In effort to align with the Department?s seamless model of assessing safety throughout the life of a case on January 22, 2020, DCFS implemented the Child Welfare Assessment and Decision Making Model. This Model focuses on assessing Threats of Danger, Caretaker Protective Capacities and Child Vulnerability. During this training, case workers will be able to view changes to the Family Assessment Tracking System, known as FATS and how it aligns with the new model. Course Objectives: - To provide staff an overview of additions and revisions to the Assessment of Family Functioning and Case Plan. - Identify the 3 domains of the Assessment of Family Functioning and Case Plan - Introduce Conditions for Return, Conditions for Closure and Closing Summary.

In this course, participants will learn how to reduce the risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) and Sudden Unexpected Infant Death (SUID) using the ABC's of safe sleep. Presented by The Louisiana Department of Children and Family Services and the Calcasieu Parish Coroner's Office, participants will hear real SIDS and SUID cases from the field. Presenters will explain how applying the ABC's of safe sleep could have prevented each case. Also discussed are the risk factors of SIDS and SUID incidents and how these factors contribute to causing SIDS and SUID.

Supervisors will provide safety-focused guidance. This includes helping workers understand how child safety impacts assigned tasks, case prioritization, ensuring timely contacts, and gathering sufficient information for case decisions. Goals: Supervisors will be able to understand the difference between the impact of a safety threat versus a risk factor and how they impact the case differently Supervisors will ensure that staff understand the difference between a Threat of Danger Identified - Crisis Safety Assessment and Programmatic Requirement Safety Assessment Supervisors will be able to guide staff through the process of making informed safety decisions using Problem Based Learning model

Children ages 6-12 continue to have unique physical, cognitive and socio-emotional growth milestones. This session will also focus on mental illness which often is not discovered until the child is in school. Warning signs of various disorders will be discussed, such as Anxiety Disorders, ASD, Depression, Eating Disorders, PTSD and more. Special attention will be given to the topic of bullying, which is often an issue for children in foster care. Upon completion of this course, participants will: - Learn about the important milestones between 6-12 years old. - Discuss warning signs of problems that may signal future concerns, such as mental illnesses and disorders that are often discovered within this period. - Learn how to help school age children contend with common challenges such as bullying, peer pressure, and lack of self esteem.

The Screening and Selection tool ensures applicants and DCFS interviewers are making informed decisions. It addresses the competencies in child welfare and seeks out the goodness of fit between the applicant and the demands of a career in child welfare. The main goal of administering the Screening and Selection process is to select more professionally committed and highly qualified applicants to strengthen employee retention and outcomes for children and families.