Case Planning Objectives—In Home Tip Sheet

  • The SSW negotiates and documents the objectives in the family section of the P&P-1282-Family Case Plan.
  • The SSW uses the prevention plan to negotiate tasks.
  • The assigned tasks are action steps thatthe family members[*], SSW, and community partners are willing and able to do to achieve the objectives to prevent future maltreatment, presenting problem, or need.
  • The primary family level objectives (FLO) deal with safety or why the case is being opened with the family.
  • Secondary FLOs are objectives that may be needed for assessed risk factors, which do not require a case to be opened and would not keep a case open, but issues that need to be addressed for the well-being of the family.
  • The secondary FLO addresses family and child well-being issues, including the following:

°Job training;

°Educational advancement;

°Socialization skills;

°Better housing/location;

°Physical health needs; and

°Mental health needs.

  • The individual level objectives (ILO) deal with safety and what the alleged perpetrator or status youth is willing and able to do to change their behavior.ILOs involveindividual family members*, who have high-risk patterns of behavior that are linked to the primary FLO and make the family objectives difficult to achieve without behavior modifications.

In-home CPS case:

  • One (1) primary FLO relating to the maltreatment or presenting problem.
  • A secondary FLO is optional on other issues, including needs of children’s physical health, mental health, and educational needs.
  • One (1) ILO each for the identified adult perpetrator(s) or person(s) with problem behavior.
  • If the court orders the Cabinet or the biological parents to take certain actions, the SSW includes these actions in the family section of the case plan.

In-home status case:

  • One (1) primary FLO relating to the presenting problem.
  • A secondary FLO is optional on other issues, including needs of children’s physical health, mental health, and educational needs.
  • One (1) ILO for the child/youth, relating to controlling status behavior.
  • If the court orders the Cabinet, the biological parents*, or status offenders to take certain action, the SSW includes these actions in the family section of the case plan.

Domestic violence cases involving children (upon a substantiated finding of spouse/partner abuse):

  • One (1) primary FLO relating to the maltreatment of the child(ren), including child witnesses to domestic violence. Addressing the adult maltreatment is optional, based on the adult victim’s choice.
  • A secondary FLO is optional relating to other issues, including children’s physical health, mental health, and educational needs.
  • One (1) ILO for each person with access to the adult domestic violence victim related to the identified CPS issue.
  • If the court orders the Cabinet, biological parents*, or other caregivers to take certain action, the SSW includes these actions in the family section of the case plan.

Kinship Care when relative has custody:

  • One (1) FLO in the family section of the case plan relating to the maltreatment by the biological family or family-of-origin’s plan to prevent further abuse or neglect.
  • One (1) FLOrelating to the kinship care family’s plan to ensure the safety, well-being, and permanence of the child(ren) living in their care. This objective includes tasks that address:
  • Steps toward permanency, including DCBS support services being provided to the Kinship family;
  • Physical health;
  • Mental health, including behavioral issues;
  • Education, including developmental issues;
  • Attachment;
  • Independentliving skills (for children twelve(12) and older);
  • Court orders; and
  • Optional on other secondary issues.
  • One (1) ILO in the family section of the case plan for the identified adult perpetrator(s). The ILO is to address the adult pattern of behavior that needs to change to reduce safety risk to the family-of-origin.
  • If the court orders the Cabinet or the biological parents* to take certain action, the SSW includes these actions in the family section of the case plan.

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[*]Including identified fathers as outlined in SOP 4.15 Family Attachment and Involvement.