the names and addresses of youths’ doctors, as well as information regarding any special needs and appropriate treatment, including any needed medication, as applicable. 
 

PA-CFS 21.06

When youth will continue to live with foster families past the age of 18, shared living agreements are developed in advance of youths’ 18th birthdays to promote independence, clarify new roles, and establish mutually agreed-upon expectations.
 
Interpretation:  In a developmentally appropriate manner, every youth turning 18 should be engaged in a conversation, documented in the case record, that explores and determines the mutual expectations and responsibilities of the living arrangement now that the youth is not a minor.
 
 

PA-CFS 21.07

At least six months before they will transition from care, the agency helps youth who will transition from the system without achieving legal permanency develop individualized plans for transition, by addressing the following areas: 
  1. housing and transportation;
  2. education and academic support;
  3. employment and workforce support;
  4. finances/income, including public assistance, when available;
  5. health insurance;
  6. physical and behavioral  health care, including needed medical, dental, mental health, and substance use treatment services; 
  7. transitioning to adult systems of care for mental health or developmental disabilities, when applicable; 
  8. services and supports available to youth who were in foster care for education and independent living activities; 
  9. child care, when applicable;
  10. social, peer, cultural, and community supports, including support or mentoring available through community volunteers or individuals who have made a successful transition; 
  11. legal rights and requirements regarding consent to remain in care beyond the age of 18, if applicable; and
  12. how to contact the agency and what supports the agency can offer after case closing, including information regarding voluntary return to care, as appropriate.
Interpretation: When the agency is working with American Indian or Alaska Native youth, plans should identify how to maintain an ongoing relationship with their tribe and tribal community members to receive supports and services available from the tribe and engage in cultural activities.

Interpretation: In regards to element (g), transition planning meetings should include representatives from the adult-serving systems that will be working with youth, and the agency should partner with the providers to facilitate access to services.

Interpretation: Transition planning for youth in treatment foster care should also address self-care, medication schedules, and how to recognize symptoms that require medical or clinical attention. 
 

PA-CFS 21.08

The agency provides youth who will transition from the system without achieving legal permanency with at least six months’ advance notice of the cessation of any health, financial, or other benefits that may occur at transition or case closing. 
2024 Edition

Child and Family Services (PA-CFS) 22: Resource Family Recruitment

The agency recruits a diverse array of resource families to maximize opportunities for children to be placed in a family setting that effectively meets their needs. 
NA The agency is not responsible for resource family recruitment.

1
Full Implementation, Outstanding Performance
A rating of (1) indicates that the agency's practices fully meet the standard and reflect a high level of capacity.  
  • All elements or requirements outlined in the standard are evident in practice, with rare or no exceptions; exceptions do not impact service quality or agency performance. 
2
Substantial Implementation, Good Performance
A rating of (2) indicates that an agency's infrastructure and practices are basically sound but there is room for improvement. 
  • The majority of the standards requirements have been met and the basic framework required by the standard has been implemented.  
  • Minor inconsistencies and not yet fully developed practices are noted; however, these do not significantly impact service quality or agency performance.  
3
Partial Implementation, Concerning Performance
A rating of (3) indicates that the agency's observed infrastructure and/or practices require significant improvement.  
  • The agency has not implemented the basic framework of the standard but instead has in place only part of this framework.   
  • Omissions or exceptions to the practices outlined in the standard occur regularly, or practices are implemented in a cursory or haphazard manner. 
  • Service quality or agency functioning may be compromised.   
  • Capacity is at a basic level.
4
Unsatisfactory Implementation or Performance
A rating of (4) indicates that implementation of the standard is minimal or there is no evidence of implementation at all.  
  • The agency’s observed service delivery infrastructure and practices are weak or non-existent; or show signs of neglect, stagnation, or deterioration.  
 

PA-CFS 22.01

The agency informs the community about the valuable role resource parents play and how to become a resource parent, and establishes an annual resource family recruitment plan that: 
  1. is based on the collection and analysis of local data on the needs and characteristics of children in care, existing resources, and characteristics of successful resource families; 
  2. identifies targeted recruitment strategies corresponding to greatest identified needs; and
  3. is evaluated annually.
NA The agency is not responsible for non-kinship resource family recruitment.

Examples: Agencies can use data to inform recruitment plans by tracking, for example:

  1. activities with highest efficacy and associated outputs, such as completion of training, successful licensure, successful placement, and retention; and
  2. milestones in the recruitment or approval process that correlate with disengagement.


Examples: A recruitment plan can specify how carefully crafted language, images, and strategies, including partnerships with key stakeholders, can help the agency reach out and appeal to audiences who may be willing and able to foster or adopt the children in need of homes, including children with special placement needs (e.g., sibling groups; older children; children with physical, emotional, behavioral, and developmental issues; children of minority racial or ethnic groups; LGBTQ+ children; and/or youth who are pregnant or parenting). 


Targeted recruitment strategies can include: looking for prospective resource parents for youth among high school parents and coaches, and after school programs for teens;

  1. looking for prospective resource parents for youth among high school parents and coaches, and after-school programs for teens; 
  2. engaging specific cultural organizations, churches, or minority-owned businesses to recruit resource families from particular ethnic or racial groups;
  3. engaging specific LGBTQ+ community groups, attending LGBTQ+ community events, or reaching out to inclusive faith-based communities to recruit LGBTQ+ resource families; 
  4. partnering with tribes and Indian organizations and establishing joint recruitment efforts to identify families for American Indian and Alaska Native children; and/or
  5. outreach to healthcare professionals, individuals with experience working with people with disabilities, and accessible housing communities to recruit resource families for children with disabilities or acute medical conditions. 



Other key stakeholders can include, but are not limited to:

  1. family foster care alumni;
  2. current resource parents, especially for treatment foster care or LGBTQ+ recruitment;
  3. community leaders; and
  4. other organizations, agencies, institutions, and businesses in the community.
 

PA-CFS 22.02

The agency utilizes intensive child-specific recruitment strategies that include: 
  1. extensive efforts to identify all family members, former caregivers, and other adults with a connection to the child who might consider serving as resource parents for the child or who might identify other potential resource parents; 
  2. involving the child in identifying potential resource parents and the characteristics and situations that might be preferred by the child; 
  3. using creative and customized outreach strategies to identify and explore additional options based on the child’s strengths, needs, interests, and background; and
  4. when a child’s goal is changed to adoption, continuing to search for adoptive parents until the child exits care.

 
Interpretation: Agencies that use online photo listing services for children awaiting adoption should ensure that appropriate mechanisms are in place to protect confidential information and respect an individual's right to refuse to have their photo taken.
 

Examples: Some aspects of child-specific recruitment may begin prior to or upon separation and be an extension of the efforts undertaken during assessment, service planning, and permanency planning. Other aspects may be launched anew if a child's goal is changed to adoption.  

Other adults with a connection to the child can include but are not limited to: teachers, coaches, tutors, counselors, and neighbors. Creative and customized outreach might include, for example, reaching out to local athletic clubs if a child loves sports.  
 
 
 

PA-CFS 22.03

In an effort to help prospective resource families determine if providing care or permanency would be a positive experience for both their family and the children that could enter their care, the agency provides general, culturally-responsive information about: 
  1. eligibility requirements;
  2. the certification process, timeline, and requirements, including the resource family training and assessment experience;
  3. available supports and services;
  4. any applicable fees and reimbursements;
  5. the roles, responsibilities, and needed competencies of resource parents;
  6. what resource families should expect when they take in a child;
  7. common needs and characteristics of children in care in the local community;
  8. the agency's treatment and parenting philosophies; and
  9. next steps in the process.

Example: Implementation of element (h) can include providing information about the basic principles of trauma-informed care and positive behavior support.
 

PA-CFS 22.04

Prospective resource families are engaged in the recruitment process through: 
  1. a welcoming and supportive approach;
  2. equitable, timely, sensitive, and culturally-responsive support and follow-up at each step of the process;
  3. personalized contact with current resource families; and
  4. open houses, orientations, and training sessions that are accessible and inviting to all prospective resource families.

