Family Finding & Engagement Services (FFE)
The Family Finding and Engagement Services (FFE) program is dedicated to improving the lives of youth in out-of-home care. We believe that every child deserves a sense of belonging, which is why we prioritize finding kinship placements with relatives or Non-Relative Extended Family Members (NREFMs). By keeping youth connected to their family roots and natural support systems, we help build a foundation of lifelong connections, stable homes, and lasting well-being.
We walk alongside families by providing deeply individualized support, highlighted by our unique Parent Partners. These are professionals who bring invaluable personal experience and personal success navigating complex networks, including the Child Welfare System. Together with our dedicated staff, they provide intensive case management that links caregivers to a wide range of community resources. We work directly with families to develop and maintain the familiar connections and targeted supports necessary for a youth’s long-term permanency.
To guide our individualized support, we focus on strengthening critical protective factors:
Building parental resilience and deep social connections.
Expanding knowledge of parenting and child development.
Providing concrete support in times of need.
Nurturing children’s social and emotional competence.
Our staff utilizes motivational interviewing to explore family strengths, priorities, and readiness for change. We empower families to identify their own goals and take concrete steps toward achieving them.
Program Goals
Engage extended family and NREFMs as soon as children enter the foster care system.
Guide caregivers through the Resource Family Approval (RFA) process.
Support families during Child and Family Team (CFT) meetings to address placement challenges and safety concerns.
Prevent further out-of-home placements for youth.
Connect caregivers to resources that ensure housing, financial, and placement stability.
Through intensive, home-based caregiver support and education, FFE gives newly identified caregivers a compassionate, one-on-one overview of the child welfare system. We ensure caregivers are active participants in planning for the youth’s well-being, while helping them build healthy child-parent relationships and a lasting natural network of support.
Family Finding services are voluntary and provided for up to three months. Participants receive weekly face-to-face contact alongside direct referrals to essential community services. To ensure we serve our family fully, all FFE services are available in both English and Spanish.