Collaborative Family Engagement (CFE)
CFE is a team-based approach between local CASA programs and CPS, as well as Single Source Continuum Contractors (SSCC), to engage, find and work with family members and fictive kin in the creation and development of a lifetime network for young people in the foster care system.
One of the goals of CFE is to help children achieve strong connectivity and permanency faster, preferably with relatives or other trusted loved ones. In collaboration with the Texas Department of Family & Protective Services (DFPS), local CASA programs and community partners, we are working to ensure that every child in foster care has the opportunity for lifelong connections.
TEXAS’ APPROACH TO FAMILY ENGAGEMENT
COLLABORATE
Greater collaboration
between stakeholders to involve families and build networks.
CULTIVATE
Access to connection, engagement and searching tools to engage and find family/important relationships.
CONVENE
Families and their support network come together for family meetings.
CONNECT
A lifetime network of supportive relationships is formed for the
child and their family.
“A child comes into the foster care system far too often with nobody, nobody can take care of the child, nobody can look after the child. What Collaborative Family Engagement does is it unpacks that “nobody” and helps us to be able to find people who are important to this child and who the child is important to.”
James Arrington, Advocate Supervisor & CFE Lead, CASA of Williamson County
FY25 DATA
Fiscal Year 2025 is from September 2024 – August 2025
13,169*
CHILDREN SERVED BY CFE
7,576*
FAMILIES SERVED BY CFE
74
LOCAL CASA PROGRAMS
11
DFPS REGIONS
6
SSCC PROVIDERS
217
COUNTIES COVERED
BY THE NUMBERS
Data continues to be collected and analyzed each year. The CFE model is flexible, so having this data and learning what is working from staff and volunteers on the ground will allow our practice to evolve.