Examples: Contact with existing resource families, including the use of peer mentors, can support recruitment and preparation for the resource family role by providing prospective resource families with opportunities to:
  1. better conceptualize the needs of children in care and the lived experience of caring for them;
  2. observe, practice, and be coached on parenting techniques and/or treatment interventions through role play or real-life scenarios;
  3. affirm their capacity to grow into the role and successfully develop new competencies;
  4. learn about available support networks and resources; and
  5. ask questions or voice concerns they are reluctant to share with workers.
 

PA-CFS 22.05

Resource parent recruitment is ethical and equitable, and eligibility criteria: 

  1. prioritizes the needs and varying characteristics of children in care;  
  2. promotes inclusion of individuals and families with diverse backgrounds to ensure appropriate placement options are available for all children; and
  3. emphasizes the skills and capacities needed to provide a safe, supportive home environment.


2024 Edition

Child and Family Services (PA-CFS) 23: Resource Family Assessment and Approval

The resource family assessment process ensures that prospective resource families are willing and able to meet the needs of children and their families. 


 
NA  The agency is not responsible for resource family assessment and approval.

1
Full Implementation, Outstanding Performance
A rating of (1) indicates that the agency's practices fully meet the standard and reflect a high level of capacity.  
  • All elements or requirements outlined in the standard are evident in practice, with rare or no exceptions; exceptions do not impact service quality or agency performance. 
2
Substantial Implementation, Good Performance
A rating of (2) indicates that an agency's infrastructure and practices are basically sound but there is room for improvement. 
  • The majority of the standards requirements have been met and the basic framework required by the standard has been implemented.  
  • Minor inconsistencies and not yet fully developed practices are noted; however, these do not significantly impact service quality or agency performance.  
3
Partial Implementation, Concerning Performance
A rating of (3) indicates that the agency's observed infrastructure and/or practices require significant improvement.  
  • The agency has not implemented the basic framework of the standard but instead has in place only part of this framework.   
  • Omissions or exceptions to the practices outlined in the standard occur regularly, or practices are implemented in a cursory or haphazard manner. 
  • Service quality or agency functioning may be compromised.   
  • Capacity is at a basic level.
4
Unsatisfactory Implementation or Performance
A rating of (4) indicates that implementation of the standard is minimal or there is no evidence of implementation at all.  
  • The agency’s observed service delivery infrastructure and practices are weak or non-existent; or show signs of neglect, stagnation, or deterioration.  
 

PA-CFS 23.01

The resource family assessment is a standardized, collaborative process that is conducted in a culturally-responsive manner using a defined method and tools. 
 
Interpretation: While practice should be consistent with the program model, tools, and standards, decisions about how the assessment is conducted in each case are clinical decisions that should take into account the unique needs and circumstances of the prospective resource parents (and the child if the child is already identified or living in the home). It is especially important to note that assessments may be structured differently if they are conducted for kin (as opposed to non-related prospective resource parents) or treatment parents. The agency should have a system or approach that recognizes that there can be subjective aspects to assessment and decision making, and appropriate mechanisms to ensure that its determinations are well justified.  
 
 
Fundamental Practice

PA-CFS 23.02

The resource family assessment process includes:
  1. the receipt of self-reported information and documents from the prospective resource parents;
  2. at least one individual in-person consultation with each prospective resource parent and one joint consultation for joint applicants;
  3. age-and developmentally-appropriate consultation with each child and adult living or frequently in the home;
  4. age-and developmentally-appropriate consultation with each child or adult child of the prospective resource parents living outside the home;
  5. at least two visits to the prospective resource family's home, and during one or more of those visits a safety assessment of the home and an observation of family members interacting together;
  6. criminal background and child abuse and neglect registry checks in accordance with applicable law and regulation;
  7. a review of information and documents relating to any previous unfavorable home studies/assessments, disruptions, dissolutions, or placement of other children out of the home; and
  8. references and interviews with individuals providing references, including at least one from an individual with direct knowledge of the prospective resource parents' capacity to care for children.
Interpretation: The safety assessment of the home should include attention to potential concerns including: inadequate or unsafe heat, light, water, refrigeration, cooking, and toilet facilities; malfunctioning smoke detectors; unsanitary conditions; lack of phone service; unsafe doors, steps, and windows, or missing window guards where necessary; exposed wiring; access to hazardous substances, materials, or equipment; rodent or insect infestation; walls and ceilings with holes or lead; and insufficient space. 

Interpretation: The agency should develop criteria for the review of criminal background checks that specify if, and when, checks are conducted on a multi-state or national basis, and how the agency evaluates and responds to reports indicating criminal offenses. Prospective resource families should be informed at the beginning of the process about the agency’s policy regarding criminal convictions. Agencies may have more flexibility to make exceptions around certain non-violent criminal or civil background histories for kin who are otherwise determined to be appropriate caregivers. Each situation should be assessed on a case-by-case basis.
 

PA-CFS 23.03

Workers collaborate with prospective resource families to explore factors that may impact their ability to provide effective care and offer experiences that enhance healthy development, including:  

  1. motivation and expectations for providing resource family care and interest in adoption, if applicable;
  2. personal characteristics such as adaptability, reliability, and coping, communication, and problem-solving skills;
  3. caregiving abilities and experiences, especially for children or adults with significant or complex needs;
  4. willingness and ability to provide safe, nondiscriminatory, and supportive care to specific populations such as LGBTQ+ youth, older youth, or youth with complex social, behavioral, emotional, or medical needs;  
  5. willingness to provide trauma-informed care;
  6. willingness to collaborate with birth parents and ability to support a child's continued connection to his or her birth parents, siblings, relatives, peers, culture, and community; 
  7. willingness and ability to work as a member of a team to support and facilitate permanency for children in care; and
  8. previous experiences with foster care, kinship care, or adoption.
Interpretation: When the prospective resource family is known to the child, the assessment should also evaluate the relationship between the prospective resource family and the child, the child’s relationship to individuals already living in the home, and the prospective resource family’s commitment to the child. 
 
Fundamental Practice

PA-CFS 23.04

The assessment process explores each prospective resource parent's:
  1. personal history of trauma, abuse, or neglect;
  2. current status and history of physical and mental health, including substance use; 
  3. social support systems;
  4. education; 
  5. functional literacy and language skills;
  6. employment history and financial status; and
  7. community and social environment.
Interpretation: Regarding element (b), a written statement from a physician or other qualified health professional regarding the person’s health is acceptable to meet the intent of the standard. If the assessment indicates a mental health concern, the individual must also obtain a formal evaluation from a mental health professional.  The agency should consult with the local public health authority to determine if a skin tuberculin test should be included in the assessment. Prospective resource parents who are undergoing appropriate treatment or in recovery should not automatically be excluded from consideration or approval. Special circumstances, including the health needs of the resource parent, may indicate a need for re-assessment prior to the annual re-assessment addressed in PA-CFS 23.10. 

Interpretation: When working with unlicensed kin, agencies in some states may have the discretion to waive the assessment of certain factors (e.g. the health assessment) in an effort to encourage placement with relatives.

 
 
Fundamental Practice

PA-CFS 23.05

The agency ensures that resource parents who will transport children in their own vehicles:  
  1. have age-appropriate passenger restraint systems; 
  2. can provide adequate passenger supervision, as required by statute or regulation; 
  3. have properly maintained vehicles and required registration and inspection; 
  4. provide the agency with validation of their driving records; and 
  5. provide the agency with validation of their licenses and appropriate insurance coverage.


 
Related Standards:
Interpretation:  The agency should determine what level of insurance coverage is considered appropriate and maintain a copy of each resource parent’s auto policy declaration to validate appropriate insurance coverage.

Interpretation:  This standard is not applicable to unlicensed kinship caregivers. 
 

