Introduction to the Casey Foster Family
Assessments (CFFA)
An Interactive Learning Module for End Users
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WEB
– Go to the CFFA web site
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How to View the Web Site
While Using the Training Module
• During the training module we suggest
links to important information on the
www.fosterfamilyassessments.org web
site. If you want to go to the web site to
view information, click on the button.
When you are finished, minimize the web
site to return to the training module.
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Table of Contents
Introduction to the Module
Overview of the CFFA
Why do I need to use the CFFA?
CFFA Development
CFFA and Standards of Best Practice
Advantages of the CFFA
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by clicking the button next to a content area.
Introduction
This interactive learning
module prepares you to
use online versions of
the Casey Foster Family
Assessment (CFFA) tools
for assessing foster and
foster/ adoptive parent
applicants.
Contents Back Forward
After completing this self-study
module you will know about…..
•
•
•
Who developed the CFFA and why
it is needed
How the CFFA responds to national,
state, and local child welfare standards
of best practice
The benefits of using the CFFA
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CFFA Overview
• The CFFA has two sets
of measures.
– The Casey Foster Applicant
Inventory (CFAI)
– Casey Home Assessment
Protocol (CHAP)
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The Casey Foster Applicant
Inventory (CFAI) has two versions
• The applicant version
(CFAI-A) is the
applicant’s view about
his or her potential
• The worker version
(CFAI-W) is the
worker’s view about
the applicant
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There are 18 Casey Home
Assessment Protocol measures
• Foster/adoptive parents applicants
complete the CHAP measures to
share their views about themselves
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Why do I need to use the CFFA?
Contents Back Forward
Think about foster parents you know
Answer the following questions based
on your experiences with foster parents,
foster care, and your agency.
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Questions
1.
What % of foster parents
never have children placed?
2.
What % of foster parents
dropout within a year of their
first placements?
3.
What % of foster parents
say they feel prepared and
supported to foster?
4.
What are the costs when
foster parents are not
successful?
Go to the next section
Click to compare
your experiences
with studies of
foster parents
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Studies with foster parents report…
• Approximately one-third of homes do not
have placements at any one given time.
Many foster parents never accept
placements because they are unwilling to
care for children with special needs or
teens.
Click to return to questions
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Studies with foster parents cont.
• Almost half of foster parents quit within a
year of their first placement. Twenty to 25
percent of foster parents quit each year
and another quarter express uncertainty
about continuing.
Click to return to questions
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Studies with foster parents cont.
• Over half of foster parents report not
having enough information about
important areas of fostering.
Click to return to questions
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Studies with foster parents cont.
• Agencies have to recruit more homes for
children in care. Agencies have a less
experienced pool of foster parents.
Children face placement disruption and
move from one new inexperienced foster
home to another inexperienced foster
home.
Click to return to questions
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Foster Parent Development
Applicants come to
agencies with a variety of
previous experiences that
affect their attitudes and
beliefs about being a
foster parent.
Experienced foster parents
As they care for children and youth and work
with agencies, foster parents develop greater
potential to provide stable home placements
that promote child well-being.
New foster parent
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Foster Family Assessment Process
Foster Parent’s
Previous Experiences
Worker’s Knowledge
Beliefs
Attitudes
Observations of Applicant
CFFA Scores
Strengths
Growth Areas
Sharing
Results
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CFFA Development
• Casey Family Programs developed with CFFA in
collaboration with the Foster Family Project at the
University of Tennessee
– Casey’s mission is to provide and improve—and
ultimately to prevent the need for—foster care by
promoting advances in child welfare practice and
policy.
– The Foster Family Project conducts research on
foster family characteristics, recruitment and
retention, kinship care, motivation to foster, role
understanding, willingness to foster, training and
services for kinship care, and foster home
utilization.
Contents Back Forward
Others joined to develop the CFFA
•
•
•
•
Foster parents
Foster care workers
Agency administrators
Foster care researchers
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The CFFA was tested with experienced
foster parents and foster care workers
Reference group of
experienced foster
parents
• 304 foster mothers
208 Workers
•111 foster fathers
Refer to the CFAI and CHAP Technical
Manuals to learn more about the pilot study.
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Let’s Review
The CFFA was developed
with input from
A. Foster parents
B. Foster care workers
C. Foster parents and foster care
workers
Contents Back Forward
Yes! You are correct.
• You answered C. The CFFA was
developed with input from foster parents
and foster care workers about qualities
and characteristics they think are
important to assess. This is a good point
to make when talking with applicants
about the CFFA
Go to the next question
Contents Back Forward
Nope. Try again.
• You answered A. Foster parents had
input. So did other stakeholders.
