cfpic.org · The Linkages Project · 1
The Linkages Project and Family Engagement
The Role of Linkages in the California
Program Improvement Plan (PIP)
The 2009 California Program Improvement Plan
(PIP) incorporates significant actions to ensure
that the state continues to improve child welfare
outcomes for children and families. One area of
improvement is increasing participation of families
in case planning through various strategies that
allow, support and enable a family to be involved
as decision-makers in their child's case. In
creating the 2009 PIP, California chose to build
on successful initiatives that have momentum.
One of these is the Linkages initiative. Linkages
provides a variety of opportunities for greater
engagement of families in defining their strengths
and identifying resources to address issues that
contribute to family disruption.
The guidelines outlined in this document describe
how Linkages can help accomplish the PIP
strategy of increased use of family engagement
strategies in case planning. Also discussed are
general approaches, specific mechanisms, and
examples from within Linkages that enable and
support family engagement. Counties currently
implementing Linkages will recognize the extent
to which they practice family engagement
and perhaps discover additional opportunities.
Counties not currently using Linkages may decide
to incorporate these elements as a way of meeting
the family engagement requirements in the PIP.
California's Linkages Initiative
Linkages a CalWORKs and Child Welfare collaboration to
improve outcomes for families is one of five demonstration
grants funded by the federal Administration of Children
and Families in 2006. The project originated in November
2000 and was formerly known as the CalWORKs/Child
Welfare Partnership Project. The goal continues to be the
development of a coordinated services approach between
Child Welfare and CalWORKs (Temporary Assistance to
Needy Families TANF) services to better serve families
and improve safety and economic stability outcomes. The
effort began with 13 counties receiving technical assistance
and training in 2000, and was joined by 17 more counties
in 2005. At this time, a total of 32 California counties have
active Linkages programs in operation.
Family Engagement Overview
Evidence shows
1
that engaged families are more likely to
collaborate and cooperate with case plans, choose services
or treatments they feel will help them, follow-through
with services and make life-long changes. This leads to a
higher likelihood of children obtaining permanency, part
of the California Department of Social Services (CDSS)
vision that "every child in California lives in a safe, stable,
permanent home, nurtured by healthy families and strong
communities."
Family engagement begins at the time of initial contact
and extends throughout the service relationship with the
family. Some examples of successful family engagement
include:
n
Reaching out to families in ways relevant to the
situation and sensitive to the values of their culture.
n
Building from the family's strengths, capacities,
cultural background and resources to develop creative
solutions that address the circumstances interfering
with the family's success.
n
Fully disclosing information relevant to the family's
decision-making in the case.
n
Encouraging families to be involved in helping the
public agencies and the community develop policies
and services that are responsive to families and to be
involved in evaluating these service systems.
Families in particularly difficult circumstances those
experiencing extremely low income, emotional fragility
and lack of social support may benefit the most from
family engagement strategies. They also may be the
most challenging population in which to develop the
relationships and commitments necessary for meaningful
and successful family participation.
Outcomes of successful family engagement strategies
include greater commitment to the change process,
improved self-esteem as the family is respected and
valued, increased sense of empowerment and more
comprehensive understanding of the information and
processes involved in case planning. These outcomes
for the family relate to the broader results that Linkages
is striving to accomplish through tighter coordination
between CalWORKs and Child Welfare Services:
n
More families achieve economic self-sufficiency
through increased work participation and earning
capacity.
n
More children are able to remain safely with their
families with no further risk of harm through a more
responsive, timely and coordinated array of service
options.
1
Dawson, K. & Berry, M. (2002). Engaging families in child welfare
services: An evidence-based approach to best practice. Child Welfare,
81(2), 293-317.