PA-CFS 23.06

During the assessment process, kinship caregivers have the opportunity to: 
  1. discuss their families’ stories and the experiences that brought them to caring for or planning to care for a kin child;
  2. discuss their concerns with becoming licensed resource parents;
  3. discuss the impact of the kinship caregiver role on their relationship to the birth parents and the child; and
  4. learn how the program collaborates with kinship caregivers and supports relationships between kinship families, parents, and extended families.
 

PA-CFS 23.07

The information gathered during the assessment process is carefully considered, in a timely manner, to determine:
  1. if any further assessment is needed;
  2. what additional counseling, training, or preparation is needed;
  3. the family's eligibility and suitability; 
  4. the family's readiness to care for children; and
  5. the specific characteristics and special needs of children the family would be most suitable to care for.
 

PA-CFS 23.08

When the agency has reason to believe that the prospective resource parents may not meet the required eligibility criteria, or that certain factors might not be adequately mitigated to demonstrate suitability, the agency:
  1. communicates the specific concerns to the prospective resource parents as early as possible and attempts to resolve them; 
  2. does not complete a final assessment report until after attempts to mitigate the issues are made; and
  3. provides prospective resource parents with a written explanation of the reasons for the decision and the procedures for appeal, if approval cannot be given and the application has not been withdrawn.

 
Interpretation: The agency should ensure that required eligibility criteria are clearly and accurately addressed. While some jurisdictions are willing to waive eligibility criteria in unique circumstances, it is best to document those waivers as early as possible.  
 

Examples: Factors that may need to be mitigated include, for example, needs related to health care or housing.
 
 
Fundamental Practice

PA-CFS 23.09

Based on the information obtained during the assessment, and within established timeframes, the agency prepares a report that:
  1. indicates whether a prospective resource family has the ability, willingness, and resources to meet the needs of children in care; and
  2. makes a determination on the resource family’s application for licensure, approval, or certification according to state, tribal, or local regulation. 
 
Fundamental Practice

PA-CFS 23.10

Resource family assessments are updated:  
  1. within two weeks of a reported change in the home composition; and 
  2. at least once annually.


 

Examples: Changes that may warrant a follow-up assessment may include, but are not limited to: individuals moving in or out of the home; death or debilitating illness of a caregiver; structural defects in the home related to fire, flood, or natural disaster; or legal proceedings affecting the resource family such as eviction or divorce. The annual assessment update can occur in conjunction with the annual resource parent evaluation.
2024 Edition

Child and Family Services (PA-CFS) 24: Resource Family Training and Preparation

Resource families receive training and preparation to strengthen their capacity to care for children and support children’s families.
 
NA The agency is not responsible for resource parent training and preparation.

Note: See PA-CFS 27 for additional requirements specific to preparing for adoption or guardianship.

1
Full Implementation, Outstanding Performance
A rating of (1) indicates that the agency's practices fully meet the standard and reflect a high level of capacity.  
  • All elements or requirements outlined in the standard are evident in practice, with rare or no exceptions; exceptions do not impact service quality or agency performance. 
2
Substantial Implementation, Good Performance
A rating of (2) indicates that an agency's infrastructure and practices are basically sound but there is room for improvement. 
  • The majority of the standards requirements have been met and the basic framework required by the standard has been implemented.  
  • Minor inconsistencies and not yet fully developed practices are noted; however, these do not significantly impact service quality or agency performance.  
3
Partial Implementation, Concerning Performance
A rating of (3) indicates that the agency's observed infrastructure and/or practices require significant improvement.  
  • The agency has not implemented the basic framework of the standard but instead has in place only part of this framework.   
  • Omissions or exceptions to the practices outlined in the standard occur regularly, or practices are implemented in a cursory or haphazard manner. 
  • Service quality or agency functioning may be compromised.   
  • Capacity is at a basic level.
4
Unsatisfactory Implementation or Performance
A rating of (4) indicates that implementation of the standard is minimal or there is no evidence of implementation at all.  
  • The agency’s observed service delivery infrastructure and practices are weak or non-existent; or show signs of neglect, stagnation, or deterioration.  
 
Fundamental Practice

PA-CFS 24.01

Resource parents receive pre-service training on rights and responsibilities that addresses:  
  1. the agency’s mission, logic model or equivalent framework, and service array;
  2. the rights of children in care;
  3. what resource families should expect when they take in a child;
  4. the competencies needed for effective resource parenting, and how those competencies are integral to the agency’s logic model or equivalent framework;
  5. specific duties of resource parents, including administrative responsibilities; 
  6. available supports and services;
  7. identification and reporting of abuse and neglect; 
  8. any fees or reimbursements for services, including compensation for damages caused by children placed in the home, as applicable; 
  9. notice of and participation in any review or hearing regarding the children; 
  10. procedures when allegations of maltreatment are made, and ways to prevent false allegations; 
  11. complaint procedures; and 
  12. circumstances that will result in revoking a resource family license or certification.


 
Interpretation: When working with unlicensed kin, agencies in some states may have the discretion to waive training requirements that they deem non-essential in an effort to encourage placement with relatives.
 
Fundamental Practice

PA-CFS 24.02

Resource families receive pre-service training that addresses: 
  1. strategies for providing support appropriate to children’s ages and developmental levels; 
  2. promoting positive behavior and healing through coaching, nurturing, and positive discipline techniques; 
  3. recognizing and responding to behaviors that jeopardize safety, health, and well-being, including de-escalation techniques;
  4. signs and symptoms of trauma, including triggers/antecedents;
  5. providing protection and promoting psychological safety to mediate the effects of trauma, maltreatment, separation, loss, and exploitation; and 
  6. preventing and responding to missing children, including understanding factors that may contribute to the decision to run away, reporting protocols, and how to support children upon their return. 


 
Interpretation: Educating resource parents on sex trafficking is a critical component to prevention, identification, and treatment. Education should address topics such as internet safety, how to respond when children run away, and developing healthy relationships. Additionally, education should emphasize the issue of stigma associated with prostitution to help resource families provide healthy, nonjudgmental home environments that are supportive of successful reintegration. 

Interpretation: Kinship caregivers may be helped to develop these competencies through ongoing training and support rather than pre-service training. 
 

PA-CFS 24.03

Resource parents receive the pre-service and ongoing training and support they need to demonstrate competency in: 

  1. supporting and facilitating children’s emotional, physical, and legal permanency;
  2. meeting children’s developmental needs across life domains, including addressing any developmental delays;
  3. providing safe, non-discriminatory, and supportive care to a child of a different race, ethnicity, culture, religion, sexual orientation, or gender identity;
  4. supporting children’s social identity development;
  5. supporting and facilitating family relationships, friendships, cultural ties, and community connections;
  6. collaborating with family team members and service providers; and
  7. managing the caregiver role, stress and self-care, and the impact on the resource family.
Interpretation: With regards to elements (e) and (f), training should include educating resource parents on the Indian Child Welfare Act, its impact on placement and permanency for American Indian and Alaska Native children, and the resource parents’ responsibilities for supporting the child’s cultural identity and facilitating connections to his or her tribe. 

Interpretation: Resource families caring for parenting youth placed together with the youths’ children should also receive training and support to demonstrate competency in modeling positive parenting practices, supporting youth parents to meet their children’s needs, and meeting the dual developmental needs of the parenting youth and their children. 

 

Examples: To promote culturally competent care with regard to element (c), training may address:

  1. the agency's nondiscrimination policy;
  2. the history, traditions, values, and communication styles of populations served;
  3. systemic inequities and implicit bias; 
  4. how culture influences trauma response;
  5. a review of vocabulary relevant to LGBTQ+ youth; and 
  6. caregiver behaviors that promote the safety and well-being of LGBTQ+ youth.



