Probation Department Policy/Procedure Manual

4.21 Family Finding and Engagement (FFE)

Location Division Wide
Section N/A
Subject Family Finding and Engagement (FFE)
Purpose Support youth who are referred to Juvenile Justice Court by locating as many relatives as possible who could support the youth by being a permanent placement option and/or create a support network
Effective Date 3/1/2023
Previous Effective Date

 

OVERVIEW

Family Finding and Engagement (FFE) aims to support youth at risk of entering foster care or who have been ordered into foster care. FFE efforts initiate when a youth is referred to Juvenile Justice Court, is being considered for, or is ordered into, foster care, the Coastal Valley Academy (CVA), or a Secure Youth Treatment Facility (SYTF). FFE efforts assist youth by identifying, locating, and engaging all appropriate adult relatives to the fifth degree or other caring adults in a youth’s life who can engage with the youth by participating in Child and Family Team (CFT) meetings, writing or calling the youth, or being a permanent placement option. FFE efforts continue until a stable permanent plan is in place for the youth, or until at least one lifelong permanent connection has been established. Nothing in this procedure shall be construed to delay foster care placement for an individual youth.

SPECIFIC PROCEDURE

  1. Family Finding Quick Search
    1. ​All cases referred to the Juvenile Court Unit for initial detention and investigation reports shall include FFE efforts. The assigned Deputy Probation Officer (DPO) will initiate FFE efforts by requesting a Family Finding (FF) Quick Search by emailing Child Welfare Services (CWS) at [email protected] with the following information:
      1. The youth’s name
      2. The youth’s date of birth
      3. The youth’s mother’s legal name, maiden name, and any other names used and at least one of the following:
        • Social Security Number
        • Date of birth
        • Driver’s License Number
      4. The youth’s father’s legal name and any other names used and at least one of the following:
        • Social Security Number
        • Date of birth
        • Driver’s License Number
    2. CWS will conduct the FF Quick Search to identify as many confirmed or probable relatives and respond back as soon as possible.
      1. Individuals listed on the FF Quick Search results are not confirmed relatives, nor are they being recommended by CWS. Rather, the individuals identified are those with the highest probability of being related to the youth.
    3. The assigned DPO is responsible for reviewing the FF Quick Search results to determine each individual’s relation to the youth and their appropriateness for supporting the youth.
    4. FFE efforts shall be documented in Monitor and noted in the youth’s court report.
  2. Intensive Family Finding Search
    1. ​An intensive Family Finding search shall be conducted for any of the following reasons:
      1. When a youth is detained and the DPO has reason to believe that the youth is at risk of entering foster care.
      2. Prior to a DPO staffing a case requesting a youth  be removed and ordered into foster care, or ordered to serve a commitment to CVA or SYTF. 
      3. If FFE efforts have not been initiated, but the court ordered a youth into foster care placement, CVA, or SYTF.
        • The DPO must conduct FFE efforts to find and notify relatives and non-relative extended family members (NREFMs) within 30 days of the placement or commitment order.
      4. If either of the youth’s biological parent’s status is “whereabouts unknown.”
      5. To locate a specific relative or a Non-Relative Extended Family Member (NREFM).
      6. When a DPO recommends termination of Family Reunification services and there is no permanent plan in place for the youth, or when the court terminates Family Reunification services.
      7. Once a year for youth who reside in a Planned Permanent Living Arrangement (PPLA) without a permanent plan.
      8. When a change in placement is needed and a new placement has not been identified or at the time of exit or discharge from a commitment program.
        • For a change in foster placement, DPOs shall review all previously identified relatives and NREFMs who had been ruled out for reasons other than non-exemptible criminal history at any time a placement move is being initiated.
    2. To request an Intensive Family Finding search, DPOs must email a completed Family Finding Request form to Child Welfare Services (CWS) at [email protected].
      1. DPOs shall include any special information, such as the status of a parent (i.e., whereabouts unknown) or sibling or whether an order exists limiting contact with a parent/guardian, relative, or NREFM.
      2. CWS will perform an Intensive Family Finding search and will provide the referring DPO with probable relatives.
    3. The DPO who requested the Intensive Family Finding search is responsible for reviewing the information provided by CWS listing probable relatives to determine each individual’s relation to the youth.
      1. Individuals identified by CWS are not confirmed relatives, nor are they being recommended by CWS. Rather, they are individuals with the highest probability of being related to the youth.
    4. DPOs are responsible for pursing FFE and with working with any relatives or NREFMs who may serve as a lifelong permanent connection for the youth and/or placement considerations.
      1. DPOs shall exercise due diligence to identify and locate all grandparents, adult siblings, and other adult relatives, including those suggested by the youth’s parent(s)/guardian(s).
      2. DPOs must also ask the youth about relatives or NREFMs who are important to them and obtain information regarding the location of the individuals named by the youth.
    5. DPOs shall send a Notification to Locate and Contact Relatives & NREFMs Letter to all potential relatives to the fifth degree or other adults identified by the youth.
      1. Relative to the fifth degree is any adult who is related to the youth by blood, adoption, or affinity of kinship, including stepparents, stepsiblings, all relatives whose status is preceded by the words “great,” “great-great,” or “grand,” or the spouse of any of these persons even if the marriage was terminated by death or dissolution (example below).

Degree of Kinship

Relative

1st degree

Mother, Presumed Father, Sibling

2nd degree

Grandparent

3rd degree

Great-Grandparent, Aunt/Uncle, Nephew/Niece

4th degree

Great-Great-Grandparent, Great Aunt/Uncle, First Cousin

5th degree

Great-Great-Great Grandparent, Great-Great Aunt/Uncle,

First Cousin once removed (child of first cousin)
  1. DPOs shall provide a Youth Engagement Questionnaire with a self-addressed stamped envelope and an Important Information for Relatives brochure to all adult relatives and NREFMs who responded to a Notification to Locate and Contact Relatives & NREFMs Letter, or any other adult who requests to support the youth during the DPOs FFE investigation.
    1. DPOs shall forward the contact information of any relative of the youth or NREMF who indicated they were willing to be considered as a temporary or permanent home for the youth to the Juvenile Placement Unit Supervising Deputy Probation Officer (SDPO) and/or the Senior Deputy Probation Officer.
    2. DPOs shall provide relatives/NREFMs who requested to keep their name and/or contact information confidential with a JV-285 Relative Information form and JV-287 Confidential Information form.
  2. FFE efforts shall be documented in Monitor and noted in the youth’s court report.

Confidentiality

  1. Probation is required to conduct Family Finding and Engagement efforts, which are consistent with the youth’s best interest, regardless of the parent’s or guardian’s wishes.
  2. DPOs must consider what is in the youth’s best interest and keep information shared with potential relatives or NREFMs who would like to engage with the youth to the youth’s current situation.
    1. More specific information shall be provided to relatives or NREFMs if they are willing to move toward being a placement option and/or a lifelong permanent connection for the youth.
  3. Information provided by a relative or NREFM may be shared with the youth’s parent(s)/guardian(s), with the exception that a relative or NREFM can request to have their contact information (address and phone number) kept confidential by submitting a JV-285 Relative Information form and JV-287 Confidential Information form.
  4. California Rules of Court 5.534 and Welfare and Institutions Code (WIC) § 628 state that relatives of a youth have the right to submit information about the youth to the DPO and the court at any time.