Tips on developing a response plan

Important: Don't share this plan with anyone without speaking to your lawyer or advocate first.

Making your plan complete

• Make sure your plan covers your child's needs, your needs, and the ministry's concerns.
• Include how to get any of the following that you or your family might need:
  • Medical attention for you and your children
  • Food
  • Individual counselling
  • Family therapy
  • Child care
  • A safe, healthy place to live
• Describe ways to improve your situation and list those people who'll help your family. Include any or all of the following:
  • Your arrangements for dealing with your difficulties and any time limits you have
  • Alternate living arrangements for your children other than foster care
  • How grandparents, other relatives, and friends are going to help
  • How your child's teachers will be involved, if possible
  • How you think the ministry can help you
• Include what you, your child, the advocate (or anyone else) will be responsible for.
• Identify specific tasks or services you would like the social worker to be responsible for.
• Include your children in the planning and any decisions if they are old enough to contribute.
• Agree only to actions and changes that are possible.

Presenting your plan

• Be prepared to show the social worker that you have worked out your plan carefully.
• Get your advocate or lawyer to help you present your plan to the ministry (this is usually done verbally).

Following through on your plan

• Renegotiate any impossible requirement and immediately report problems and emergencies to the social worker.
• Revise your plan as your situation changes.
• Check off each of your tasks as you complete them.
• Be on time for all appointments. Call the social worker, advocate, or lawyer immediately if you can't make an appointment.