This indicator focuses on the structure and performance of the family team during the PUR in collaborative problem solving, providing effective services, identifying the family’s needs, and achieving positive results for the child and family. Child and family team members may include teacher, therapist, tracker, GAL, daycare provider, peer parent, health care provider, and other paid service providers. Parents and children are crucial team members. Collectively the team should have technical and cultural competence, family knowledge, authority to commit resources, and the ability to assemble supports and resources flexibly in response to specific needs. Members of the team should have the time available to fulfill commitments made to the child/ family. Team competence, authority, and performance are essential. Team functioning and decision processes should be consistent with the practice model. Collaboration among team members from different agencies is essential. Evidence of team functioning lies in its performance over time and the results it achieves for the child and family. The focus and fit of services, authenticity of relationships and commitments, dependability of service system performance, and connectedness of the child and family to critical resources all derive from the child and family team.

This data comes from the Child and Family Services Review (CFSR). CFSR is a federal-state collaborative effort designed to help ensure that quality services are provided to children and families through state child welfare systems.  Cases are randomly pulled and then 2 trained reviewers review case files and conduct  interviews with the parents, child(ren), therapists, caseworkers, and attorneys to determine the quality of DCFS and the community’s efforts to assist the family with promoting safety and receiving the services needed to remedy the concerns that brought them to the attention of DCFS. While teaming is on a CFSR item, it's an added component at the request of the Division and Office of Service Review for monitoring purposes. 

The quarterly percentages are based on a rolling 12-months of state-wide CFSR reviews. The baseline is 59% for FY 2024. The target is continued improvement from previous years' measures. 

This is an added measure for FY2025's Strategy 1, Objective 3 which reflects a downward trend currently. The low percentages from item 15, caseworker visits with parents, as well as item 13, Child & Family Involvement in Case Planning, contributes to lower percentages in teaming. Currently, the Division is working with each regions to evaluate their teaming efforts, as well as contact with mothers, fathers, and caregivers.