I. Background Information

Case Name:

Type of Case:

Review Team:

Description of Child:

Reason for Agency Involvement:

Family Structure:

Permanency Goal(s):

II. Case History

Case is Open/Closed - Date of Most Recent Case Opening:

History of Maltreatment:

Issues and needs of other family members (parents and children involved in case):

Services provided (past and present; identify providers):

III. Case Interviews

IV. Case Ratings

Safety Outcome 1: Children are, first and foremost, protected from abuse and neglect.
Rating:
Basis for Rating:

Safety Outcome 2: Children are safely maintained in their homes whenever possible and appropriate.
Rating:
Basis for Rating:

Permanency Outcome 1: Children have permanency and stability in their living situations.
Rating:
Basis for Rating:

Permanency Outcome 2: The continuity of family relationships and connections is preserved for children.
Rating:
Basis for Rating:

.

Well-Being Outcome 1: Families have enhanced capacity to provide for their children's needs.
Rating:
Basis for Rating:

Well-Being Outcome 2: Children receive appropriate services to meet their educational needs.
Rating:
Basis for Rating:

Well-Being Outcome 3: Children receive adequate services to meet their physical and mental health needs.
Rating:
Basis for Rating:

I. Background Information

Case Name: Karen Martin

Type of Case: Foster Care

Review Team: Ann Parker and Lee Jones

Description of Child: Karen is a 10-year-old girl who is in foster care under the care of Mr. and Mrs. Smith, who live in Someplace, approximately 75 miles from Karen’s birth mother, MaryAnn Martin.

Reason for Agency Involvement: The court cited Ms. Martin’s substance abuse and neglect of her children as the reason for Karen’s removal from her home and placement in foster care. Kathie Ramber, the social worker assigned to this case, has discussed the possibility of adoption with the foster parents, but the foster parents have stated that they are not interested in adopting Karen. In addition, Ms. Ramber believes that Ms. Martin would not be interested in relinquishing parental rights. Ms. Martin has stated that she would consider allowing the Smiths to adopt Karen; however, Ms. Ramber has not discussed this option with Ms. Martin. The Smiths said in their interview that they would allow Karen to remain in their home long-term, but that adoption was not an option. Karen has attended the same school for the past few years and she is performing well academically, despite concerns that she may need special education services.

Family Structure:

Karen Martin

 Child

MaryAnn Martin

 Mother

Katie Martin

 Sister

Kristy Martin

 Sister

Permanency Goal(s):

•  Adoption

II. Case History

Case is Open/Closed - Date of Most Recent Case Opening: Opened May 3, 2002. Remains Open.

History of Maltreatment: There were three reports of maltreatment related to Karen and her sisters between May 3, 2002, and September 9, 2005. In all three reports, the mother was the perpetrator and the maltreatment consisted of neglect due to substance abuse.
After the September 9 report, which was substantiated, Karen and her siblings were removed from their home. Karen was placed in foster care; her siblings were placed in kinship care with a paternal aunt.

Issues and needs of other family members (parents and children involved in case):
The mother needs inpatient substance abuse treatment. Karen and her two sisters need mental health therapy.

Services provided (past and present; identify providers):
Ms. Martin has expressed a desire to seek treatment for her substance abuse problems. Inpatient treatment has been recommended to her. However, she will only agree to outpatient treatment. Ms. Ramber will not recommend her for outpatient services, as she believes it will be ineffective. Currently, Ms. Martin is not receiving any substance abuse treatment.
Karen has been receiving the services of a therapist since January 2006 for what has been diagnosed as acute stress disorder. She has had regular visits to a doctor and dentist; neither has reported health problems. As previously mentioned, Karen may have special education needs, but has yet to be tested.

III. Case Interviews

III. Case Ratings

Safety Outcome 1: Children are, first and foremost, protected from abuse and neglect.
Rating: Not Achieved
Basis for Rating: Two of the three accepted reports registered during the period under review were not addressed in a timely manner, with no justification provided. In addition, there was evidence of repeat maltreatment of the children, because multiple substantiated reports involving similar circumstances were received on the family during the period under review.

Safety Outcome 2: Children are safely maintained in their homes whenever possible and appropriate.
Rating: Partially Achieved
Basis for Rating: This outcome was rated as partially achieved because even though the agency is taking adequate steps to ensure the safety of the children while they are placed in foster and kinship care, at first the agency decided to provide in-home services to the family without adequately assessing the needs of the family and the children and without assessing or addressing safety concerns. This lack of adequate in-home services resulted in the children being removed on an emergency basis. 

Permanency Outcome 1: Children have permanency and stability in their living situations.
Rating: Partially Achieved
Basis for Rating: Even though the child’s current foster placement is stable, she has had two entries into care, with the last one occurring less than 6 months from the discharge date of the previous placement. Her current permanency goal of adoption is appropriate, was established in a timely manner, and a petition to terminate the mother’s parental rights was filed within 15 months of her coming into care (the father has signed a relinquishment of parental rights). However, even though the child has been referred to the agency’s adoption resource team, no concrete steps are in place that realistically would lead to finalization of an adoption within 24 months of the child’s last entry into care.

Permanency Outcome 2: The continuity of family relationships and connections is preserved for children.
Rating: Partially Achieved
Basis for Rating: Even though adequate efforts were made to explore relative placements for the child and the current placement is stable, she was not placed in close proximity to the mother due to lack of placement resources. In addition, the agency has made only sporadic efforts to promote visitation between the child and her mother and sibling, and has done little to keep the child’s connections to her home community and significant others. Likewise, nothing has been done to further promote the relationship between the child and her mother.

Well-Being Outcome 1: Families have enhanced capacity to provide for their children's needs.
Rating: Not Achieved
Basis for Rating: The needs of the child, mother, and foster parents were not adequately assessed or identified, and many appropriate services were not provided. Additionally, neither the child nor her mother was involved in case planning, with only minimal attempts being made to involve the mother. Caseworker visits with both the child and mother lacked the frequency necessary to meet individual needs. The few visits conducted also lacked quality, as they failed to focus on goal-setting, progress, and case planning.

Well-Being Outcome 2: Children receive appropriate services to meet their educational needs.
Rating: Substantially Achieved
Basis for Rating: The child is doing well overall in school, her foster parents are very involved in her education, and every effort is being made to encourage the school to meet her special educational needs.

Well-Being Outcome 3: Children receive adequate services to meet their physical and mental health needs.
Rating: Partially Achieved
Basis for Rating: Overall, the physical health needs of this child are well met with initial and ongoing physical health assessments and follow-up care provided as needed. However, there are significant emotional needs and mental/behavioral health issues that are not being addressed with weekly therapy, as was professionally recommended.