Examples: Agencies that work with both kin and nonrelative resource parents may find it valuable to provide separate training for kinship caregivers in order to provide a space in which kinship caregivers can relate to each other and apply the training to their specific experiences of caring for their kin. If resources do not allow for separate training the training facilitator can work to incorporate the experience of both groups into the training. Training facilitators can follow up with kinship caregivers about their concerns and the training experience, to ensure that their particular concerns can be addressed in the training or at another time by the personnel working with their family. Some of the specific training and support needs of kin may relate to negotiating family dynamics, the experience of family trauma, managing boundaries, and disciplining traditions. When kinship caregivers provide temporary care for children not in the custody of the child welfare agency, the agency may offer support groups or skill-building sessions that help kinship caregivers develop the competencies rather than offering a comprehensive training program.

 
Fundamental Practice

PA-CFS 24.04

Resource parents are trained in:
  1. first aid and age-appropriate CPR at least every two years, including a hands-on, in-person CPR skills assessment conducted by a certified CPR instructor;
  2. medication administration, including retraining at least every two years;
  3. protocols for responding to emergencies including accidents, serious illnesses, fires, and natural and human-caused disasters; and 
  4. medical or rehabilitation interventions and operation of medical equipment required for children’s care, as needed. 
Related Standards:

Interpretation: CPR certification and training elements (a) and (b) are not required when children are in the temporary legal custody of kin. 

Interpretation: Regarding element (b), training should address the use of psychotropic medications with children and youth in foster care, the resource parent’s role in communicating with prescribers and monitoring symptoms and side effects, and how to recognize and raise concerns around dosage, polypharmacy, and age-related contraindications. 

 

PA-CFS 24.05

The agency evaluates the effectiveness of its pre-service and ongoing training programs, identifies areas for improvement, and develops a plan to address unmet training needs. 
Related Standards:

Examples: Evaluating training effectiveness and identifying emerging training or re-training needs can be done through:
  1. the agency's annual mutual review with the resource family;
  2. satisfaction surveys;
  3. reviews of critical incidents; and
  4. analysis of the characteristics and diagnoses of children in care.
Improvement plans may include enhancing existing standardized training modules, offering supplemental in-service trainings, or strengthening relevant competencies through worker contact.
2024 Edition

Child and Family Services (PA-CFS) 25: Resource Family Use of Physical Interventions

Resource parents who use physical interventions are trained and supported by the agency to deploy them in a manner that ensures safety and well-being when positive behavior support and de-escalation measures have proven ineffective in crisis situations.  



 
Interpretation: Physical interventions do not include actions in response to age- or development-related behaviors demonstrated by young children such as physically holding a three-year-old who tries to run into the street.
NA The agency does not work with children placed in out-of-home care.

NA The agency does not permit resource families to use physical interventions.
 

1
Full Implementation, Outstanding Performance
A rating of (1) indicates that the agency's practices fully meet the standard and reflect a high level of capacity.  
  • All elements or requirements outlined in the standard are evident in practice, with rare or no exceptions; exceptions do not impact service quality or agency performance. 
2
Substantial Implementation, Good Performance
A rating of (2) indicates that an agency's infrastructure and practices are basically sound but there is room for improvement. 
  • The majority of the standards requirements have been met and the basic framework required by the standard has been implemented.  
  • Minor inconsistencies and not yet fully developed practices are noted; however, these do not significantly impact service quality or agency performance.  
3
Partial Implementation, Concerning Performance
A rating of (3) indicates that the agency's observed infrastructure and/or practices require significant improvement.  
  • The agency has not implemented the basic framework of the standard but instead has in place only part of this framework.   
  • Omissions or exceptions to the practices outlined in the standard occur regularly, or practices are implemented in a cursory or haphazard manner. 
  • Service quality or agency functioning may be compromised.   
  • Capacity is at a basic level.
4
Unsatisfactory Implementation or Performance
A rating of (4) indicates that implementation of the standard is minimal or there is no evidence of implementation at all.  
  • The agency’s observed service delivery infrastructure and practices are weak or non-existent; or show signs of neglect, stagnation, or deterioration.  
 

PA-CFS 25.01

The agency’s policy and procedures: 
  1. prohibit the use of locked seclusion and mechanical restraints by resource families; 
  2. define which physical interventions resource families are and are not allowed to use, and under what circumstances; and
  3. outline what to do following an incident.
Interpretation: The policy and procedures should align with the information the agency provides families in PA-ASE 2.01. Given that COA’s standards prohibit the use of locked seclusion by resource families, resource parents should never lock a child in a room. If there are concerns about the child’s safety, the resource family should consult with the case worker and behavior support plan for alternative options.
 
Fundamental Practice

PA-CFS 25.02

Physical interventions are discontinued as soon as possible and are prohibited from use: 
  1. by anyone other than the resource parents or other adult caregivers who have been approved by the agency;
  2. as a form of punishment or discipline;
  3. for the convenience of resource parents;
  4. in response to property damage that does not involve imminent danger to self or others; 
  5. when contraindicated in the child’s behavior plan;
  6. for longer than 15 minutes for children aged nine and younger; and
  7. for longer than 30 minutes for children aged ten and older.
 

PA-CFS 25.03

The case worker and resource family establish procedures for: 
  1. how to notify the agency following each use of a physical intervention;
  2. documentation of the incident; and
  3. debriefing with the child and resource family members involved in or witness to the incident.


 
Interpretation: Debriefing should address: 
  1. the physical and emotional state of everyone involved;
  2. precipitating events; and
  3. how the incident was handled and any additional supports or resources needed in order to avoid future incidents.
 
Fundamental Practice

PA-CFS 25.04

Resource parents are trained on the child’s individualized behavior support and management plan at placement, and receive annual training and evaluation on permitted physical interventions, including: 
  1. when it is appropriate to use a physical intervention;
  2. proper and safe use of interventions, including time limits for use;
  3. understanding the experience of being placed in manual restraints;
  4. assessing physical and mental status, including signs of physical distress;
  5. response techniques to prevent and reduce injury;
  6. assessing when to discontinue the physical intervention; and
  7. negative effects that can result from the misuse of restrictive interventions. 

 
Interpretation: To ensure competency, resource parents should receive a post-test and be observed in practice. 
 
NA The agency is not responsible for resource parent training.
2024 Edition

Child and Family Services (PA-CFS) 26: Resource Family Development, Support, and Retention

The agency promotes resource family development and retention by collaborating with resource families to identify and provide the support needed to ensure that children receive safe, consistent, and nurturing care.


 
NA The agency does not work with children placed in out-of-home care.

1
Full Implementation, Outstanding Performance
A rating of (1) indicates that the agency's practices fully meet the standard and reflect a high level of capacity.  
  • All elements or requirements outlined in the standard are evident in practice, with rare or no exceptions; exceptions do not impact service quality or agency performance. 
2
Substantial Implementation, Good Performance
A rating of (2) indicates that an agency's infrastructure and practices are basically sound but there is room for improvement. 
  • The majority of the standards requirements have been met and the basic framework required by the standard has been implemented.  
  • Minor inconsistencies and not yet fully developed practices are noted; however, these do not significantly impact service quality or agency performance.  
3
Partial Implementation, Concerning Performance
A rating of (3) indicates that the agency's observed infrastructure and/or practices require significant improvement.  
  • The agency has not implemented the basic framework of the standard but instead has in place only part of this framework.   
  • Omissions or exceptions to the practices outlined in the standard occur regularly, or practices are implemented in a cursory or haphazard manner. 
  • Service quality or agency functioning may be compromised.   
  • Capacity is at a basic level.
4
Unsatisfactory Implementation or Performance
A rating of (4) indicates that implementation of the standard is minimal or there is no evidence of implementation at all.  
  • The agency’s observed service delivery infrastructure and practices are weak or non-existent; or show signs of neglect, stagnation, or deterioration.  
 

PA-CFS 26.01

The agency facilitates networking and mutual support among resource families by providing:
  1. regular, inviting, and accessible opportunities for peer support; and 
  2. recreational and social activities.

 
Interpretation: Kinship care programs should offer activities more regularly if these activities are a fundamental component of the services they offer kinship families, such as if recreational activities function as a form of respite for kinship caregivers. 
 
