Family-Centered Assessment Training
This strength-based training is for supervisors and workers in agencies committed to family-centered practice. Participants develop techniques to identify strengths. They also learn to use basic systematic tools to analyze family and community dynamics, in order to understand the current family situation and the family's possibilities for the future. Risk is explored as an ongoing consideration, with strength identification and assessment presented as the mechanisms for determining and working with short and long-term risk stabilization. The integration of solution-focused and family-systems approaches are explored, with considerable attention placed on applying assessment information to a measurable case plan. This skill-based training involves spending considerable time practicing assessment on participants' case examples.

Family-Centered Assessment with Immigrant and Refugee Families
This training focuses on major areas that must be considered in the assessment of immigrant and refugee families. Some of the issues explored include: reasons for immigration, immigration status, language issues, cultural taboos, literacy level, educational attainment, and trauma. Participants develop skills to identify strengths, and learn to use basic systematic tools to analyze family and community dynamics in order to understand the current family situation and the family's possibilities for the future.

Assessing Safety, Risk and Well-Being
Decisions about safety, risk and well-being are not made just at intake/investigation, but must be reevaluated throughout the service agreements with families. While evaluating safety and well-being should be an ongoing process, there are points along the service continuum (now clearly defined by ASFA) that demand a formal reassessment with justification for decisions made. This workshop examines risk and the modifiers to risk that impact both child safety and well-being, and which must be considered in any decision-making process involving children--whether it be removal, leaving the children in the home or in kinship care, reunification, or other forms of permanency (such as adoption, legal guardianship or long-term foster placement). In addition to assessing risk accurately, direct service staff and supervisors must be able to evaluate and justify a family’s safety plan based on assessment facts. This practical hands-on training addresses these important issues, and allows time for practicing the skills/concepts introduced.

Assessing the Impact of Family Violence/Abuse and Foster Care on Children: Attachment, Child Development, Loss/Grief, and Treatment Issues
A critical component of achieving child safety, well-being and permanency is the ability to accurately assess what the impact of family violence and abuse has been on the child(ren). Equally important are the effect of placement and the decision "if or when" to refer the child for treatment. This training explores the recognition of attachment disorder and loss/grief issues in children and their behavioral indicators. The practical hands-on workshop also provides some specific tools and methods of evaluating both the impact of family violence/abuse on the child, and the development of an appropriate response.

Conducting Family-Focused Child Protection Investigations
This training was designed specifically for Child Protective Service Agencies that are trying to move toward a differential response system of investigation. The goals of a family-centered investigation include: joining and engaging the family, making decisions on safety based on a differential assessment of the family situation, and developing a measurable safety plan. While information on the specific incident that brought the family to the attention of the agency is important, the focus of the investigation must include the family’s willingness and ability to provide a safe environment for the child (ren) in the immediate and long-term future. Investigators must be able to efficiently use some basic assessment tools that will allow them to make accurate decisions, and this training helps them do so.

Incorporating Strength & Resiliency Factors into the Assessment Process
This workshop will help participants create a holistic assessment of youth that incorporates not only the "problem" behavior but also the techniques to identify strengths and resiliency factors. Integration of solution-focused and family-systems approaches will be explored, with considerable attention placed on applying assessment information to a measurable case plan.