Preparing for an Effective Review Day
Before the Review Day
During the Review Day
Effective Questioning
Summary Hints
Guidelines for Asking Appropriate and Non-threatening Questions
 

Preparing for an Effective Review Day

Introduction

The Utah Foster Care Citizen Review Board has been conducting case reviews since 1993. Since then much has been learned about conducting effective case reviews.  Furthermore, the Utah FCCRB utilizes the combined experience and wisdom of the National Association of Foster Care Reviewers training curriculum.

Based on this experience and wisdom the following roles and responsibilities have been defined below.  Children and their families will experience a high quality case review when the roles and responsibilities are followed.

The Roles in the Review Process:

1.      The Participants: caseworker, supervisor, child, foster parent, natural
         parents, therapist, guardian ad litem, attorney general, other providers.

2.     The Review Board Members – A trained volunteer review board
        member.

3.     The Waiting Area Coordinator – A rotating responsibility of board
        members.  Each case will have a waiting area coordinator assigned to
        assure the participants are warmly welcomed; notify the review board
        of arrivals; coordinate with FCCRB staff to assure no contact court
        orders are kept; observe the interaction of individuals in the waiting
        area and interact with children while waiting.

        Two very important notes for the waiting area coordinator:

·        Give other board members your observations at the end of each
         review and participate in the composition of the Dispositional Report.

·        DO NOT address the foster parents by their last name.  This
         assures confidentiality.

4.     The Review Board Chairperson – A trained volunteer review board
        member with additional responsibilities.

·        Assure all Review Board members have been introduced to each other

·        Read the FCCRB Opening Statement

·        Be aware of time management for the review day

·        After the review, read the draft Dispositional Report; discuss or note
         any revisions with the Board Coordinator; sign the Dispositional
         Report on behalf of the board and mail back to the Board Coordinator
         promptly.

5.     The Review Board Coordinator–The FCCRB staff person ultimately
        accountable for the review process.

 
Before the Review Day

1.     Notify your Board Coordinator at least ten days in advance of the review day if you are unable to attend to Reviews, unless something unexpected occurs – then call as soon as possible.

·        This is to ensure you will be mailed a packet of case information

         To allow your board coordinator to assure the legally required
         quorum is present for the review day

2.     Study Case Material - Each month, you will receive sensitive case materials concerning children in out-of-home care.  The law requires you to keep this information protected and confidential.  Breaking this oath of confidentiality can bring serious consequences to the families involved, and you will be removed as a volunteer to the Utah Foster Care Citizen Review Boards.  Prepare for each case review by reading the information, completing the worksheet and drafting questions.

3.     Disclose any conflict of interest: Board members that have or have had a significant relationship with a case participant, through another personal or professional setting, must disclose that relationship to their Board Coordinator.  Board members may be asked to excuse themselves from that case review to avoid any conflict of interest.

4.     Note time review day begins: Be sure to take note on the Review Day Agenda of the meeting time for the review day.
 

During the Review Day

1.      Come on time, ready to participate for the entire review day.

2.      Be aware of the time scheduled for each case.  This gives each case
         the attention it deserves.

3.      Be aware of the need for special sensitivity for children and families at
         the reviews.

4.      Help all interested parties feel welcome and thank them for their input.

5.      Respect confidential information and treat all interested parties with
         respect.

6.      Understand the purposes and differences between the 4-month review,
         the 10-month review and the annual review.

7.      Keep cell phones silent.  Step out of the room if you absolutely must
         take a call.

8.      Participate as Waiting Area Coordinator on a rotating basis.

9.      Recognize the participants as they enter the room by welcoming
         them.  If a reviewer has stepped out of the room and returns, the
         Board Chair should quickly indicate the person is a reviewer.

10.     Maintain your focus throughout the review day.  Remain alert and
          attentive.

11.     Think about the results of poor time management – participants who
          must wait, long days, poor image, etc.

12.     Utilize the principles of review learned in the Volunteer Training.

13.     Organize your papers before you begin your reviews.  Don’t shuffle
          through the case materials during the review.


Effective Questioning

       Keep your questions focused on the current situation and listen to the
       questions and answers of others in the room, including other Board
       members.

       Gather the most important and relevant information for each case.

       The key to learning important information about a case is to ask
       questions and then listen to the answers.  It is important that Review
       Board members allow appropriate time for interested parties to answer.
       Some people are comfortable with longer periods of silence than other.
       It is imperative that Review Board members listen to the response,
       rather than interrupting a person who may be trying to formulate their
       response and verbalize their answers.

       Use the Sample Opening Questions from NAFCR training as a guide.


Summary Hints

              DO’s                                                       DON’T’s

Do be polite, calm and objective          Don’t be aggressive or attacking

Do keep focused on specific               Don’t let stories distract you
information

Do recognize strengths and                Don’t focus on problems and deficits
accomplishments

Do acknowledge progress                   Don’t be judgmental or patronizing

Do listen                                           Don’t make assumptions

Do be objective, leaving personal         Don’t express your  personal
 biases aside                                        opinions,  stories, advice, counsel
                                                            or “therapy”

Do MOVE ON if your Board                 Don’t persist in asking a question
Coordinator says, “We are going          after your Board Coordinator has
to move on.  You don’t need to            said “We are going to MOVE ON.”
respond to that question.”


Guidelines for Asking Appropriate
and Non-threatening Questions

The following are guidelines, which are designed to assist you in looking at your own demeanor and role as a reviewer.  Above all, reviewers must be ever vigilant about demonstrating respect.

        Don’t be afraid to ask how a person identifies his or her ethnicity. 

        Use open-ended questions, to obtain more detailed information. Open-
        -ended questions cannot be answered with a “no” or a “yes”.  Open-
        ended questions allow for greater and fuller responses

        Avoid questions beginning with “Why..”.  Questions beginning with
        “Why..” tend to put people on the defensive.

        Ask questions using common and clear words.

        Avoid the use of jargon.

        Ask one question at a time.  Give participants appropriate time to think
        and then respond to the questions.  Avoid interrupting.

        “Own” your own need for clarity.  For example, it is OK to say, “I need
        some help understanding…”, or begin a question with, “Help me
        understand…”

        Avoid beginning a statement with the word, “but”,  (I appreciate the
        dilemma you are in, but I wonder . . .”  The word “but” negates what
        comes before it.)

        Ask,  “What else would be helpful for me to know about . . .?”

        If you have received conflicting information, paraphrase what you have
        heard.  “Let me see if I understand you correctly.  What I’m hearing
        you say is…”

        Do not set up a communication triangle by disclosing what another
        person has said.  Example:  The caseworker told us that you are doing
        really well in school.  A better example: Could you tell us how school
        is going?

        Do not reveal anything you have read or heard from another source. 
        For example, do not say, “I read in your psychological evaluation . . .”