What strategies promote engagement with families in case planning?

• A. Family-centered approaches, listening to family strengths, including parents in decision-making, coordinating services, and addressing conflicting priorities with curiosity and respect
• B. Exclude families
• C. Ignore family input
• D. Deny coordination

Answer: (A)

Engaging families in case planning relies on a family-centered, strengths-based, collaborative approach. This means seeing families as partners who know their own situation, values, and strengths, rather than as passive recipients of services. Strategies include listening to family strengths, inviting parents into goal setting and decision-making, coordinating services so supports are aligned, and addressing conflicting priorities with curiosity and respect. When families are actively involved, plans are more realistic, culturally appropriate, and easier to carry out, which improves buy-in, satisfaction, and outcomes for the child and the family. It also builds trust and reduces fragmentation in services. In contrast, approaches that exclude families, ignore their input, or deny coordination undermine trust, create misalignment, and lead to poorer results.