 

Examples: Opportunities for support can include regular meetings in which resource parents can share concerns and discuss strategies for managing their role, and/or social events that bring resource families together and give them the chance to get to know each other better. Agencies can work with resource parents to determine how to make peer support opportunities more accessible, such as by offering meals, transportation reimbursement, or child care.

Agencies can also offer tailored networking and support opportunities to meet the unique needs and interests of different groups of resource parents, for example, kinship caregivers, treatment parents, resource families caring for children with shared characteristics, resource parents who are LGBTQ, and prospective resource parents awaiting their first placement.
 

PA-CFS 26.02

Resource families are helped to identify and access any supports and services needed to improve family functioning and prevent and reduce stress and family crisis, including:  
  1. child care; 
  2. counseling, including any services and supports needed to address family relationships; 
  3. respite care;
  4. transportation;
  5. peer support opportunities outside of the agency; 
  6. cultural, recreational, and social activities outside of the agency; and
  7. informal resources that can offer support.

 
Interpretation: Regarding element (c), respite care options should be reviewed with resource parents prior to a child joining the family, and on a regular basis. 

 

Examples: Informal resources that can offer support can include: extended family, friends, and neighbors; members of clan, tribal, religious, and spiritual communities; local businesses or other community agencies; and other resource parents.  As appropriate to each family's situation and in line with requirements for ensuring safety, the family and resource family can collaboratively or individually identify informal resources to help care for children and/or provide other types of support. This type of support may be included in service plans to ensure appropriate communication.  
 
 

PA-CFS 26.03

Resource families participate in an annual mutual review to identify areas of strength and concern and develop plans for needed support and training.

 
Interpretation: The annual re-assessment conducted as part of the home recertification process may be used to demonstrate implementation of this standard. However, the mutual review should not be conducted by a licensing worker as an isolated occurrence – in contrast, it should ideally be conducted in collaboration with the child welfare caseworker, and include a review of information and issues that arose throughout the year.

Interpretation: Unlicensed kinship caregivers are not required to participate in the mutual review, and this standard will not be applicable when a resource family has not yet been matched with a child.
 
 

PA-CFS 26.04

Kinship caregivers participate in an assessment of strengths and needs, and are helped to obtain any needed services and supports related to the following areas:  
  1. financial assistance, including any specialized financial supports available to kinship caregivers; 
  2. legal services; 
  3. housing assistance and resources needed to provide a safe home environment; 
  4. food and clothing; 
  5. physical and mental health care;
  6. training on child-specific needs; and 
  7. support services, including in-home and peer supports.

 
Interpretation: The assessment of strengths and needs should include attention to kinship caregivers’ satisfaction and recommendations, as well as any discrimination they may face in their role.  When the agency is working with American Indian/Alaska Native children and families, tribal representatives should be used as resources to help locate the most appropriate services for kinship caregivers.
 
 

PA-CFS 26.05

The agency promotes resource family retention by:
  1. providing resource families who have not yet been matched with a child with ongoing information and support while they wait;  
  2. conducting exit interviews with resource families who leave the agency to determine why they left; and
  3. annually evaluating retention data to determine what strategies/practices work well, and what strategies/practices may need to be modified or eliminated.
2024 Edition

Child and Family Services (PA-CFS) 27: Preparation for Adoption or Guardianship

Children, birth families, and prospective adoptive parents or guardians are prepared for adoption or transfer of custody. 
 
 

Examples: It may be appropriate to include extended family members in preparatory services if their involvement is appropriate.
 

1
Full Implementation, Outstanding Performance
A rating of (1) indicates that the agency's practices fully meet the standard and reflect a high level of capacity.  
  • All elements or requirements outlined in the standard are evident in practice, with rare or no exceptions; exceptions do not impact service quality or agency performance. 
2
Substantial Implementation, Good Performance
A rating of (2) indicates that an agency's infrastructure and practices are basically sound but there is room for improvement. 
  • The majority of the standards requirements have been met and the basic framework required by the standard has been implemented.  
  • Minor inconsistencies and not yet fully developed practices are noted; however, these do not significantly impact service quality or agency performance.  
3
Partial Implementation, Concerning Performance
A rating of (3) indicates that the agency's observed infrastructure and/or practices require significant improvement.  
  • The agency has not implemented the basic framework of the standard but instead has in place only part of this framework.   
  • Omissions or exceptions to the practices outlined in the standard occur regularly, or practices are implemented in a cursory or haphazard manner. 
  • Service quality or agency functioning may be compromised.   
  • Capacity is at a basic level.
4
Unsatisfactory Implementation or Performance
A rating of (4) indicates that implementation of the standard is minimal or there is no evidence of implementation at all.  
  • The agency’s observed service delivery infrastructure and practices are weak or non-existent; or show signs of neglect, stagnation, or deterioration.  
 

PA-CFS 27.01

An age-appropriate, culturally-responsive child study is conducted to assess children’s readiness for adoption or guardianship and includes: 
  1. attention to children’s understanding of, and interest in, adoption or guardianship;
  2. an evaluation of children’s ability to bond and develop relationships;
  3. history of maltreatment and all prior placements;
  4. assessment of trauma and history and status of care provided to address trauma;
  5. prenatal history and developmental screening of infants and young children;
  6. current medical and dental examinations, available medical and dental records, and medical and dental history including any significant illnesses, injuries, diagnoses, hospitalizations, and any special needs;
  7. a current psychological evaluation, if needed; and
  8. history of the child’s education.


 
Interpretation: The child study will be an extension of the assessments conducted as per PA-CFS 6, PA-CFS 8, and PA-CFS 17.
 

PA-CFS 27.02

Age-appropriate services that prepare children for adoption or guardianship include: 
  1. information to help children understand the meaning, process, and impact of adoption or guardianship;
  2. counseling to help children understand and cope with fear, separation, loss, and birth family loyalty issues;
  3. the development of lifebooks that describe children’s personal histories;
  4. discussion of changing roles and relationships; and
  5. when needed, opportunities to visit prospective adoptive parents or guardians, and preparation and support for such visits.

Examples: While older children may be actively engaged in developing their own lifebook, young children may have a lifebook created for them. 
 
 

PA-CFS 27.03

Information is gathered and maintained for children’s future use, including: 
  1. children’s medical records and information;
  2. children’s social histories;
  3. contact information for organizations, medical professionals or facilities, or others involved in services to birth parents and children;
  4. all available information about the medical and social histories of birth parents and their pregnancies;
  5. original copies of children’s birth certificates; 
  6. educational records;
  7. information about the children’s grandparents and siblings; 
  8. photographs and/or videos of children; and
  9. photographs, videos, and/or physical descriptions of birth parents.


 
Interpretation: Relevant information from foster care records should be obtained before records are sealed, and necessary consent forms must be obtained before information about birth parents is released. The agency should consider whether it is appropriate and necessary to keep identifying information in a separate record, and should seek legal consultation regarding the maintenance of identifying information, as needed.
 
Interpretation: When arranging a guardianship, it may not be necessary to obtain the information described in elements (c) and (i) if birth parents will remain involved in their children’s lives.

Interpretation: In the case of an American Indian or Alaska Native child, information gathered should also include the child’s Certified Degree of Indian Blood and tribal membership card. To protect an American Indian or Alaska Native child’s rights to tribal enrollment or membership, the agency, court, and private agency, if applicable, must also coordinate the preparation and maintenance of confidential records on all state Indian adoptions that include: 
  1. a copy of the final adoption decree or order;
  2. the birth name and birthdate of the child, their tribal affiliation, and the name of the child after adoption;
  3. names and addresses of the birth parents;
  4. names and addresses of the adoptive parents;
  5. name and contact information for any agency having files or information related to the adoption;
  6. any affidavit signed by the biological parent(s) requesting confidential identity; and
  7. any information relating to tribal membership or eligibility of the adopted child. 

The Bureau of Indian Affairs is also authorized to receive and maintain these records, and to release them at the request of an American Indian or Alaska Native adoptee, their adoptive or foster parents, or an Indian tribe when the American Indian or Alaska Native child has reached age 18. 
 
