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Intensive Family Preservation Services
Intensive family preservation services (IFPS), like family preservation services, are family-focused, community-based crisis intervention services designed to maintain children safely in their homes and prevent the unnecessary separation of families. IFPS are characterized by small caseloads for workers, short duration of services, 24-hour availability of staff, and the provision of services primarily in the family's home or in another environment familiar to the family. They are often offered to families as an alternative to their children's out-of-home placement.
IFPS ToolKit: A Comprehensive Guide for Establishing and Strengthening Intensive Family Preservation Services (PDF - 805 KB)
National Family Preservation Network (2009)
Provides a guide for developing and maintaining effective intensive family preservation services. The toolkit includes definitions, history, benefits, standards, performance measures, Federal funding sources, payment structure for contractors, and more.
Intensive Family Preservation Services Protocol
National Family Preservation Network (2003)
Provides a roadmap to IFPS, including the history of IFPS, linkages to Federal legislation, program standards, staffing, research, public policy, and resources.
The Elegant Simplicity of Family Preservation Practice: Legacies and Lessons
Whittaker
Family Preservation Journal, 6(1), 2002
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Outlines the key components of intensive family preservation practice and identifies considerations for implementation.
Intensive Family Preservation Services: A Short History but a Long Past
Reed & Kirk
Family Preservation Journal, 3(1), 1998
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Recommends that evaluators and policy analysts wait for more long-term studies of the impact of IFPS before drawing conclusions regarding its effectiveness. Includes recommendations for program evaluations.
Intensive Family Preservation Service Model (PDF - 140 KB)
New South Wales Government Human Services Community Services (2010)
Describes intensive family preservation services in New South Wales, as a way to strengthen family functioning and prevent placement in out-of-home care while ensuring the safety and well-being of the child.
Intensive In-Home Family-Based Services: Reactions From Consumers and Providers
Walton & Dodini
Family Preservation Journal, 4(2), 1999
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A study of caseworkers' and caregivers' views of strengths and future directions for intensive family preservation programs.
Interventions: Hard and Soft Services
Tracy (2001)
In Balancing Family-Centered Services and Child Well-Being: Exploring Issues in Policy, Practice, Theory, and Research
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A description of intensive family-centered crisis intervention services and future directions for the field.
A Multilevel Model of Client Participation in Intensive Family Preservation Services
Littell & Tajima
Social Service Review, 74(3), 2000
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Identifies components of parent participation in IFPS and influences on collaboration and compliance at the case, worker, and program levels.
Safety of Intensive In-Home Family Workers
Perry-Burney
Family Preservation Journal, 5(2), 2001
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Presents results of a survey of intensive in-home family workers about their perceptions of safety in working with clients. Discusses types of training that would increase worker safety.
The Shifting Policy Impact of Intensive Family Preservation Services
Chapin Hall Center for Children (2001)
Traces the evolution and impact of IFPS on State and national policy during the past 20 years.
The Use of Intensive Family Preservation Services With Post-Adoptive Families (PDF - 464 KB)
National Family Preservation Network (2005)
Examines the effectiveness of intensive family preservation services when working with adoptive families after finalization.
Use of Services Prior to and Following Intensive Family Preservation Services
Staudt
Journal of Child and Family Studies, 10(1), 2001
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A description of aftercare service recommendations following IFPS and families' use of these services in the 2 months following IFPS termination.