Family Centered Engagement FAQ

What is the role of the facilitator?
What is the role of the service providers at the FCE meeting?
What is the role of family at the FCE meeting?
Who does the facilitator contact and what information is shared before the FCE meeting?
What information is shared at the FCE meeting?
What do you mean by “immediate placement decision”?
Do children and young people participate in the FCE meeting?
What will the meeting agenda look like?
Are individuals sometimes excluded from the FCE meeting?
What happens if the team can’t agree on a placement/safety decision?
Is a FCE meeting a one-time process?
How long are FCE meetings?
Where are FCE meetings typically held?
Is there help with childcare and/or transportation?

What is the role of the facilitator?
The facilitator’s role is to call and prepare all participants for the FCE meeting, including the extended family members, community support people, and professionals/service providers. The facilitator is also responsible for addressing any safety issues that may impact the FCE process and helping the team reach a consensus during the meeting regarding the placement/safety for children. The facilitator, who has had no prior involvement with the family, also facilitates the FCE meeting. Since they are considered a neutral party, the facilitator has no vote or say in the final placement decision.

What is the role of the service providers at the FCE meeting?
The service providers are responsible for providing key information to the team. After the parents are given the opportunity to share with the team the critical incident or safety concerns that led up to the request for a FCE meeting, the referring service provider may help clarify the circumstances. Service providers also contribute information to the team’s discussion about child/family strengths and potential placement options for the children. Family members have the opportunity to ask questions and get clarification from the service providers on their roles and processes within the child welfare system. If the children are in state or county custody, the county social service staff will help the family determine which immediate placement options would be acceptable for the children based on child welfare policy (i.e., state the placement option is located in, requirements to become a foster or kinship home, etc.). 

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What is the role of family at the FCE meeting?
Family members and other support people are critically important to the FCE process. With abundant knowledge of the family and children for whom the meeting is about, family members play the role of information providers. They are invited to identify the strengths of the family, share their concerns about the children and their needs, and suggest ideas for potential placement options for the children. Family members, along with service providers, also contribute to the discussion to determine the most acceptable and least restrictive placement option for the children. 

Who does the facilitator contact and what information is shared before the FCE meeting?
Upon receiving a referral, the FCE facilitator will begin the process of organizing and scheduling the FCE meeting. The FCE facilitator will contact all people on the invitation list (calling parents and/or primary caregivers first) to prepare them for the FCE meeting. The FCE facilitator will also inquire about additional extended family members, community supporters and others with a relationship with the children to invite to the meeting. If a family member identifies someone for the meeting who the parent has not listed on the referral form, the FCE facilitator will re-contact the parent/caregiver to secure their consent.

In talking with potential attendees, the FCE facilitator discusses:

• Why they are calling (received referral)
• The purpose of the FCE
• Their role as a neutral facilitator
• The agenda for the meeting
• Whether they have any concerns about participating
• What the non-negotiables are
• Whether there are any family dynamics that will assist the facilitator in organizing and running the meeting

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What information is shared at the FCE meeting?
After introductions are made and the purpose of the FCE meeting is clarified, the facilitator invites the parents to identify the situation/concerns that prompted the meeting. Other participants are invited to contribute to this discussion, and other safety concerns and needs of the children are also discussed. The team also discusses the strengths of the children and family, such as things that are going well within the family, positive supports that the family has, and other factors that reveal the family’s ability to provide safety, care, and protection for the children. The last discussion topic focuses on ideas and suggestions for immediate placement options, and a decision is made as a team regarding the best immediate placement option for the children. 

What do you mean by “immediate placement decision”?
When children are removed from a home, county social services may need to place them in an emergency foster home or related setting on a temporary basis to ensure their safety until an alternative temporary placement can be identified. At the FCE meeting, a decision will be made as to where the children can be placed that is least restrictive to their well-being (for example, with family members or friends in their community). Calling the placement decision “immediate” indicates that the placement can happen in the very near future (e.g., within a week) and the children may remain there on a short-term basis until Human Service Zone workers can finish the case assessment and develop a safety plan for the parents to complete in order for the children to return home.

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Do children and young people participate in the FCE meeting?
Typically, children under the age of 12 do not attend the FCE meeting. The facilitator may ask the children and parents if the children would like to share information through a written statement or other form of communication, but ultimately this is up to the parents and the children. Children who are 12 years of age and older may choose to attend the FCE meeting. It is the role of the facilitator to make sure the children understand the purpose of the meeting and the roles of those invited to participate in the meeting. Special attention is taken to protect the children’s safety, emotional and physical health, and comfort during the meeting.

What will the meeting agenda look like?
Opening (approximately 15-20 minutes)

• Introductions
• Sign-in
• Meeting Guidelines
• Purpose/Goal

Discussion (approximately 30 minutes)

• Concerns and Risks
• Strengths and Supports
• Ideas
• Non-negotiables

Creating a Plan (approximately 15-30 minutes)

• Private Family Time to Develop an Action Plan

Review the Plan (approximately 25-30 minutes)

• Plan Presentation and Clarification
• Plan Acceptance
• Satisfaction Survey

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Are individuals sometimes excluded from the FCE meeting?
It is the role of the facilitator to ask information about whose participation in the FCE meeting might compromise the emotional and physical safety of other meeting participants or could be detrimental to the decision-making process. While the facilitator rarely excludes individuals from meetings, it is his/her responsibility, along with feedback from the family group, to finalize these difficult decisions. Excluding someone from being physically present at the FCE meeting does not mean the person’s voice is not heard. The facilitator will make every effort to gather the person’s perspective (e.g., via verbal comments) and share it with the FCE participants. With permission from the team, the facilitator may also advise the absent person of the meeting outcome. 

What happens if the team can’t agree on a placement/safety decision?
There are instances when family members and service providers do not agree on the best placement option for the children. The final decision for placement will depend on the identified custodian of the children. If the county or state has custody of the children, they make the final decision regarding immediate placement (taking into account all the information and ideas shared by the family). If the parents or legal guardians have custody, they will make the final decision regarding immediate placement. Oftentimes, families prefer playing a significant role in the decision and eventually come to a placement decision along with the service providers.

Is a FCE meeting a one-time process?
Yes. Follow-up FCE meetings are not usually held, and the referring service provider/agency is responsible for carrying out and monitoring the placement/safety decision along with the family. 

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How long are FCE meetings?
FCE meetings are up to 2 hours in length. 

Where are FCE meetings typically held?
FCE meetings are typically held at The Village Family Service Center. Since the meetings are scheduled within one to 14 days of the referral, there are usually pre-designated sites, days, and times established by The Village to hold FCE meetings. 

Is there help with childcare and/or transportation?
If you have any barriers to getting your family together for the FCE meeting, the facilitator and/or referring service provider may help find alternative ways to allow you to participate. 

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