8e. Family Partnership Agreement Policy & Procedure

• Created 06/09
• Reviewed 06/23

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Policy

Staff will engage parents/guardians in a process of collaborative partnership building with parents to establish mutual trust and to identify family goals and strengths. Staff will sustain the collaborative partnership building.

Procedure

1. Gather information noted from Home Visit, the Family Picture, Family Interest Survey and from the Family Assessment. Using this information, staff will assist the parents/guardian to identify a goal they would like to work on using the Family Partnership Agreement.
2. If the family is working with another agency and has established goals or has a pre-existing plan, these goals should be incorporated, or be the same as, the FPA.
3. Guidelines for completing the Family Partnership Agreement for staff are as follows:
   1. Before beginning the process of goal setting, explore hopes, desires, questions, and concerns with parent/guardian.
   2. Staff will assist the parent/guardian in documenting their goal. While the parent/guardian is developing their goal, staff will also complete a copy of the Family Partnership Agreement to take back with them to document the visit and progress. Staff will assist the parent in breaking down the goal into achievable steps.
   3. While discussing the goals with the parent, ask the parent to share the strengths of their family/self. The parent/guardian will document those strengths.
   4. Address barriers in the action steps on the goal plan. As needed, make appropriate referrals.
   5. Develop specific steps and timelines for parent/guardian and staff to support reaching their goal.
   6. It is assumed that the goal established during the goal setting process will become priority. However, if a more urgent need becomes apparent, then that need will take priority and documented in Family Partnership Agreement event, as to why the goal setting process has temporarily ceased. (For example, attendance plan smart goal.)
   7. Upon completion of the more immediate need, staff will resume placing emphasis on the previously established goal.
   8. Upon the completion of any established goal, staff will document the completing date under progress made column of the form; noting completion. Establishing another FPA goals with achievable steps will become the next step. 
   9. Leave the copy that the parent has completed with the parent at the end of the home visit. 
   10. On the Classroom Family Tracking form, mark the date the Family Partnership Agreement was made.
   11. If the parent/guardian chooses not to enter into a Family Partnership Agreement with LCC Head Start/EHS/ECEAP staff at this time, mark the FPA box with the date that the FPA was offered to the family. Document in Case Management that the Family Partnership Agreement is in process. The Family Partnership Agreement will be offered again at subsequent contacts with the family.
   12. Following the visit, staff will contact the family monthly by phone and/or personal contact to determine if each need has been met or if additional resources, referrals or advocacy efforts need to be initiated. All significant contact with families must be documented in Case Management. Family Partnership Agreements will be reviewed at subsequent home visits by staff. The progress of outcomes will be noted in Case Management and on the Family Partnership Agreement.
   13. At the family’s request, Family Partnership Agreements can be altered, changed or replaced.