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Safety Assessment and Family
Evaluation
A Program of ACTION
for Child Protection
The Safety Assessment
and Family Evaluation Model (SAFE) was designed and piloted
in 1987 and has been successfully utilized in case practice
during the past decade and a half. It is the prototype
from which other models have been developed. SAFE or a
modified version of SAFE is currently being used in a number
of states. This comprehensive safety assessment and planning
approach focuses on specific threats to child safety and
considers in-home and out-of-home solutions among both
professional and non-professional service resources. It
empowers effective safety management throughout the CPS
process and is easily integrated into other decision-making
models and approaches.
SAFE Training
A 4 Day Workshop for
Caseworkers
This 24 hour workshop
is available to caseworkers and supervisors. It is an extensive
practice training in safety concepts and application which
considers essential decision-making and intervention issues.
The SAFE Model is presented in such a way as to enable
participants to be field ready upon completion of the workshop.
Emphasis is given to safety management throughout the case
process including managing legal concerns, placement and
reunification. Participants leave with enhanced skills,
useful resource materials and the SAFE Model.
A 1 Day Workshop for
Providers
This workshop introduces
both professionals and non-professionals to SAFE and concepts
associated with effective safety evaluation and planning.
Family conditions related to safety are explored in respect
to identification, understanding and management. Distinctions
are drawn between safety and treatment intervention. Roles
and responsibilities are emphasized. Questions of accountability,
liability, risk, danger and collaboration with CPS are
addressed. Situational/behavioral assessments and intervention/behavior
management are covered.
Workshop for Training
of Trainers
Some agencies prefer
to build their own capacity to promulgate advancements
in their program. An excellent way to do this is to create
a battery of competent trainers who can develop knowledge
and skill in the agency staff. This can be accomplished
through a five day workshop for potential trainers of SAFE.
Fronted by a thorough review and coverage of the conceptual and practice side
of effective intervention, this workshop reviews in detail all aspects of safety
evaluation, planning and management. The SAFE Model is scrutinized carefully
so that participants are skilled users as well as trainers. This workshop moves
from practice to training preparation by providing state-of-the-art curriculum,
teaching approaches and other aspects to assure effective training.
SAFE - Key Points
- First in the field; history of use;
field tested
- Developed by professionals
- Flexibility in implementation with or
without other decision-making systems
- CAPTA identifies as one of the state
grant purposes: "enhancing the general child protective
system by improving risk and safety assessment tools and
protocols..."
- CAPTA requires assurances from
each state "that it has in effect or is operating
a State program relating to child abuse and neglect that
includes:....procedures for safety assessment..."
SAFE -Training Focus
- Identifies threats to safety; safety
influences
- Encourages
rigorous safety evaluation
- Comprehensive
safety planning
- Necessary
assurances to successful safety plans
- Distinction
between safety planning and services and treatment planning
and services
- Identifying
and creating a safe environment
- Managing
the safety continuum
- Evaluating
safety at reunification
- Conditions
for return
- Safety
oriented court orders
- Reasonable
efforts
- Family
maintenance agreements
- Evaluating
the meaning of family responses in respect to threats
to safety: remorse, passive denial, overt denial, justification,
manipulation, false explanation, guilt, blaming, and
anger
- Evaluating
and addressing family responses related to a safety plan:
motivation, participation, acceptance
- Family
enlistment in safety plans
- Protection
as a family function
- Safety
and performance
- Integration
of safety intervention into the broader CPS intervention
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