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
