Assessing families and other client systems in community-based programmes: development of the CALF

    Authors

    A. M. Leon;E. M. Armantrout

    Comments

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    Abbreviated Journal Title

    Child Fam. Soc. Work

    Keywords

    assessment tools; case management; child assessment tool; community-based social services; family assessment; ASSESSMENT DEVICE; CHILDREN; SCALE; ADOLESCENTS; EMPOWERMENT; VALIDITY; POVERTY; WORK; LIFE; Family Studies; Social Work

    Abstract

    Programmes providing services to children and families often face the challenge of assessing not only the child referred, but also the child's family system and its individual members. Recognizing that household/family members can cause, contribute to or affect a child's problems requires that human service agencies utilize assessment tools capable of assessing family members across the lifespan. The literature references many assessment tools used by clinical programmes in mental-health settings that are not well suited to use in social service agencies with multidisciplinary staff at different skill levels. As a response to this dilemma, the authors have developed the Collaborative Assessment of Life Functioning (CALF), a user-friendly tool that assesses various areas of life functioning. Based on Maslow's motivation theory, person-in-environment and systems theories, the CALF can be used with various client systems. This paper describes the development of the tool, its purpose and use, the importance of assessment tools in the helping process and considerations for agencies wishing to use an assessment tool like the CALF The authors also discuss the applicability of the CALF in human services and social service agency settings and with diverse client populations.

    Journal Title

    Child & Family Social Work

    Volume

    12

    Issue/Number

    2

    Publication Date

    1-1-2007

    Document Type

    Article

    Language

    English

    First Page

    123

    Last Page

    132

    WOS Identifier

    WOS:000252220300002

    ISSN

    1356-7500

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