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What is a Child and Family Team?

A CFT is a meeting in which family members and their community supports come together to create a collaborative treatment plan, usually initiated and organized by the clinical home. The CFT is built around the family to make sure that each family’s strengths are promoted and their needs are met. Team members work together with the family to write a Child and Family Plan based on what the child/youth and family wants and needs, and to also decide on CFT membership and frequency of meetings.


One of the goals of System of Care is to help families become more confident and able to meet the needs of their children without relying only on paid professionals. As a result, as families begin receiving more of the support and resources that they need through the System of Care, the idea is that they may then need
fewer professionals and want more CFT members to be family members and other family supporters in their neighborhood and community.

Who is on a Child and Family Team?
The family is always part of the CFT. Children who are old enough to attend meetings, understand the process, and make choices can also be on their own CFTs. The team can include anyone who is important in the family’s life and who knows the strengths and needs of the child and family. Team members are usually people who are part of the child’s education, care, custody, or treatment, and others who know the family and lend support. They can include but are not limited to the following:
• Family members
• Friends and neighbors
• Community members
• Members of businesses, churches, or other groups
• Teachers and other school staff
• Family advocates
• Service providers (doctors, social workers, case managers, court counselors, teachers, school nurses, etc.)
• Others who know the family well

What is a Family Advocate?
Everyone on the CFT will be helpful and supportive, but the family advocate has a special job to guide and support the family when necessary or as requested, as they learn their role as a team member and become active in the System of Care. The family advocate can help the family locate information, choose service providers, solve problems, and get prepared for meetings. The family advocate can also help the family get in touch with other parents to share ideas and experiences. The family advocate is usually a parent of a child with special needs and can provide support and empathy because of having walked in similar shoes like that of the family receiving services.