A Service of the
Children's Bureau/
ACF/DHHS
Family Search and Engagement (FSE)

Resources

Resources from the States

  • California: Exploring Santa Clara County's Family Finding Program
    This report from the Bay Area Social Services Consortium evaluates the feasibility of implementing the Family Finding program in Contra Costa County in California. It explains the process, the funding for the program, the benefits of the program, the program's successes and obstacles, and implications and recommendations for Contra Costa County.

  • Indiana
    NRCFCPPP consultant Lucy Ann Carter has been working with Youth Connections Program staff. Together, they have prepared a history of the program as well as several PowerPoint presentations for use in various trainings at both state and local levels.

  • Iowa: Relative Search & Placements
    Practice tips for caseworkers.

  • Michigan:
    • Absent Parent Protocol
      This guide was developed as a resource for identifying, locating and, if appropriate, involving absent parents in child protective proceedings.

    • Tools for Parent Search
      The Department of Human Services provides this list of tools for individuals who wish to pursue their own search. The sites listed are not endorsed by DHS.

  • Minnesota: Relative Search Best Practice Guide
    The Minnesota Department of Human Services created this guide to assist social service agencies in performing relative searches when a child is removed from the home. Benefits of relative placement, cultural considerations in identifying and finding relatives, and the supervisor's role in supporting relative search efforts are discussed. Examples of how different agencies in the United States have developed systems to successfully identify and locate relatives are provided.

  • New York: Locating Absent Fathers and Extended Family Guidance Paper
    The purpose of this guidance paper is to provide information on the need for, and methods of, locating absent parents of children in foster care so that the child’s permanency and well-being can be achieved more effectively and efficiently. Topics include the importance of locating absent fathers, the identified barriers to locating absent fathers, and recommendations that social services districts and voluntary authorized agencies can consider to support or improve their practices and permanency results.

  • Wisconsin: Practice Guide for Locating and Involving Non-Custodial Parents, Alleged Fathers, and Relatives
    Wisconsin law requires that when children are placed in out-of-home care, placement with a relative must be considered, and, if a child is not placed with a relative, the reason(s) for nonplacement must be documented in the permanency plan. When a child is being removed from his or her home, caseworkers have a responsibility to search out and locate relatives and make attempts to involve them in the child's life either as a placement or as a resource and potential future placement. This policy provides minimum standards, guidance, and tools which will assist agencies in identifying, locating, and involving non-custodial parents, alleged fathers, and relatives as resources for children, especially children who have been removed from their homes.

Webcast

  • Lighting the Fire of Urgency: Reunification of Families in America's Child Welfare System
    June 14, 2005
    Kevin Campbell discussed family-finding techniques he pioneered at EMQ Children and Family Services. Beverly Dekker-Davidson, Adolescent Services Manager for the County of San Mateo, California is working to develop a specialized multidisciplinary unit within child welfare of Social Workers and Employment Specialists to bring intensive services to older youth in foster care ages 14 and older. Her work with Kevin Campbell included a multidisciplinary approach which includes Mental Health, Juvenile Probation, Court Appointed Special Advocates and Child Welfare staff in seeking permanence for youth.
PowerPoint Presentations
  • Six Steps to Find a Family
    This presentation is based on our guide, Six Steps to Find a Family (see the first item on this page).

  • Fourth National Youth Permanency Convening
    This presentation from Judge Leonard Edwards of the Santa Clara County, California Juvenile Court presents an overview of the role of the juvenile court in permanency proceedings and provides information about the family finding efforts being undertaken in that county. It highlights the exciting work being done in locating relatives and providing connectedness for young people.

Websites for Locating Persons

  • Family Search
    Free site from the Mormon Church

  • Geneology Today
    This site offers a selection of both free and fee-based databases (clearly marked with a dollar sign). The name indexes of all fee-based databases can be searched without a subscription.

  • People Finders
    Free site from PeopleData.

  • Intelius
    Free and fee-based services.

  • Death Records Search
    Links to state guides on locating death records.

  • People-Finder
    Commercial, fee-based site.

  • USATrace.com
    Commercial, fee-based site.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             

    Last update 05/10/08

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