Vol. 29, No. 1
February 2026

Using the Three Houses Tool

Of the many tools in the Safety Organized Practice (SOP) toolbox, one of the most useful-and novel-is the Three Houses tool. This visual, interactive tool helps child welfare professionals engage children and young people. Those in North Carolina and elsewhere who have used this tool say it can be a great way to build trust, gather information, and move a case forward.

The Tool

On one level, the Three Houses tool is straightforward. The worker asks the child to populate three houses: the House of Good Things, the House of Worries, and the House of Dreams. The idea is to use the visuals and questions to gain a deeper understanding of the child's perspective on these areas.

As the figure below shows, younger children can draw in each house while the worker writes down what they share. Drawing is also an option for older children and adults, but most prefer to write themselves.

Hand drawn image from a child of the three different houses from the Three Houses Tool

Who to Use It With

While it is especially good at ensuring the voices of children are included in all aspects of the child protection process, the Three Houses can also be used with youth and young adults. Use this tool only with children old enough to talk.

When to Use It

Do not use the Three Houses tool with all children. Use it only if you do not have the information you need, and/or if traditional interview techniques are not working.

The Three Houses tool is most helpful when applied within the investigative assessment or family assessment phase of child welfare work, but it can be useful at other times as well. For example, at the start of safety planning, to help keep the focus on the child's safety and during case planning and Child and Family Team meetings, or to inform safety or reunification decisions. Using Three Houses early on can also provide a kind of baseline: the tool can be used later in the case to see if there are changes in the child's perspective.

Examples of how the Three Houses can be useful at other stages of the child welfare process include:

In-Home Services: To learn the child's perspective about their safety in their home.
Foster Care: To gain insight into how the child feels and what they need to feel safe.
Adoption: To assess how a child feels about their pre-adoptive placement or current permanency plan.
Case Closure: To help determine when a case should be closed.

10 Tips

Here are some things workers should keep in mind when using the Three Houses tool.

Practice with a colleague or friend before using it with a child or youth.
Have the needed materials-a template of the tool or paper on which to draw (one piece of paper per house) and crayons, colored pencils, and/or markers.
Decide how to introduce the tool. For example: "I'd like to do something called the Three Houses with you. We draw three houses together, and in those houses you can draw, or we can write down the things you are worried about, the things that are going well or good in your life, and the things you would like to happen in the future."
Explain how the information from the Three Houses will be used and with whom it will be shared; this models transparent communication and builds trust.
Let the young person choose which house to start with. Feel free to move between houses in a non-linear fashion based on what is shared.
Use follow-up questions or prompts to find out more, such as:
- Tell me more about this part of the drawing.
- Explain what is happening in this picture.
- Describe what you see in this picture for me.
- Explain what you mean by what you wrote in this house.
After each house has been explored, ask if there is anything else they would like to add to any of the houses.
As the session ends, acknowledge that what was shared was very important. If a child or youth would like to keep their Three Houses, consider any safety concerns that could arise and plan for them to get a copy later. If it is ok for them to keep it, take a picture for your records.
The Three Houses tool can be updated or redone over time. It can be very impactful for families to see things crossed off in the House of Worries, additions to the House of Good Things, and progress on the House of Hopes and Dreams.
Youth and young adults may prefer to fill out the Three Houses on their own and then share with you afterwards. Encourage them to include more about life outside of their homes, such as their peers, school, work, health, relationships, extracurricular activities, sexuality, and mental health. The information in the Three Houses can help support them in making safe and positive choices.

Sharing the Results

Seeing their child's Three Houses inspires some caretakers to partner with the agency and others to address the child's. However, carefully consider whether safety concerns might arise before sharing a child's Three Houses with someone. If there are concerns, consult with your supervisor before moving forward.

Caretakers who do see their child's Three Houses have a variety of reactions. Some become very motivated. Others, less so. Some even deny what their child has shared, no matter how compelling. "As frustrating as that can be, in terms of assessment, it is very useful" (NCDHHS, 2025).

To Learn More

To learn more about using the Three Houses tool, child welfare professionals in North Carolina can take the online course The Child's Voice in Assessment and Planning on NCSWlearn.org.

Three Houses Questions to Use with Teens and Youth Transitioning Out of Foster Care

Worries	Good Things	Hopes and Dreams
For Teens
What are your three biggest worries? What is something you don't feel good about? What thoughts or feelings are you aware of that lead you to get in trouble or do unsafe things? Who is around when you get in trouble? What makes things worse?	Who is someone that matters to you? What would they say you are good at? What does a good day look like to you? What do you feel best about in your world right now? Who in your world keeps you safe? What thoughts or feelings do you have that keep you safe or help you feel ok?	When you were a kid, what did you want to be when you grew up? What would the person who matters to you most say you would be doing in the future that would make them proud? What is one thing that would help with the bad things in your life? If all your troubles were gone tomorrow, how would you know, and what would be happening instead?
For Youth Transitioning Out of Care
What are the top three challenges when you look ahead? What are some things you feel unsure about? Are there barriers you can see that might stop you from getting to where you want to be? What stops you from getting what you want and where you want?	What is going well in your life right now? Who are the people in your life that know you well? What would they say is going well for you? Which of these things do you want to make sure you continue in the future? Who are the people who help support you when things are not going well? What do they do that is helpful?	Imagine it's a year from now, and you are living the life you want to be living. What would that look like? What would be happening? Who are the people that are important to you, and who do you want to be a part of your life in the future? What could your social worker do to support you in creating the life you want for yourself?

References for this and other articles in this issue