[blau5]

Do any of you experienced folks know what exactly happens at these meetings? Are the bio parents invited also? We got a form to fill out if we could not attend and it asks questions about the improvement of the child at home and school and so forth so I'm guessing they may ask us this stuff in the meeting? Any advice would be helpful.

[birdiebabee]

I have no answer for you but I am interested in this as well. My FS's caseworker called me and told me we have one scheduled in two weeks and I've never been to one before. I am also wondering what kind of questions we will be asked. I'm a little nervous to be honest!

[plum93]

Foster care reviews usually just go over basic stuff to make sure everyone is doing their jobs. Asks about medical & dental appointments, how school/daycare is going, the child's behavior. Usually not too much more. Bio parents are invited as long as they are not TPRed. They also go over the goal for that child and how much progress has been made on that goal by the caseworker, foster parents, and the bio parents. If the child is over 14 they include them as well.

[Newshyde]

I've been to a few foster care review boards. What they do at ours is each person has a turn to talk. I always had to go first. I was also advised by someone to bring pics of the kids and they love seeing those. It helps them put a face to the kids and see how the kids are doing. Once I brought a photo album for the bios and they looked through that and loved it.
They basically give everyone a turn to talk about how the kids and case is going. They have already reviewed all the case paperwork and have a good idea of where things stand. The bios are invited and will get a chance to say how they are doing. After each person's turn the board asks a few questions of their own. The case worker is either there in person or on the phone and will do the same thing. After the meeting the board will fill out a form to give to the court. On it they make recommendations of where things should be going in the case. The judge doesn't have to do as they recommend obviously but it does help the judge with a decision. In arizona they do the board meeting every 6 months to review the case.
Good luck. I actually kinda like them. It's a good chance to see how everything is really going since they ask detailed questions of everyone. I've learned a lot going to them, even more than at court.

[Withay]

The board will look at a number of things.

1. Is the current placement the best placement for the child(ren) at this time?

2. Is DHS doing all it can to facilitate reunification?

3. Are the parents working their caseplan?

4. When is/was the next/most recent medical appointment? Is the child up-to-date on immunizations?

5. If applicable, how is the child doing in school?

6. Does the child receive any special services such as early intervention?

As for who is invited, it usually is the parent(s), parent(s) attorney(ies), GAL, child's attorney, caseworker, foster parent(s).

Each person will introduce themself. It is ok to introduce yourself by your first name only (in fact I recommend this if the parents are there) and say that you are the foster parent.

The board always loves to see a current picture of the child(ren). I usually take one that the parents can have after the meeting.

I believe that attending the review meetings is just as important as attending the court proceedings. I go to all of them. Do NOT take the child(ren). There is no need for them to be there.

The review board many times recommends that DHS change the goal at these meetings. The goal is not changed at that time, but the recommendation can be made.

Good luck.

[pandora0404]

Can I add a question to this post? Our first review is next week, our FD is an infant and I was planning on taking her as I do not have childcare for her since I am a SAHM. Do you think this is ok, or should I look for someone to watch her? BioParents will not be there as one has relinquished and the other is incarcerated.

[millie58]

I'm in NY. the meetings we have (can't remember the name) basically go over the care of the fc. Health wise, school wise. any problems that occur. Not that all problems are fixable. I had a bi-racial fs a few years ago. His sister was in a group home a few towns away and was experiencing racism. It came up and was documented but there was nothing that the cw's could do.

[quiescentfury]

In my county in Ohio the meetings are every three months. They are called SAR (semi annual review, even thought they are now quarterly) Attendees -Parents, foster parents, social worker, SW supervisor, representative for the parents (our girls mom had her counselor with her) SW from our private agency, and then the SW that ran the meeting who was not involved with the case (this was to give an unbiased opinion of the case plan) The independant SW led the meeting and had forms to fill out that they did while we spoke. She went over doc appts, schooling, visits, counseling, kids activities, and how parents were progressing with their plan. All kids over 14 were required to come. Younger kids could come to the office, but were sent to the childcare room. I always wrote up 1 -2 pages on each girl and had copies for everyone. I would break it down by topic and have a list of all doc appts, how kids were responding to visits, how they were doing in school, greades, what activites tehy were involved in, their behavior, counseling and I would also include a picture. While this is not required I did it and the SWs loved it. Parents got to take it home and they liked knowing wwhat was going on, though I know they did not like hearing things that happened negatively because of their actions, like missing a visit with out telling the girls. While they did not like hearing it and seeing it in writing it really helped them to have a better understanding of how their children were dealing with being in foster care and really ended up helping in our case.

ALWAYS go if you can. You will not get better info on the direction of the case then in those meetings. We found out so much. The SWs found out so much. Somethings the SWs did not even know until we were all sitting in the meeting.

[Withay]

pandora0404 - if there is any way at all that you can find a sitter please do so. The meetings usually are pretty short. Ours are scheduled for 30 minutes.

I, too am a SAHM (single) and I have never taken a child to a CRB (Citizens Review Board) meeting.