Illinois Department of Children and Family Services
FFY 2012 Annual Progress and Services Report
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goal, evaluates the appropriateness of the goal, reviews reasonable efforts, and determines
whether the parents have made reasonable progress.
ACR and Advisory Councils
ACR staff continues to play an integral role with the Department’s Youth Advisory Board,
Partnering with Parents Advisory Council, Birth Parent Steering Committee, Statewide Foster
Care Advisory Council, Caregiver Conference, Annual Birth Parent Institute Day and
Permanency Enhancement Project. Staff has attended Youth Advisory Board meetings, which
are held monthly in various regions throughout the State. At these meetings, information is
shared about the ACR process. Youth are encouraged to raise issues and concerns, as well as to
attend their bi-annual Administrative Case Review.
The Department has established Partnering with Parents Advisory Councils throughout the
State. These Advisory Councils include parents of children currently in DCFS care, parents of
children who were in DCFS care in the past, and parents of children living at home but with open
DCFS service cases. The Department sponsors “Partnering with Parents Informational Fairs”
each year at various locations throughout the state. Parents being served by the Department are
invited to hear presentations that focus on equipping the parent to be successful. Parents are also
able to network with service providers, Department of Children and Family Services
management staff and private agency staff. Administrative Case Review staff attends these fairs
and have a table where literature is distributed and any questions are answered. During the fair,
ACR staff are also available for presentations.
Both of these groups give parents a voice, an opportunity to network, and an opportunity to learn
more about DCFS processes and initiatives. The Caregiver Conference provides a venue for
foster parents and relative caregivers to network and receive information about Department
programs, resources, trainings, workshops and initiatives that affect their role in providing care
to children. The Birth Parent Steering Committee is an Ad Hoc committee comprised of
Department and Child Welfare professionals who identify issues concerning birth parents and
presents these issues to the appropriate officials to bring about policy changes that will aid all
parents with Department involvement, now and in the future. The main purpose is to give birth
parents a voice regarding the policies, programs and services provided to them. The Birth Parent
Institute Day is an annual event geared toward the empowerment of birth parents served by the
Department. The Birth Parent Steering Committee also lends support to the Partnering with
Parents Advisory Council. The annual event provides a venue for management staff in
Administrative Case Review to present information on the scope and purpose of ACR in
workshops, as well as Department in service trainings.
Informational brochures on the process and the importance of participating in the Administrative
Case Review are available in both English and Spanish for our parents, youth and caregivers.
They are distributed throughout the various conferences and councils and are also available at the
ACR.