Fundamental Practice

PA-CFS 27.04

Birth parents are prepared for adoption through services that include: 
  1. counseling and support on grief, separation, and loss;
  2. education on issues related to search and reunion;
  3. planning for participation in the adoption process, when appropriate and desired; and
  4. planning for the immediate future, including identification of friends and family who can provide support and referral for needed services.
 
Fundamental Practice

PA-CFS 27.05

Birth parents are prepared for guardianship through services that include: 
  1. education about their legal rights, including family time;
  2. education about the importance of permanency and stable homes;
  3. planning for participation in the legal process, when appropriate and desired;
  4. discussion of changing roles and relationships;
  5. discussion of plans for family time that are in the best interests of the children; and
  6. planning for the immediate future, including identification of friends and family who can provide support and referral for needed services.
 

PA-CFS 27.06

Prospective adoptive parents are helped to understand: 

  1. the lifelong impact of adoption, including the lifelong commitment they are making to the children being adopted, with attention to the caregiver’s capacity to provide permanency over time;
  2. the importance of race, ethnicity, religion, tribal affiliation, language, sexual orientation, gender identity, and other factors in adoption; 
  3. the process for completing an adoption and any significant provisions of law or regulation;
  4. the potential financial impact on the family, and the availability of adoption subsidies and financial support; 
  5. the availability of post-adoption support services, including services in other states, tribes, or American Indian/Alaska Native organizations, if the family plans on moving out of state in the future; and
  6. any services that will be lost once the adoption is finalized.
NA The agency does not provide adoption services.

Examples: This material may be covered in formal orientation sessions or in collaborative one-on-one work with prospective adoptive parents. Prospective adoptive parents who have adopted a child through the agency previously may only need a refresher orientation. 
 
 

PA-CFS 27.07

Prospective guardians are helped to understand: 
  1. the importance of permanency and a stable home, with attention to the caregiver’s capacity to provide permanency over time, and plans for establishing a successor guardian, if needed;
  2. the impact of guardianship on birth parent rights;
  3. the process for completing the transfer of custody;
  4. their responsibility to maintain a family time plan and supervise birth parent family time, as necessary;
  5. circumstances under which guardianship can be terminated or modified, including their right to petition the court to adopt the child at a later time and the impact this will have on birth parent rights;
  6. the potential financial impact on the family, the availability of guardianship subsidies, and the impact subsidies could have on receipt of federal, state, or tribal benefits; 
  7. the availability of support services following the transfer of custody, including services in other states, tribes, or American Indian/Alaska Native organizations if the family plans on moving out of state in the future; and
  8. any services that will be lost once the transfer of custody is finalized.



 
Interpretation: Regarding element (e), guardians of American Indian and Alaska Native children should be informed of alternatives to adoption such as tribal customary adoption, which must be approved and adjudicated by the tribal court. 

Examples: This material may be covered in formal orientation sessions or in collaborative one-on-one work with prospective guardians. Prospective guardians that have already assumed guardianship for another child through the program may only need a refresher orientation.  
 

PA-CFS 27.08

Prospective adoptive parents and guardians are provided with education, training, information, and support that address the following, as appropriate: 
  1. separation, grief, and loss;
  2. attachment and bonding, including strategies for supporting safe and nurturing relationships;
  3. changing roles and relationships, including sibling relationships;
  4. supporting a child’s identity development;
  5. the importance of maintaining connections with a child’s family, community, or tribe, as appropriate;
  6. meeting children’s developmental needs across life domains, including special considerations for a child’s transition into adolescence;
  7. caring for a child with special needs;
  8. raising a child of a different race, ethnicity, culture, religion, sexual orientation, or gender identity;
  9. helping a child cope with the history and impact of maltreatment and living in out-of-home care; 
  10. recognizing signs of unknown or undisclosed abuse, effective strategies to support safe disclosure, and reporting abuse allegations to appropriate authorities;
  11. strategies for maintaining safety when there is a history of sexual abuse, trafficking, self-harm, or other unsafe behavior; and
  12.  issues of independent living.


 

Examples: This material may be covered in formal training sessions or in collaborative one-on-one work with prospective adoptive parents and guardians. Prospective adoptive parents or guardians that have already adopted or assumed guardianship for another child through the program may only need refresher training. Providing in-person, individualized counseling and preparation as needed can help prepare resource families to meet the special needs of the particular children joining their families, and thereby prevent disruption. When a child is already living with a prospective guardian or adoptive family, the information provided may be adjusted accordingly.


Examples: Regarding element (h), training can include: 

  1. the agency’s nondiscrimination policy; 
  2. the history, traditions, values, and communication styles of populations served; 
  3. systemic inequities and implicit bias; 
  4. how culture influences trauma response; 
  5. a review of vocabulary relevant to LGBTQ+ youth; and 
  6. parenting practices that promote the safety and well-being of LGBTQ+ youth. 
 

PA-CFS 27.09

When adoptions are being planned, the parties to the adoption are offered counseling, assistance, and support to: 
  1. consider whether connections should be maintained between the child and the birth parents, siblings, relatives, or others with whom the child has a connection; and
  2. develop plans for exchanging information, continuing contact, and resolving conflicts, when connections will be maintained. 



 
Interpretation: Most birth parents making a voluntary plan for adoption have an interest in some level of maintaining connections.  Even in cases where parental rights are involuntarily terminated, there may be situations where ongoing connection with a sibling, birth parent, relative, or other individuals with a significant connection to the child can be beneficial for the child’s growth and development and the stability of the placement. The program should explain limitations on confidentiality and enforcement of agreements and document in the case record expressed preferences and concerns.  Documentation of the assessment of the appropriateness of maintaining connections in the record will be sufficient evidence of implementation in cases where there are no plans for maintaining connections.  


 
NA The agency does not provide adoption services.

Examples: Counseling can help the parties consider whether continued contact is in the best interest of the child and others involved in both the immediate and long term future. Planning can include identification of individuals the child might continue to contact, and the type and frequency of contact.  Examples of ways to maintain contact include, but are not limited to: 
  1. agency-mediated written communication,
  2. occasional contact with birth parents or other relatives, and/or
  3. frequent in-person contact with birth family members.
2024 Edition

Child and Family Services (PA-CFS) 28: Matching and Placement in Adoptions and Guardianships

The agency identifies adoptive families or guardians who can meet children’s needs, and arranges for children to join families in a timely manner.


 
Interpretation: When children are already living with prospective adoptive families or guardians, some aspects of this process may overlap with the initial placement process addressed in PA-CFS 12. Aspects of this process will also overlap with PA-CFS 13: “Child Permanency,” and PA-CFS 22: “Resource Family Recruitment.”

1
Full Implementation, Outstanding Performance
A rating of (1) indicates that the agency's practices fully meet the standard and reflect a high level of capacity.  
  • All elements or requirements outlined in the standard are evident in practice, with rare or no exceptions; exceptions do not impact service quality or agency performance. 
2
Substantial Implementation, Good Performance
A rating of (2) indicates that an agency's infrastructure and practices are basically sound but there is room for improvement. 
  • The majority of the standards requirements have been met and the basic framework required by the standard has been implemented.  
  • Minor inconsistencies and not yet fully developed practices are noted; however, these do not significantly impact service quality or agency performance.  
3
Partial Implementation, Concerning Performance
A rating of (3) indicates that the agency's observed infrastructure and/or practices require significant improvement.  
  • The agency has not implemented the basic framework of the standard but instead has in place only part of this framework.   
  • Omissions or exceptions to the practices outlined in the standard occur regularly, or practices are implemented in a cursory or haphazard manner. 
  • Service quality or agency functioning may be compromised.   
  • Capacity is at a basic level.
4
Unsatisfactory Implementation or Performance
A rating of (4) indicates that implementation of the standard is minimal or there is no evidence of implementation at all.  
  • The agency’s observed service delivery infrastructure and practices are weak or non-existent; or show signs of neglect, stagnation, or deterioration.  
 

