WHAT is this guidance: This guidance was developed to support case workers to conduct virtual monitoring of children and families within their caseload throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. It includes phone scripts to help guide conversations with caregiver/parent/child. Depending on the response and current situation of the caregiver/parent/child, there are suggested messages and/or actions. This guidance also includes a case plan template to help the case worker plan for interventions including scheduling of next calls.
WHO should use this guidance: This guidance should be used by those responsible for conducting casework with children and families. It specifically targets vulnerable families at risk of separation or violence and families who have just had a reunified child placed with them, including as a result of COVID-19. This can include case workers of local implementing partners, social workers and psychologists of CTWWC, social workers and/or case workers from residential care facilities as well as actors from government institutions mandated with oversight of cases of children at risk of separation or those who have recently been reintegrated. Supervisors should also familiarise themselves with the guidance to ensure they are able to effectively support case workers.
HOW should this guidance be used: This monitoring can be considered a complementary tool and should therefore be used together with an organization's normal case management tools and protocols; that is, this tool should replace the monitoring tool, but other case management tools should continue to be utilised (i.e. assessment forms, case planning forms, etc.). However, if it is not possible to conduct assessments, then at a minimum, this tool should be used for monitoring cases during and immediately after the pandemic or as long as in person visits cannot take place. All cases should be categorised as either high risk, medium risk or low risk, according to the below definitions. The case workers should use the phone scripts and depending upon the information provided by the parent/caregiver and/or child, the key messages and actions provided by the caseworker are available in the pull down tabs (Green, orange or red). There are also suggested actions for each risk level to follow up on after the call. In the case tracker, the overall risk level is automatically calculated based on the risk levels reported for each domain, prioritizing safety/protection, health and development and psychosocial and mental health during this period.
WHEN should this document be used: This guidance should be used each time the case worker makes contact with a family (caregiver and child(ren) to monitor their wellbeing, safety and health. Note the domains appear ranked by importance given the unique circumstance as a result of the pandemic. Therefore, the case worker should start from the first domain, and work their way down the list. If the call with the family is quite short in duration, the missed domains should be followed up at a later time; it is important that the caseworker discuss all domains with the family at some point in time. However, given the circumstances, priority should be placed on health, protection and psychosocial wellbeing of the family members at this time.
High risk cases should be monitored twice per week; medium risk cases should be monitored once per week; low risk cases should be monitored every two weeks.
View the Spanish version here.
View the full Package of COVID-19 Case Management and Virtual Monitoring Guidance and Tools.