A genogram turns the family information you’ve already recorded in Binti into a visual map of a child’s relatives and fictive kin. This article is for caseworkers and Family Finding workers who use the Relationships dashboard in Family Finding & Engagement. It explains how to open the genogram, what you’ll see, and how to connect relatives to the tree.
Why use the genogram?
- It gives you a big-picture view of a child’s family and relationships.
- It shows gaps in your Family Finding work, so you can see where more research is needed.
- It gives children in care a way to explore their connections, and a resource to use when they’re aging out.
How do I open the genogram?
- Go to the child’s Relationships dashboard. Click the child’s name on the Family Finding Searches dashboard, or click the three dots under Actions and select “View Relationships Dashboard.”
- On the Connections tab, click the genogram icon (the tree) next to “Add Connection.” The list icon next to it takes you back to the list view.
- The genogram opens on the Relatives view. To see fictive kin, click Fictive Kin.
Please note: If you don’t see the Genogram View, your role may not have permission to view relationships, or Family Finding may not be turned on for your agency. Ask an admin at your agency.
What do I see on the genogram?
- The child you’re viewing appears as a diamond. Everyone else appears as a card.
- Binti connects the child to their first-degree relatives automatically. First-degree relatives are the child’s parents, siblings, and children.
- Other relatives are lined up in rows by generation, with lines showing how they’re connected.
- Relatives Binti can’t link yet either float near their generation’s row or appear in a section below the diagram.
- “(Deceased)” appears under the name of a deceased connection.
- On the Fictive Kin view, the child is at the center, with fictive kin arranged around them.
To learn what the lines, highlights, and banner mean, see How do I read the genogram?
How do I connect a relative to the family tree?
To connect a relative, tell Binti how they’re related to someone who’s already on the tree. For example, Uncle Bob is a maternal uncle and the brother of the child’s mom, Sally. At first, Uncle Bob’s card isn’t connected to anyone. Once you add that he’s Sally’s brother, the genogram redraws and links him to Sally.
- Click the relative’s card. A window opens with their relationship details.
- Scroll to the bottom of the window and select “Add/Edit Other Relationships for” the relative’s name.
- Connect the relative to each of their first-degree relatives who are already on the genogram.
- Save your changes. The genogram redraws itself to show every connection you’ve captured.
Please note: If the card is highlighted, the Actions sidebar opens first. To fix highlighted cards, see How do I fix highlighted connections on the genogram?
Tip: The window also has actions to edit the relative’s relationship to the child (“Edit Relationship”), launch a Potential Kin Online Search, and record a new contact. To learn more about adding and editing connections, see How to Add/Manage Connections in Family Finding.
Can I view the genogram full screen, download it, or print it?
Yes. You can open the genogram in a full-screen view for more room. You can still click a relative’s card there to open the same relationship window and actions. For large families, use the − button at the bottom left of the diagram to zoom out and see more of the tree.
You can also download the genogram as an image by clicking the download icon above the diagram, on the right. You can print it too. Downloaded images show the full family diagram, no matter how far you’ve zoomed or panned.
Why doesn’t Binti connect every relative automatically?
- The genogram uses the detailed relationship information already recorded in Binti, instead of drag-and-drop cards. That keeps the tree accurate.
- Binti doesn’t draw every line from labels like “maternal” or “paternal.” Families are complicated, and same-sex parents, step-parents, adoptive parents, and multiple possible parents make those guesses unreliable.
- When Binti does infer a connection, it draws a dashed or dotted line and adds “(inferred)” to the card. That way you can tell it apart from a recorded relationship.
- If a relative’s card isn’t connected, open it and select “Add/Edit Other Relationships” to connect them.