PA-CFS 28.01

The agency assesses all available information about the birth parents, the child, and prospective adoptive parents or guardians, including expressed preferences, and determines which prospective adoptive parents or guardians may be most suitable to meet the needs of the child.
 
Interpretation: Some circumstances that can make the transition to adoption more difficult, and that have been found to be factors in some disruptions and dissolutions, include:
  1. placement of more than one unrelated child into a home at the same time; and
  2. placement of a child too soon after the birth or addition of another child to the family.

The agency might generally avoid matching children with prospective adoptive parents in these circumstances or take additional steps to prepare for and support such placements.
 
 

PA-CFS 28.02

The agency incorporates provisions of applicable laws and regulations for placement preferences and matching into its established criteria for determining the best interests of the child, makes placement decisions based on these criteria, and documents the decision in its records.  

 
Interpretation: The agency must follow guidelines set forth in the Multi-Ethnic Placement Act and the Indian Child Welfare Act and should take into account birth parents’ expressed desires and the importance of keeping siblings together. When there is any conflict in these preferences or priorities the agency should engage administrative personnel and legal counsel as needed to make its decision, and carefully document its deliberations and a rationale for its decision.

Interpretation: When the agency is working with American Indian and Alaska Native children and families, tribal representatives and service providers must be involved in placement decisions in order to ensure compliance with the Indian Child Welfare Act, which requires that preference be given to families in the following order: 
  1. a member of the child’s extended family;
  2. families who are members of the child’s tribe; and
  3. other American Indian or Alaska Native families.
Alternative placement preferences established by the child’s tribe may apply, and the court may also take into consideration the preferences of the child or his/her birth parents.
 

PA-CFS 28.03

The agency provides prospective adoptive parents and guardians with:
  1. the child study, and all other information it is legally permitted to provide; and
  2. sufficient time to process the information and make an informed decision about the adoption or guardianship.


 
Interpretation: If they are already living with the children, prospective adoptive parents or guardians will presumably already have extensive information about the children. However, the agency should still make sure that prospective adoptive parents or guardians understand all relevant aspects of the children’s background and are provided with sufficient time to make a decision about the adoption or guardianship.
 

PA-CFS 28.04

Children join families as soon as the children, their birth families, and the adoptive parents or guardians are prepared, and adoptive parents and guardians are helped to prepare for the transition through supports and services including:
  1. planning for the details of the transition;
  2. information on the types of behaviors and emotions children typically experience during the transition and typical length of time for the transition period;
  3. counseling on how to ease the transition given the information known about the child; and
  4. assistance with the preparation of other children or individuals living or frequently in the home.


 

Examples: Information can be provided through reading materials, contact information for service providers, group or individual counseling and training sessions, and online resources.
 

PA-CFS 28.05

When a child is placed with prospective adoptive parents prior to termination of parental rights, the agency: 
  1. ensures that the prospective adoptive parents understand their responsibility to support the child’s case plan;
  2. informs the prospective adoptive parents of the substantial risks involved and limitations on confidentiality;
  3. ensures that the prospective adoptive parents are committed to adopting the child; and
  4. makes diligent efforts to remove any barriers to the adoption if parental rights are terminated.


 
Interpretation: When the placement involves an American Indian or Alaska Native child, prospective adoptive parents must be informed about the Indian Child Welfare Act and its implications for the adoption of the child. 

This standard does not apply in the case of tribal customary adoption as adjudicated or approved within tribal court.

 
NA  The agency does not work with children placed in out-of-home care.
2024 Edition

Child and Family Services (PA-CFS) 29: Supporting and Maintaining Adoptions and Guardianships

Supportive services promote child and family safety and well-being and support the stability and success of adoptions and guardianships.
Interpretation:  Whenever possible, services provided by others should be provided by professionals competent in adoption/guardianship and experienced in trauma-informed care.
 

1
Full Implementation, Outstanding Performance
A rating of (1) indicates that the agency's practices fully meet the standard and reflect a high level of capacity.  
  • All elements or requirements outlined in the standard are evident in practice, with rare or no exceptions; exceptions do not impact service quality or agency performance. 
2
Substantial Implementation, Good Performance
A rating of (2) indicates that an agency's infrastructure and practices are basically sound but there is room for improvement. 
  • The majority of the standards requirements have been met and the basic framework required by the standard has been implemented.  
  • Minor inconsistencies and not yet fully developed practices are noted; however, these do not significantly impact service quality or agency performance.  
3
Partial Implementation, Concerning Performance
A rating of (3) indicates that the agency's observed infrastructure and/or practices require significant improvement.  
  • The agency has not implemented the basic framework of the standard but instead has in place only part of this framework.   
  • Omissions or exceptions to the practices outlined in the standard occur regularly, or practices are implemented in a cursory or haphazard manner. 
  • Service quality or agency functioning may be compromised.   
  • Capacity is at a basic level.
4
Unsatisfactory Implementation or Performance
A rating of (4) indicates that implementation of the standard is minimal or there is no evidence of implementation at all.  
  • The agency’s observed service delivery infrastructure and practices are weak or non-existent; or show signs of neglect, stagnation, or deterioration.  
 

PA-CFS 29.01

Adoptive parents and guardians receive assistance: 
  1. obtaining available subsidies and insurance; and 
  2. completing the legal adoption or guardianship.
 

PA-CFS 29.02

The agency works with children and their adoptive parents or guardians, and adults who were adopted or in a guardianship, to:
  1. identify and locate family members who might re-establish relationships with them, in accordance with applicable state or local regulation and the terms of the adoption or guardianship; and
  2. provide information and support to prepare for contact with family members.
 

PA-CFS 29.03

The agency partners with children and adoptive parents or guardians, and supportive individuals of their choosing, to explore the need for post-permanency services and supports and develop post-permanency plans that: 
  1. specify steps for obtaining needed community-based services and resources;
  2.  outline plans for ongoing communication and shared activities with birth families, as appropriate, including with siblings that are not living together; and
  3.  are flexible to the changing needs of children and families.
 

PA-CFS 29.04

Children and their adoptive parents or guardians have access to post-permanency services that include, as needed: 
  1. assessments;
  2. information and referral;
  3. individual, group, and family counseling;
  4. educational services;
  5. physical and behavioral health care, including medical, dental, developmental, mental health, and substance use services, including obtaining any needed medications; 
  6. crisis intervention and family preservation and stabilization services;
  7. peer support;
  8. respite and residential treatment services;
  9. child care;
  10. transportation; and
  11. case management.
 

PA-CFS 29.05

When special needs have been identified, children and their adoptive parents or guardians have access to the following post-permanency services, as needed: 
  1. early childhood intervention services;
  2. opportunities within the local school district;
  3. specialized services for health, mental health, and substance use conditions;
  4. education and vocational training;
  5. advocacy training; and
  6. personal advocates or legal counsel.
 

PA-CFS 29.06

When special needs have been identified and guardianship has been established, the agency:   
  1. includes in the post-permanency plan connections to community resources and necessary systems that young adults will need when they are no longer considered minors; and
  2. advises guardians of mechanisms in their state, or by their tribe, to extend guardianship beyond age 18.

 

Examples: Connections to necessary systems can include, for example, referring young adults with special needs to the mental health system to be assessed for continuing support needs or an ongoing guardianship arrangement. 
 
 

PA-CFS 29.07

The agency informs adoptive parents and guardians of any ongoing reviews that will be conducted or post-placement reports that will need to be submitted.


 
Interpretation: When a case involves an American Indian/Alaska Native child, a representative from the child’s tribe or a local American Indian/Alaska Native organization should be informed of ongoing reviews and be given an opportunity to participate. 
2024 Edition

Child and Family Services (PA-CFS) 30: Respite Care for Children in Out-of-Home Care

Respite care reduces caregiver stress, promotes the stability of placements, and ensures child safety and well-being.
 
