Foster Family Assessment System

A Tool for Evaluating Potential Foster Homes

In response to the need for a rigorous approach for studying and approving adoptive homes, ACTION for Child Protection has developed an assessment tool which provides an organized, systematic and standardized methodology. The Foster Family Assessment (FFA) System provides an agency with a comprehensive understanding of families applying to be foster families. It examines all aspects of the family functioning, including motivation for and commitment to becoming a foster home.

Features of the System

The Foster Family Assessment System uses a force field analysis methodology to examine the strengths present in a home. It evaluates the significance of strengths from the perspective of positive family functioning and parenting The Foster Family Assessment System evaluates information such as:

• Child, adult and family functioning
• Foster parents' perceptions of children, history, parenting and interpersonal relationships
• Foster parents' demographics and extended family relationships
• Understanding of issues in biological families and understanding the needs of children requiring care
• Preparation to be a foster home

Program Benefits

• Standardizes approval of foster homes
• Organizes information collection
• Establishes criteria for assessing
• Identifies strengths of foster homes
• Matches needs of children with available homes
• Provides supervisory tool to assess workers' strengths and areas needing improvement
• Increases uniformity of decision-making
• Promotes accountability

The Foster Family Assessment System Provides

Thorough study of a potential foster home to identify

• Potential for placement stability
• Likelihood of enhanced child development
• Identification of "capacity to provide care" present in the potential foster home
• Identification of the needs and expectations present in the potential foster home
• Determination of whether a potential foster home should be approved