Frequent meetings with families and those involved with serving families are required to plan, assess progress, and decide permanency direction. 

Family meetings are a tool intended to engage the family in the planning process. Therefore, caseworkers shall make intensive efforts to persuade and encourage parents to attend the family meetings, especially during the first 90 days, by explaining to them the importance of the family meeting and of attending and cooperating with the process. Casework staff should make every effort when planning family meetings to be flexible and attempt as much as possible to schedule meetings at a time and place where parents can attend, preferably in the parent’s home. Staff shall take into consideration parents’ work schedules, transportation issues, availability of interpreters (if the parents’ primary language of communication is other than English), and any other barriers that might prevent parents from participating. After reaching agreement with the parents on the date, time, location, and participants of the family meeting, the caseworker shall send a confirmation letter to the parents. Caseworkers shall document in the case file all attempts to include parents in the family meetings. Failure to attend family meetings shall also be documented in the case file.” (Procedures 315.120) 

Initial family meetings must occur within 40 days after temporary custody hearings and include the required persons as outlined in Rule 315, Section 315.120. In addition, as outlined in Rule 315, at the supervisor’s discretion and with the signed consent of the parents, other persons may be invited. 

Before inviting foster caregivers to initial family meetings, child welfare professionals must consider the statutory requirement that protects foster caregivers’ addresses and telephone numbers from disclosure. Such information should not be disclosed to the children’s parents at initial family meetings that occur within the first 30 days after temporary custody hearings. In deciding whether to invite foster caregivers to the meetings, child welfare professionals also take into consideration the level of violence or tendency toward violence displayed by the children’s parents. This determination is made during the first 30 days and the completion of comprehensive assessments. Information concerning the level or tendency toward violence of the parents may be shared with the foster caregivers to help them decide whether to attend the initial family meetings. For subsequent family meetings, the same violence factor should be considered when determining whether the foster caregivers should attend. 

After the initial family meeting, family meetings occur at least quarterly--more frequently if needed. At these meetings, the participants review the parents’ progress toward reunification, and discuss improvements made by the parents, as well as any problems related to visits, provision of services, barriers to services and other matters. The potential for reunification and whether families are on target must be discussed. Full disclosure requires that information related to the parents’ progress is fully discussed, and parents are again advised that alternative permanency plans will be implemented if progress is not consistent and ongoing. 

Participants in family meetings will attempt to reach decisions and agree on recommendations by consensus. If a consensus cannot be reached, final decisions rest with the assigned supervisor. Documentation of meetings and reports of recommendations/ decisions should be included in case records. As stated above, parents have the right to appeal decisions with which they disagree in accordance with 89 Ill. Adm. Code 337 (Service Appeal Process).