1 Strengthening Families: The Key to Safe & Healthy Children Standards for Family-Serving Programs:...
-
Upload
elena-blackmon -
Category
Documents
-
view
218 -
download
1
Transcript of 1 Strengthening Families: The Key to Safe & Healthy Children Standards for Family-Serving Programs:...
1
Strengthening Families: The Key to Safe & Healthy Children
Standards for Family-Serving Programs: Building Success through Family Support
Developed by the NJ Task Force on Child Abuse & Neglect & Family Support America
©Statewide Parent Advocacy Network 2004
2
What is Family Support?
• A set of beliefs & an approach to strengthening & empowering families & communities
• Grassroots, community-based programs designed to promote family cohesion & prevent family problems
• A shift in service delivery• A movement for social
change
3
How does family support work?
• Interventions are comprehensive and within the context of the family and the community
• Interventions promote positive behaviors & outcomes, instead of just treating problems
4
How does family support work?
• Interventions focus on family-identified needs & hopes, not the wishes of professionals
• Interventions see the family as a part of its larger community
5
How does family support work?
• Interventions help strengthen the family’s networks and use those networks as the major source of support
6
What is the goal of family support?
• To help families learn and use the knowledge and skills they need to be effective as a family within their community
7
How can you tell if it’s family support?
• Relationships are built on equality & respect
• Families learn how to get what they need
• Families are involved at every step of the way
• Family strengths are recognized and built on
8
How can you tell if it’s family support?
• The diversity and cultural, racial, and language identities of families are celebrated & affirmed
• Communities are strengthened
• There is advocacy for fair, responsive & accountable systems
9
What is “promotion of strong families”
• Also known as “primary prevention”:– Targets the general
population– Offers services &
activities before any signs of undesired behaviors
– Available to all regardless of family status
10
What is “prevention?”
• Prevention includes:– Promotion, or primary
prevention
– Secondary prevention, targeted to families “at risk” before negative behaviors occur
– Tertiary prevention, provided to reduce the impact of negative behaviors & prevent their reoccurrence
11
Standards for Family Support Programs
• The factors for effective family support programs include:– Beliefs in the
principles of family support
– Effective Practice– Effective
administration
12
Belief in Family Support Ideas• Family-centered• Community-based• Culturally sensitive
and culturally competent
• Early start• Developmentally
appropriate• Families are partners• Empowerment &
strengths-based
13
Effective Practice Standards
• Flexible & responsive• Based in partnership• Links with formal &
informal supports• Universally available &
voluntary• Comprehensive &
integrated/coordinated• Easily accessible• Long term and as intense
as needed
14
Effective Administration Standards
• Sound program structure, design & practices
• Committed, caring staff• Data collection &
documentation• Measures outcomes &
conducts evaluation• Adequate funding & long
range plans• Collaborates with families
& communities
15
BELIEFS: Family-Centered
• Children are part of & are influenced by their families
• Families are part of & are influenced by their communities
• Communities are part of & are influenced by our larger society
16
Individual Influences
• Parent readiness• Parenting knowledge• Attitudes & beliefs• Self-esteem• Stress• Mental Health• Substance abuse
17
Interpersonal & Societal Influences
• Marital factors• Lack of child care• Parents• Special needs• Isolation• Domestic violence
18
Environmental Influences
• Society’s value of children & families
• Neighborhood conditions• Income-related stressors• Political factors• Housing• Tolerance/media portrayal
of violence• Discrimination &
prejudice
19
BELIEFS: Community-based
• Supports & services are available locally where families live, work, attend school
• Supports & services contribute to community-building
20
Community empowerment
• Shared responsibility, not just professional responsibility
• Power resides in communities, not agencies
• Communities, not professionals, are the experts
• Services & activities are planned & implemented based on community needs & priorities
21
Community empowerment
• Interdependency & coordination of planning & services, not fragmentation
• Community-based leadership that develops shared vision, broad support, & management of community problem-solving, not external leadership based on authority, position or title
22
Community empowerment
• Appreciation of racial, ethnic, language diversity, not denial of differences
• Emphasis on cooperation & collaboration rather than external linkages limited to networking & coordination
23
Community empowerment
• Inclusive, not closed, decision-making
• Accountability to community, not agency
• Evaluation to check program development & evaluation, not just to raise funds
• Funding based on critical issues, not “categories”
• Maximum community involvement at all levels, not just feedback or input
24
Family Strengthening Pyramid• Pre- and post-birth care &
mother-child bonding• Parent education• Child care/respite• Early childhood education• School climate improvement• Comprehensive health
education• Early substance abuse
prevention• Law-related education• Peer & other supports
25
Family Strengthening Pyramid
• Stress relief• Meaningful work &
community service• Worksite wellness• Alternatives• Community education• Health screening &
assessments• Alternative health practices• Media influence• Spiritual development• Fun
26
BELIEFS: Culturally sensitive & competent
• Affirm family cultural, ethnic, racial, & language identity
• Promote cross-cultural understanding & respect for differences
• Help families navigate the dominant US society & culture
• Work to make society more supportive of all families
27
BELIEFS: Early start
• Support families before negative patterns are established
• Help families understand child development & their child’s unique strengths & needs
28
BELIEFS:Developmentally appropriate
• Relevant to the ages & developmental levels of children & families
• Understanding of the unique needs at each stage in the life span of children & families
29
Developmentally appropriate
• Child development is the ages & stages a child goes through:– Physically
– Emotionally
– Socially
– Intellectually
30
Developmentally appropriate
• Stages of family development are related to:– Age(s) of their
child(ren)
– Transitions families experience
– Parent(s) aging process
31
BELIEFS:Family-Professional Partnership
• Families & professionals work together in relationships based on equality & mutual respect
• Families are partners on the individual, program, agency, & systemic levels
32
Family-Professional Partnership
• Important techniques:– Active listening
– Empathy
– Sincere caring
– Recognition & appreciation of existing knowledge & skills
– Focus on strengthening knowledge & skills
– Shared decision-making
33
Families as Assets• National policy should be
built on a recognition that families are the essential unit of civic engagement & democracy
• Each family must be recognized & acknowledged as unique & individual
• All families have common human needs & require different levels of social investment at different times in their life span
34
Families as Assets
• Investments in families & children become assets in the development of strong communities that participate in the larger good
• Children are our future, our legacy, & our responsibility
• Each of us can make a contribution to the future generations of all children.
