Glossary of Terms

A process conducted to locate parents, relatives, kin or other potential permanency resources or connections for a child who is receiving services from or who is in the custody of a CCYA.

A person (relative or non-relative) who identifies himself or herself as a placement resource for any child who comes into the emergency custody of the county agency. This person must have an established relationship with the child or the child’s family. The emergency caregiver must comply with the minimum requirements set forth in the OCYF Child Placement with Emergency Caregivers bulletin 3140-03-08/3490-04-01 in order to provide care to a child for a maximum of 60 calendar days.

A voluntary, informal process by which a neutral third party encourages full participation, promotes mutual understanding and cultivates shared responsibility among the parties, in order to build a sustainable agreement.

A group of individuals who are bound by ties of blood, law or affinity.

A family-centered and strengths-based approach to partnering with families in making decisions, setting goals and achieving desired outcomes. It is founded on the principle of communicating openly and honestly with families in a way that supports disclosure of culture, family dynamics and personal experiences to meet the individual needs of every family and every child.