This module provides an overview of the safety framework contained in the American Bar Association’s publication, Child Safety: A Guide for Judges and Attorneys. The safety framework helps courts and dependency systems addresses the fundamentals of assessing safety, safety planning, conditions for return, family time plans and case planning in child welfare cases. This module will show users how to effectively apply the safety framework to crucial aspects of cases in tangible ways that ultimately result in a more effective dependency system and better outcomes for families. Judicial officers will also learn how the safety framework intersects with WA state law. The module also contains multiple opportunities to practice applying the safety framework using a hypothetical scenario of a family involved with child welfare.
Learning Objectives:
- Understand the basic structure and purpose of the safety framework.
- Understand the three elements of safety assessment.
- Understand the process of safety planning, including how it differs from case planning.
- Understand how to determine conditions for return.
- Understand how to assess safety in the context of family time visitation.
- Understand how to create case plans built on safety and assess progress on those case plans.
- Know how WA law intersects with the safety framework.
Estimated Length: 60 minutes
