Whose Job Was It?

This is a structured interview tool for helping older children and youth identify who met their needs across different family or placement experiences.

• Purpose: It maps the people a child experienced as responsible or available for care, guidance, and support.
• How it is used: For each need, the child selects who fulfilled it during their family of origin and each subsequent placement. Additional columns or topics can be added as needed.
• Response options: The child may identify a mother, father, both parents, relatives, siblings, neighbors/other adults, staff, themselves, or nobody.
• Needs assessed: The worksheet covers basic care (food, clothing, shelter), safety and supervision, medical care, school help, discipline and moral guidance, problem solving and social skills, honesty, role models, and affection.
• Value of the tool: Comparing responses across settings can reveal continuity or gaps in caregiving, protection, practical support, and emotional connection, while centering the child’s own perspective.