Standard 8 Closing a Case

Overview

Closing a case is the final step in the continuum of child welfare service provision that began with the receipt of a referral that a child was in need of protection. This standard outlines the requirements with respect to:

• the decision to terminate child protection services including minimum criteria which are to be met;
• case termination meetings with the family;
• case termination documentation and associated timeframes;
• notification to collaterals regarding case closure; and
• supervisory consultation and approvals related to this standard.

Intent

The intent of this standard is to ensure that the decision to terminate child protection services is made based on observable changes in behaviour and family functioning which are indicative of a low risk of future child protection concerns. The standard emphasizes that service termination should be a carefully planned process of transition in which the CAS gradually decreases the intensity of its interventions, and the family gradually assumes full responsibility for the safety and well-being of its children.

Standard

Before closing a case, the child protection worker reviews the case with the family, collateral service providers, and a supervisor. The decision to terminate provision of child protection services is approved by a supervisor during consultation.

The following minimum criteria must be met when a decision is made to close the case:

• There have been no recent occurrences of child abuse or maltreatment.
• There is no evidence of current or imminent safety threats.
• A recent risk reassessment confirms that factors that were identified as contributing toward risk in the earlier risk assessment/risk reassessment documents no longer exist, or have been reduced significantly enough that they no longer pose concerns to the direct safety and/or well-being of the child.

At the time of termination of service the family should be able to demonstrate:

• specific and measurable behavioural improvements in the areas identified in the service plan; and
• the ability to access and use formal and informal resources to assist them in problem solving.

Sometimes the CAS may need to close a case, even though the minimum criteria have not been met. Reasons for such closures include the following:

• There is no legal basis for continuing to provide mandatory CAS service and the family is refusing voluntary involvement with the CAS.
• A permanent plan has been achieved for the child and no other children are being cared for in the home.
• The family has moved to another jurisdiction and another CAS is now providing service.
• The family cannot be located despite the worker having attempted and exhausted all options reasonably available (e.g. record checks, provincial database, child protection alerts).

Prior to termination of child protection services, the child protection worker has a termination meeting with the child and family and discusses with the family a plan for accessing services in the community to meet individual or family needs in the future before the risk of subsequent maltreatment becomes escalated.

In addition, the child protection worker informs collateral agencies of the intended case closure and the estimated timeframe within which the closure will take place.

Case review and termination documentation (in accordance with Standard 7 – section on Case Review and Termination) covering the period from the date of the last case review to the date of service termination is required when closing a case.

The case review and termination documentation is completed within three (3) weeks of the termination meeting with the child and family and is approved by the supervisor and closed on the electronic database within seven (7) days of receipt of the documentation.

Practice notes

Indicators of family readiness for closure

When the child protection worker is considering whether or not to close the case, the following are some indications that the family may be ready to manage on its own:

• The caregiver has been able to develop and now uses positive/acceptable strategies to address and manage child behaviours;
• The family has been able to demonstrate that family members have learned and integrated appropriate coping and problem solving strategies;
• The family has demonstrated it can assume full responsibility for the safety and well-being of its children with increasingly less child protection service; and/or
• The family is aware of how to identify a need for services in the future and knows whom to contact to access these services.

Involving the family in discussions of case closure

Ideally, the child protection worker and the family together make the decision to close the case when the family has successfully eliminated or adequately reduced the risk of future child protection concerns. The family is involved in discussions about case closure so that:

• The family may more clearly understand that their efforts toward achieving goals will result in their improved capacity to care for and provide a safe home for their child.
• The family has an opportunity to contribute to the “how” and “when” case closure will occur, and thus there may be a higher probability that the family will be able to sustain the improvements it has achieved.
• Client confidence that the family will be able to respond to any future stresses or crisis that will arise is strengthened. This may result in a reduction in the need for the family to receive services from the CAS in future, or an increased likelihood that the family will contact the CAS and self-refer earlier, on a preventive basis, because they view CAS as a helpful service.

The family and the child protection worker may reflect together on their successes and achievements.

Involving the worker’s supervisor in discussions of case closure

The child protection worker’s supervisor is involved in discussions about case closure so that:

• An objective review of the child protection worker’s recommendation to close the case is undertaken to ensure that there are no aspects of the situation that are being overlooked.
• The supervisor may be able to assist the worker in developing strategies to ensure that the family has access to ongoing community supports.

Involving collateral agencies in discussions of case closure

Collaterals are involved in discussions about case closure so that:

• There is an opportunity to discuss and clarify the future role and working relationships that community service providers will have with the family.
• Where formal service providers are expecting to reduce their involvement with the family, there is an opportunity to identify any problems that might arise, and strategize accordingly before the service is withdrawn.
• If collateral agencies, when informed of the plan to close the case, express no child protection concerns, their reaction may assist in validating the child protection worker’s decision.
• If collateral agencies, when informed of the plan to close the case, do express child protection concerns, the child protection worker has the opportunity to reconsider the decision, and/or to strategize as to how to mitigate these concerns.
• In the case of First Nations children, the Band, community representatives, and/or extended family members are aware that the case is closing at the CAS and can continue to support the family on a go forward basis in the community.

Case closures where no clinical assessments required

No clinical assessments (e.g. risk re-assessment, family and child strengths and needs assessment) are required when closing a case under the following circumstances:

• A permanent alternate plan has been achieved for the child and no other children are being cared for in the home.
• The family cannot be located despite the worker having attempted and exhausted all options reasonably available (e.g. record checks, provincial database, child protection alerts).

Case closure letter

To formalize the case closure, it may be beneficial to provide the family with a case closure letter outlining the reasons for the termination of child protection services, and information about accessing community resources in the future (if appropriate) and retain a copy of the letter in the case record.