The Family Team Decision Meeting

What it is and when it happens

A Family Team Decision Meeting is a facilitated meeting held before or shortly after a major decision about removal, placement, or return home. It is agency practice rather than a court hearing, and it usually happens within a few days of the decision.

Who is in the room

• You, and any support people you bring
• The caseworker, who presents the agency’s concerns
• A facilitator, whose role is to keep the discussion balanced
• Your lawyer, if you have one yet
• The child’s guardian ad litem or CASA
• A tribal representative, where Indian child welfare law applies
• Relatives, friends, or providers you have asked to attend

You can ask who will be there before the meeting, and you can ask to bring someone.

How to prepare

• ✓ Bring a written list of relatives and trusted adults, with phone numbers.
• ✓ Bring documentation — proof of housing, employment, enrollment in services, child care.
• ✓ Write down the points you need to make, so stress does not erase them.
• ✓ Bring a support person who can take notes while you talk.
• ✓ Ask for clarification whenever something is unclear. That is not a weakness.

Why it matters

This meeting can prevent a foster placement by putting a workable family alternative on the table. It also shapes the record: consistent, engaged participation is visible later, and so is absence.

The agency generally makes the final decision unless a court is asked to review it. That is a reason to be specific rather than only opposed.