Which families are identified as needing Family Preservation Programs?

Family Preservation Programs are particularly designed to assist families who are experiencing significant challenges that jeopardize their ability to maintain a safe and stable environment for their children. Families in crisis with children at risk of removal are the primary candidates for such programs because these situations often involve acute stressors that threaten the family unit and the well-being of the children.

These programs aim to provide intensive support to help families address their issues and avoid the necessity of placing children in foster care or other out-of-home arrangements. By focusing on families in crisis, the programs can implement timely interventions that focus on improvement and stabilization.

In contrast, families with a stable income typically do not have the immediate stressors or crises that would necessitate intensive preservation efforts. Similarly, families seeking general counseling services or those with ample support systems may be facing challenges, but they likely do not require the urgent interventions associated with preservation programs. Hence, the focus of Family Preservation Programs on families in critical situations underscores the need for targeted support in times of crisis.