Practical Tips For Families

✓If your child is in out-of-home placement (also referred to as foster care), the state is
required by federal law to develop the service plan for your child and family with you.
Working on the service plan with the agency worker gives you the chance to do the
following:
– explain what help both you and your child need
– set goals that are important to you
– ask for specific services
– ask questions
– have a say in the type of care your child will receive
– clarify your rights and responsibilities as a parent while your child is in foster care
– understand your responsibilities and the agency’s
✓Sometimes people on the planning team like personal touches. They need to feel that
they know you and your kids. Joyce (see her family voice on page 25) suggests writing a
personal letter to the team and bringing pictures of yourself and your kids to the team
meetings and to court. She says if you don’t write so well, that’s ok. Talk from your heart.
Say what you can.
✓ When you sign the service plan, it means that you agree with it. If you don’t agree with
it, you don’t have to sign it. Instead, you could ask the agency worker to reconsider the
parts that you don’t agree with.
✓ When parents who have pending criminal abuse or neglect charges against them
participate in services to help themselves and their family, this is not an admission that
the charges against them are true.
✓ Make sure your child has input into the plan if she is old enough.
✓Ask for and keep a copy of your service plan and any updates to it.
✓You can have an advocate or someone you trust present with you when the service plan
is developed. Let your agency worker know if you want someone else there.