Safety Assessment and Family Evaluation (SAFE) Model

Assessing child safety in Illinois
The Illinois Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) has used the Child Endangerment Risk Assessment Protocol (CERAP) to assess risks to child safety throughout Illinois since the passing of Senate Bill 1357 in 1994.

As part of the IllinoisConnect transformational initiative to improve the health and safety of youth and families throughout the state, and in collaboration with Chapin Hall at the University of Chicago, DCFS sought an independent review to examine the effectiveness of CERAP and identify best practice alternatives.

From CERAP to the SAFE Model
Chapin Hall examined the CERAP tool and recommended various options to better support the department in supporting families and ensuring child safety.  The department opted for Action for Child Protection’s SAFE Model which offers a guide to:

• Assess caregiver protective capacities.
• Provide structured interrelated assessments.
• Define practice objectives and standardize decision-making criteria.

SAFE Model core components
The SAFE Model includes six core components for facilitating caregiver behavioral change: 

• Intake assessment.
• Initial family assessment.
• Protective capacity family assessment.
• Change focused contact.
• Progress assessment.
• SAFE@Home Safety Management.

These components are designed to function in an interrelated manner to form a cohesive process. Each subsequent assessment relies on the decision-making from the previous assessments to assist caregivers in reassuming their protective role in ensuring child safety.

SAFE Model development
The SAFE Model was developed by Action for Child Protection in 1986 and has seen six model design changes and numerous refinements based on over three decades of experience working with over 45 state, tribal and territory public child welfare agencies. The SAFE Model is copyrighted and currently 25 jurisdictions are fully or partially implementing intervention components of the SAFE Model. 

SAFE Model implementation
Due to the comprehensive nature of the model, Action for Child Protection will offer DCFS and private agency staff with ongoing training, support and technical assistance as the SAFE model is implemented in Illinois over the next 3-5 years. This robust effort also includes creating new documentation forms, training materials and intervention manuals that must be integrated and aligned with existing DCFS policies and procedures.

*Please check back periodically to this page as we will provide additional details and updates as the implementation progresses.