Interpretation: This core concept addresses respite care provided in resource family homes licensed by the agency, as well as when the agency is working with licensed, contracted respite care providers for the children in care. 

Interpretation: If care is going to continue for an indefinite period of time, the notice and placement preferences in the Indian Child Welfare Act may apply.
 
NA The agency does not work with children placed in out-of-home care.

1
Full Implementation, Outstanding Performance
A rating of (1) indicates that the agency's practices fully meet the standard and reflect a high level of capacity.  
  • All elements or requirements outlined in the standard are evident in practice, with rare or no exceptions; exceptions do not impact service quality or agency performance. 
2
Substantial Implementation, Good Performance
A rating of (2) indicates that an agency's infrastructure and practices are basically sound but there is room for improvement. 
  • The majority of the standards requirements have been met and the basic framework required by the standard has been implemented.  
  • Minor inconsistencies and not yet fully developed practices are noted; however, these do not significantly impact service quality or agency performance.  
3
Partial Implementation, Concerning Performance
A rating of (3) indicates that the agency's observed infrastructure and/or practices require significant improvement.  
  • The agency has not implemented the basic framework of the standard but instead has in place only part of this framework.   
  • Omissions or exceptions to the practices outlined in the standard occur regularly, or practices are implemented in a cursory or haphazard manner. 
  • Service quality or agency functioning may be compromised.   
  • Capacity is at a basic level.
4
Unsatisfactory Implementation or Performance
A rating of (4) indicates that implementation of the standard is minimal or there is no evidence of implementation at all.  
  • The agency’s observed service delivery infrastructure and practices are weak or non-existent; or show signs of neglect, stagnation, or deterioration.  
 

PA-CFS 30.01

The agency collaborates with resource families to develop a written respite care plan that is regularly reviewed, and addresses:
  1. available respite care resources;
  2. frequency and duration of respite care; and
  3. approved respite caregivers.
Interpretation: Respite care plans for children in treatment foster care should be developed as part of treatment planning and reviewed at least quarterly.

Examples: Respite care planning can include helping resource families to identify individuals within their own support network, or the child's network, to designate as approved respite caregivers.

Respite care plans may also incorporate developmentally-appropriate normalcy activities, such as recreational activities or sleepovers. 
 
Fundamental Practice

PA-CFS 30.02

The agency matches children with respite caregivers based on an assessment of the caregiver’s capacity to meet the child’s individualized needs, including:
  1. respite duration;
  2. the number and the needs of other children in the respite care home;
  3. ability to respect and support the child’s culture, race, religion, gender identity, and sexual orientation;
  4. relationship to the child;
  5. appropriate skills or training to provide therapeutic or medical care, when necessary; and
  6. sleeping accommodations appropriate to the child’s age, gender, and any special needs, when providing overnight respite.
Interpretation: Regarding element (b), the number of children in respite caregiver homes should not exceed five children in total and also should not contain more than:
  1. two children under age two;
  2. four children over age 13; and
  3. two children in treatment foster care.
Exceptions may be made for short-term stays, or to support connections to siblings or kin, depending on the respite caregiver’s capacity and experience, and the child’s safety or treatment plan.
 
Fundamental Practice

PA-CFS 30.03

Respite caregivers:  
  1. are familiarized with the child's daily routines, preferred foods and activities, safety plan, and needed therapeutic or medical care; 
  2. provide enriching activities appropriate to the child's interests, age, development, physical abilities, interpersonal characteristics, culture, and special needs; and
  3. work with resource parents to plan for children’s continued participation in any therapeutic, educational, or employment activities, when applicable.

 
Interpretation: Agencies that do not provide respite care in their own resource family homes must ensure that relevant information about the child is communicated to the respite care program to ensure appropriate care, and monitor the child's and resource family's satisfaction with the respite caregiver. 
 
 
Fundamental Practice

PA-CFS 30.04

When respite care is provided in response to a crisis, the agency provides needed developmentally, culturally, and age appropriate interventions to help children cope with trauma or stress associated with the crisis.
NA The agency does not provide respite care in crisis situations.
 
Fundamental Practice

PA-CFS 30.05

When children in respite care experience accidents, health problems, or changes in appearance or behavior, information is promptly recorded and reported to the resource parents and administration, and follow-up occurs, as needed.
 
Fundamental Practice

PA-CFS 30.06

Respite caregivers return children only to the resource parents, or another person approved by the resource parents, and follow procedures for situations that pose a safety risk or when a child requires protection.

Examples: Procedures may include directions on how to engage community resources such as law enforcement or cab companies when individuals pose a safety risk, such as when individuals are intoxicated by drugs or alcohol, are mentally or physically unstable, or present another safety concern.
2024 Edition

Child and Family Services (PA-CFS) 31: Case Closing and Aftercare

The agency works with children and families to plan for case closing and develop aftercare plans. 


 
Interpretation: This core concept applies regardless of permanency outcome – the agency is expected to work with families who received in-home services, reunified families, adoptive families, families with permanent legal guardianship, youth transitioning to independence, and birth parents who will not be reunited with their children. 

1
Full Implementation, Outstanding Performance
A rating of (1) indicates that the agency's practices fully meet the standard and reflect a high level of capacity.  
  • All elements or requirements outlined in the standard are evident in practice, with rare or no exceptions; exceptions do not impact service quality or agency performance. 
2
Substantial Implementation, Good Performance
A rating of (2) indicates that an agency's infrastructure and practices are basically sound but there is room for improvement. 
  • The majority of the standards requirements have been met and the basic framework required by the standard has been implemented.  
  • Minor inconsistencies and not yet fully developed practices are noted; however, these do not significantly impact service quality or agency performance.  
3
Partial Implementation, Concerning Performance
A rating of (3) indicates that the agency's observed infrastructure and/or practices require significant improvement.  
  • The agency has not implemented the basic framework of the standard but instead has in place only part of this framework.   
  • Omissions or exceptions to the practices outlined in the standard occur regularly, or practices are implemented in a cursory or haphazard manner. 
  • Service quality or agency functioning may be compromised.   
  • Capacity is at a basic level.
4
Unsatisfactory Implementation or Performance
A rating of (4) indicates that implementation of the standard is minimal or there is no evidence of implementation at all.  
  • The agency’s observed service delivery infrastructure and practices are weak or non-existent; or show signs of neglect, stagnation, or deterioration.  
 

PA-CFS 31.01

Planning for case closing:  
  1. is a clearly defined process that includes the assignment of staff responsibility; 
  2. begins at intake; 
  3.  involves the worker, children, families, resource families, and other supportive people chosen by children and families, as appropriate; and
  4. includes collaboration with the court to ensure that jurisdiction is terminated before the case is closed, when necessary.

 

Examples: Supportive people chosen by children and families can include, for example, extended family, friends, and other service providers.
 

PA-CFS 31.02

Upon case closing, the agency notifies any collaborating service providers, including tribal governments, as appropriate.
 

PA-CFS 31.03

When children have remained or been reunified with their families, the case closing process includes a discussion with the family about the successful changes in behaviors and conditions that reduced risk to the child and strategies for maintaining those changes.
 

PA-CFS 31.04

The agency works with children and families to develop an aftercare plan, sufficiently in advance of case closing, that identifies short- and long-term needs and goals and facilitates the initiation or continuation of needed supports and services, including crisis resources.
 
 

Note: When a case is closed because an adoption or guardianship has been finalized, the specifics of aftercare planning will be covered by PA-CFS 29, and when a youth ages out of care without having achieved legal permanency, additional details regarding transition planning will be covered by PA-CFS 21.07 and PA-CFS 21.08. Similarly, when children have been reunified with their families, the aftercare plans referenced in this standard will likely be extensions of the plans for support and services described in PA-CFS 20. When cases are closed following the provision of in-home services, without children ever being separated from their families, aftercare planning will be entirely covered by this core concept standard. 
 
 

PA-CFS 31.05

The agency follows up on the aftercare plan, as appropriate, when possible, and with the permission of children and families.
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