Return to the question
Contents Back Forward
Nope. Try again.
• You answered B. Foster care workers
had input. So did other stakeholders.
Return to the question
Contents Back Forward
Let’s Review
For measures completed by the
applicant (CFAI-A and CHAP measures),
applicants’ responses are compared with
the responses of experienced
A. Foster mothers
B. Foster mothers and
foster fathers
C.Foster care workers
Contents Back Forward
Yes! You are correct.
• You answered B. The normative group
for the CFAI-A and CHAP is the sample
of 304 foster mothers and 111 foster
fathers. You know what the applicant’s
responses mean in comparison to the
responses of these experienced foster
mothers and fathers. The CFAI-W uses
foster care workers’ responses for
comparison.
Proceed to the next section
Back Forward
Nope. Try again.
• You answered A. CFFA norms are based
on the experienced foster parents who
participated in the pilot study.
Return to the question
Contents Back Forward
Nope. Try again.
• You answered C. Foster care workers are
the normative group for the CFAI-W.
Return to the question
Contents Back Forward
The CFFA represents best
practice in assessing applicants
• Complies with best practice standards
– Child Welfare League of America
– Casey Family Programs
– National Commission on Family Foster Care
• Fits with pre-service training programs
(e.g., MAPP, PRIDE, PATH, IHS)
• Based on foster family research
Contents Back Forward
The CFFA adds to selection
practices workers already use
Selection
Guidelines
Preservice
Training
Federal
Guidelines
Decisions
Clinical
Judgment
CFAI
• The CFFA fits
with existing
guidelines for
selection
CHAP
Back Forward
CFFA assesses fostering potential
Work as Partners
with Agency
Provide a Safe
Environment
Support Birth
Family Relations
Manage Demands
on Well-Being
Meet Physical and
Emotional Needs
Fostering
Fostering
Potential
Potential
Grow as a
Foster Parent
Manage
Loss
Provide a Nurturing
Environment
Support
Development
Promote
Education
Support
Permanency
Support Cultural
Needs
Contents Back Forward
CFFA is good assessment practice
• Informs, engages, and
clarifies
• Guides tasks for foster
home development
• Plans for training and
support
• Improves stability, safety,
and well-being for children
• Increases foster parent
satisfaction and retention
Contents Back Forward
Advantages of the CFFA
Standardized
Reliable
Valid
Contents Back Forward
More advantages…
• Assesses parenting AND unique aspects of
foster parenting
• Designed specifically for foster and foster/adopt
parents
• Developed with input from foster parents
• Compares results with normative group
of experienced foster parents
• Compatible with pre-service training
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Benefits for Workers
•
•
•
•
Easy to use
Guides what to ask
Opens communication
Suggests how to
interpret information
• Makes every home
study unique
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Benefits for Applicants
• Share information
easily, quickly, and
thoroughly
• Add to autobiographical
information
• See themselves as
foster/adoptive parents
Back Forward
Do Not Use the CFFA Tools:
To approve or
disapprove a family
to foster/adopt
Without considering
what else you know
about the applicant
Contents Back Forward
CFFA Review
Your agency is considering how to
improve its assessment practices. What
are three key points to share about the
advantages of using the CFFA?
1. ________________________
2. ________________________
3. ________________________
Need help answering this question?
Return to the previous section
Go
Ahead
Contents Back Forward
CFFA Review
Which of the following is NOT a way to use
information obtained from the CFFA?
A. To plan for ongoing training
B. To guide questions for
further assessment
C.To approve or disapprove a
family to foster
Contents Back Forward
Yes! You are correct
• You answered C. You can use the
CFFA results to guide further assessment
and plan for training and support. You
should not use the CFFA to approve or
disapprove applicants without
considering other information you have
about the prospective foster/adoptive
parent.
Proceed to the next section
Back Forward
Nope. Try again
• You answered A. One use of the CFFA
results is to plan for additional training
and support.
Return to the question
Back Forward
No. Try again
• You answered B. One use of the CFFA is
to guide other questions you want to ask
the applicant.
Return to the question
Back Forward
This concludes Introduction to the
Casey Foster Family Assessments
Thank you for your interest in learning about the CFFA!
Other interactive self-tutorials on the CFFA:
• Completing the CFAI
• Completing the CHAP Measures
• Sharing Information about the CFFA with Caregivers
To print a Certificate of Completion for this tutorial, click
on the button then press “PrtSc” on your keyboard
Click here to return to the beginning of this tutorial.
Press “ESC” on you keyboard to exit the tutorial
Is presented to:
(Trainee’s Name)
For completing the online interactive training module
Introduction to the Casey Foster
Family Assessments (CFFA)
(Date Completed)