Connect Our Kids is dedicated to providing social workers and child welfare professionals with the most effective, cutting-edge tools to achieve timely and permanent connections for children in foster care. Our comprehensive suite of resources is designed to streamline your search for family, improve your practice, and ultimately, strengthen outcomes for the children you serve.
Comprehensive Tools for Family Finding
Family Connections Platform
This is your primary hub for organizing and visualizing family searches. The Family Connections platform centralizes all relevant information to help you build a robust support network for the child.
| Feature | How Social Workers Can Use It |
|---|---|
| Digital Family Tree | Visualize complex family relationships, including non-biological connections and identified supports. Create support wheels, maps as needed for each case. For example, a separate map can be created for a child who has an IEP in addition to the kinship mapping. |
| Case Notes & Attachments | Securely store and access all documents, interviews, and notes related to the family search. |
| Collaboration | Share progress and collaborate seamlessly with legal teams, other social workers, and agencies. |
| Goal & Task Tracking | Systematically manage action items and measure progress in identifying and engaging family members. |
People Search
The People Search tool is a powerful asset for quickly identifying and locating biological family members, relatives, and close family friends who may be key connections for the child.
Accelerated Search
Utilize advanced search technology to find contact information, social media profiles, and potential addresses with greater speed and accuracy than traditional methods.
Identify Connections
Uncover individuals who may not be immediately known to the child or agency, broadening the pool of potential permanent resources.
Integrate Findings
Easily import data and potential contacts directly into the Family Connections platform to begin outreach.
Professional Development and Best Practices
Connect Our Kids University
We believe that continuous professional development is essential for effective family finding. Connect Our Kids University is an accessible, online learning management system (LMS) offering resources specifically curated for child welfare professionals.
YouTube Channel
Our YouTube channel serves as a dynamic, visual resource for quick tips, success stories, and practical demonstrations of the Connect Our Kids’ approach.
Software Demonstrations
Watch short videos on how to navigate new platform features and troubleshoot common issues.
Interviews with Experts
Gain insights from experienced family finders, child welfare advocates, and legal professionals.
Testimonials and Inspiration
Hear from children, families, and social workers about the real-world impact of successful family connections.
Live Trainings and Webinars
Connect Our Kids offers live training sessions, both virtually and in-person, to provide hands-on instruction and tailored support.
Interactive Learning
Participate in Q&A sessions and work through real case examples with expert trainers.
Customized Support
We can create a training plan specific to your agency’s needs and challenges.
Check our Calendar for Upcoming Events
Join our next live training session on Effective Family Engagement Strategies.
Targeted Training
On best practices for family engagement, interviewing techniques, trauma-informed care, and more.
Skill Building
Develop proficiency in using the Family Connections and People Search tools through dedicated tutorials and practice scenarios.
REC Center
Download essential materials, templates, and guides for immediate application in your casework.
