10 Principles of the Wraparound Process

around’s philosophical principles will always remainthe starting point for understanding themodel. The current document attempts to makethe wraparound principles even more useful asa framework and guide for high-quality practicefor youth and families. It describes wraparound’sprinciples exclusively at the youth/family/teamlevel. In doing so, we hope the organizational andsystem supports necessary to achieve high-qualitywraparound practice 2 will always be grounded inthe fundamental need to achieve the wraparoundprinciples for families and their teams. By revisitingthe original elements of wraparound, we alsocapitalized on an opportunity to break complexprinciples (e.g., “individualized and strengthsbased”)into independent ones, and make surethe principles aligned with other aspects of theeffort to operationalize the wraparound process.The current document is the result of a smallteam of wraparound innovators, family advocates,and researchers working together over severalmonths. This team revised the original elementsand practice principles and provided them to amuch larger national group of family members,program administrators, trainers, and researchersfamiliar with wraparound. Through several stagesof work, these individuals voted on the principlespresented, provided feedback on phraseology, andparticipated in a consensus-building process. 3Though far from complete, consensus on theprinciples as presented here was strong. Nonetheless,you will see as you read descriptions ofthese 10 principles that there are several key areaswhere the complexity of wraparound itselfhindered realization of a clear consensus amongour advisory group. Commentary provided witheach principle highlights such tensions and goesinto much greater depth about the intentions andimplications of each principle.Considered along with its accompanying materials,we hope that this document helps achievethe main goal expressed by members of the NationalWraparound Initiative at its outset: To provideclarity on the specific characteristics of thewraparound process model for the sake of communities,programs, and families. Just as important,we hope that this document is viewed as a workin progress, and that it remains a living documentthat can be updated as needed based on feedbackfrom an even broader audience of reviewers.AcknowledgmentsTen Principles of theWraparound Process1. Family voice and choice. Familyand youth/child perspectives are intentionallyelicited and prioritized during allphases of the wraparound process. Planningis grounded in family members’ perspectives,and the team strives to provideoptions and choices such that the plan reflectsfamily values and preferences.The wraparound process recognizes the importanceof long-term connections between people,particularly the bonds between family members.The principle of family voice and choice in wraparoundstems from this recognition and acknowledgesthat the people who have a long-term,ongoing relationship with a child or youth havea unique stake in and commitment to the wraparoundprocess and its outcomes. This principlefurther recognizes that a young person who is receivingwraparound also has a unique stake in theprocess and its outcomes. The principle of familyvoice and choice affirms that these are the peoplewho should have the greatest influence over thewraparound process as it unfolds.This principle also recognizes that the likelihoodof successful outcomes and youth/child andfamily ownership of the wraparound plan are increasedwhen the wraparound process reflectsfamily members’ priorities and perspectives. Theprinciple thus explicitly calls for family voice—theprovision of opportunities for family members tofully explore and express their perspectives duringwraparound activities—and family choice—the2. Another component of the National Wraparound initiative, originally described in detail in Walker, J.S., Koroloff, N., & Schutte, K. (2003).Implementing high-quality collaborative individualized service/support planning: Necessary conditions. Portland, OR: Research and Training Centeron Family Support and Children’s Mental Health3. Description of the Delphi process used can be found on the National Wraparound Initiative’s web page at www.rtc.pdx.edu/nwi/NWIMethod.htm.