Neighbor to Family Family Team Meetings (FTM) are group session that include all members of the treatment team including foster caregivers and birth parents. These meetings occur on a regular basis during the provision of foster care services and post-placement supervision. The guiding principle of the NTF FTM is, "there will be no decision about a family without the family." Therefore the FTM is designed to create an environment that guides the decision making process and case planning from start to finish using the wisdom as well as expertise of the family and their chosen support systems to address factors that threaten child safety. Also addressed are the establishment of permanency and ways to promote well-being.  

NTF FTM are different from a case staffing or traditional approach to planning and decision making in child welfare in that they apply the principles of a child-focused, family-centered practice to the group decision-making process.

The values of family-centered practice are as follows:
Everyone deserves respect;
Everyone needs to be heard;
Everyone has strengths;
Family culture is recognized and included in the service planning and delivery;
Judgments can wait;
Partners share power; and,
Partnership is a process.