Family Support Team Meetings

A Family Support Team meeting (FST) is a planned meeting of family members, the family's friends and support persons, and community service providers, who join together to strengthen a family and develop a cohesive, supportive service plan. While the state mandates Family Support Teams for families who have children that have come into state custody, voluntary FST's are a great way to help strengthen families, reduce stress and prevent child abuse and neglect from occurring.

Family Support Teams are strengths-based and family driven. They help the family craft an individualized course of action to address the concerns and meet the goals that they have set for themselves. They are most successful when the family has been fully engaged in the process, when a comprehensive strength and needs assessment has been completed, and the family's natural supports participate. Often the team schedules follow-up FST's to track change, celebrate progress and respond to new concerns.

The St. Louis Family and Community Partnership encourages all partners to utilize FST's to foster collaboration with families and other providers. We currently have a pilot project with St. Louis Public Schools and we also hope to expand to additional schools and child care centers in the future. Periodic trainings are offered to help community partners who would like to facilitate or participate in FST's. Key ingredients to success lie in adequate preparation of the family and the constructive use of an Agenda and Guidelines.

Family Support Teams: