Child and Family Team – CFPIC

Child and Family Team (CFT) & Child and Adolescent Needs and Strengths (CANS) Training

The courses below are available on the California Child Welfare Training platform (CACWT).

CANS Courses

Module A – The CANS: Overview and Case Planning: This is a one-day workshop is appropriate for those who will be informing or discussing the CANS (this can include, but is not limited to child welfare social workers, clinicians, juvenile probation staff, tribal partners, and other partners on the CFT, such as parent partners, court partners, and supervisors). Module A includes instruction and practice in applying the CANS data to case/treatment planning. This module does not include explicit instruction on completing the tool and does not provide CANS certification preparation. Note that Module A is the minimum training required for all child welfare staff who will use CANS information, including but not limited to case planning, investigations where there is a completed CANS,and other CANS informed activities. However, Module B is recommended to deepen knowledge and practice.

Module C – The CANS and Supervision: This is a one-day workshop required for child welfare supervisors who will be supporting staff who use the CANS in case planning in order to support staffs use of the CANS. Module A or B is a prerequisite for taking this course. Supervisors who will not oversee case planning may take Module A, while supervisors who will oversee the use of the CANS in case planning or will pursue certification are required to take Module B. This module is also available for mental health and juvenile probation supervisors but is not required.

CFT Courses

Child and Family Team Meetings Facilitation Training: This curriculum is a 5-day training designed for virtual delivery. It provides participants with basic meeting facilitation knowledge and skills.Utilizing the Integrated Core Practice Model (ICPM) as the foundational guide for Child and Family Team Meeting Facilitators, trainees will learn about: Key elements of team meetings for safety and case planning, Procedural basics of team meeting facilitation, The role of the facilitator, Facilitator skills, Structured problem-solving and solution-focused dialogue within team meetings, and Creating safe, inclusive and empowering spaces for child/youth and family voice and choice

Integrating CANS into CFT Meetings and Case Plans: This advanced-level course provides a framework and structured approach for integrating the Child and Adolescent Need and Strengths (CANS) into Child and Family Team (CFT) meetings and case plans for children, youth and families involved in the child welfare system. It is critical that participants have a foundational understanding of the CANS and CFT meetings prior to attending. Please ensure you meet the required prerequisites prior to enrolling.The class will address preparing the family, discussing the CANS in the CFT meeting, how to “implicitly” rate CANS items based on needs and strengths discussed, and how to review draft CANS ratings with CFT members during meetings. In addition, participants will learn how to translate the needs of children, youth and families into target needs to be addressed in the case plan and how to build behaviorally-based case plan objectives based on CANS target needs and strengths that can support planning.

Effective Child and Family Team Meetings: This 1-day training is designed to provide case-carrying child welfare social workers with knowledge about their role and responsibilities before, during and after the CFT meeting to carry out the values of the teaming process. Trainees will have opportunities to practice engagement strategies and will be equipped with knowledge needed to effectively team with children, youth, non-minor dependents and parents before, during and after CFT meetings across the intervention continuum that address safety, permanency, and well-being.

Upcoming Courses

The CANS: Overview and Preparation for Certification (formerly, Module B): This newly revised two-day instructor-led course is intended for child welfare social workers, mental health plan clinicians, and other system of care partners who will be completing and utilizing the CANS. This course includes lecture, practice opportunities, and an introduction for using the CANS in the case or treatment planning process. An overview of the CANS certification test process is provided, as well as, significant opportunities to practice the CANS in preparation for certification. This is the only course that prepares individuals for CANS certification. This course is formerly Module B – The CANS: Overview, Case Planning, and Preparation for Certification and was revised in 2023 by a statewide workgroup.

*In July 2023, CalSWEC and CDSS hosted a Training for Trainer’s Overview session that provided extensive details of the revisions to the former Module B course, now titled The CANS: Overview and Preparation for Certification. This session was recorded and is approximately one hour and 15 minutes in length. We recommend current CANS trainers watch this session in preparation for the upcoming course launch. The video is also available in the Trainer Resource Community of CACWT.

Child and Family Teaming (CFT) Overview: This half-day training is designed to orient the trainee to the Child and Family Teaming (CFT) process and CFT meetings. Trainees will be introduced to basic concepts related to CFT meetings using the California Integrated Core Practice Model (ICPM) as the foundational guide for practice.

Please reach out to your regional training academy for your CFT training needs.

Northern California Training Academy

Bay Area Academy

Central California Training Academy

Academy for Professional Excellence