7. Recovery: Transitioning from Reunification Operations to Post-Event Stabilization

7.3. Child-Focused After-Action Review and Plan Improvement

After-Action Reporting and Improvement Planning

The After-Action Report (AAR) and Improvement Plan (IP) should document child-focused findings and evidence-informed recommendations. This ensures that future reunification planning reflects lessons learned and remains responsive to children’s needs.

AAR and IP Actions

  • Include a dedicated child-operations section or annex in the AAR.
  • Document strengths, challenges, unmet needs, and observed outcomes related to children and families.
  • Identify child-focused tools, partnerships, staffing models, resources, and training that were effective, insufficient, or unavailable.
  • Translate findings into specific corrective actions with assigned owners, required resources, milestones, and completion dates.
  • Update child-focused components of the reunification plan, standard operating procedures, training, job action sheets, and exercise materials.
  • Reconvene the Child Reunification Focus Group to review findings, prioritize improvements, and revise protocols.
  • Establish a process for monitoring corrective actions through completion and validating improvements during future exercises.
Use Appendix X: Child-Focused After-Action Report and Improvement Plan to document findings, assign corrective actions, and monitor progress.