Evaluators from the University of Michigan School of Social Work collect information on all FCC referrals, compact meetings and outcomes. FCC cases are then compared with cases placed through the traditional child welfare system. The goals of the evaluation are to determine if the FCC is an effective approach to avoiding foster care placement, whether it can improve outcomes for children and how to improve the FCC process. From December 1995 to December 1998 over 250 families have been offered an opportunity to develop a plan for the placement and permanency of children who must be removed from home due to substantiated maltreatment. Many of the families referred are unable to proceed with a compact meeting because the parents refuse to voluntarily participate or the case does not meet one of the other referral criteria.
Preparation is a critical part of successful compact meetings.
Compact preparation time has ranged from 5 to almost 200 hours with an average of 60 hours per case. Another critical component is attendance. FCC staff invites as many people as possible who have an interest in the welfare of the children and an interest in helping to care for them. Compacts with more interested parties are able to develop placement plans which include more people to help with each placement, and placement plans with more people are more likely to be successful. The demonstrated success of the Family and Community Compact has helped raise additional funds to expand and replicate the program.