35
BELIEFS:Empowering & Strengths-Based
• Build on the knowledge & skills of families & communities
• Help families realize their own strengths to promote the healthy development of their children
36
Empowering & Strengths-Based
• Recognize that everyone has strengths
• Create opportunities for learning & use of new skills & knowledge
• Support self-efficacy, self-reliance, positive mental health, competency, mastery of skills: “assets-building”
37
ASSESSING BELIEFS• Is it family-centered?
– Involve all possible participants, such as child, parents, family members, caregivers?
• Is it community-based?– Reinforce outcomes in home &
community?– Engage community members in
program development, implementation & ownership?
– Recognize the role of community members in supporting families?
– Use informal & formal supports needed by family?
38
ASSESSING BELIEFS
• Is it culturally sensitive & competent?– Promote & strengthen cultural
identity & diversity?
• Does it provide an early start?– Work with families BEFORE
negative patterns start – even before birth as needed?
• Is it developmentally appropriate?– Meet the needs of children &
families/caregivers at their stage(s) of development?
39
ASSESSING BELIEFS
• Are families partners with staff/professionals?– Treat families as partners &
collaborate, as evidenced by involving families in planning & decision-making & promoting self-reliance?
• Are empowering & strengths-based approaches used?– Are the strengths & abilities
of families identified & built upon?
40
EFFECTIVE PRACTICES:Flexible & Responsive
• Tailor practices to the needs of diverse families
• Provide supports as needed by families
• Services are flexible in type, language, etc., & change as needed
• Services respond to emerging family & community issues
41
EFFECTIVE PRACTICES:Partnership Approaches
• Families influence policies & practices
• Coordination & collaboration among service providers is maximized
• Families & professionals advocate together for fair, responsive, & accountable services & systems
42
EFFECTIVE PRACTICES:Linkages with Supports
• Professionals work with families to mobilize formal & informal resources to support families
• Professionals work with families & communities to build community supports
43
EFFECTIVE PRACTICES:Linkages with Supports
• Supports include:– Schools
– Neighborhoods
– Religious institutions
– Peers, friends
– Media
– Health care providers
– Policymakers
44
EFFECTIVE PRACTICES:Universally Available & Voluntary
• Programs, supports & services are offered to the broad community
• Programs, supports, & services are seen as an opportunity to learn & grow, not to “fix” dysfunction
• Participation is voluntary
45
EFFECTIVE PRACTICES:Comprehensive & coordinated
• Multiple supports are available & used to reinforce positive outcomes
• Families have access to comprehensive information & coordinated resources
• Supports are available as long as needed
• Families can access “one-stop” services
46
EFFECTIVE PRACTICES:Easily Accessible
• Services are available in non-threatening environments that are convenient to families
• Services are available at the times that families can take advantage of them
• Supports are provided for participation
47
EFFECTIVE PRACTICES:Easily Accessible
• Services are available to wide range of families without limiting eligibility standards
• Effective outreach to diverse communities ensures that families are aware of available services
48
EFFECTIVE PRACTICES:Long Term & Adequate Intensity
• Services are provided for as long as needed and to the extent needed
• Services respond to changing needs
• Services provide opportunities to celebrate short-term successes & work to maintain long-term positive outcomes
49
EFFECTIVE PRACTICES:Long-term & Adequate Intensity
• Time needed is taken to develop trust, identify all needed services & supports, & comprehensively address needs through building knowledge & mastering skills
50
ASSESSING EFFECTIVE PRACTICES
• Are services flexible & responsive?– Are services flexible to
respond to unique needs or circumstances of families?
– Can service intensity be varied based on needs?
– Are services offered at convenient times & locations?
– Are incentives & supports (childcare, transportation, refreshments) for participation provided?
51
ASSESSING EFFECTIVE PRACTICES
• Are effective partnership approaches used?– Are families recognized &
treated as partners?– Are families provided with
the supports they need for effective partnership?
– Are services provided in partnership with other providers, to ensure coordination?
• Are participants linked with formal & informal supports?
52
ASSESSING EFFECTIVE PRACTICES
• Are services universally available & voluntary?– Are services offered to a broad
range of families, not just families with problems?
– Are families who request services able to access them?
• Are services comprehensive, coordinated & integrated?– Do programs bring all needed
services together for easy access by families?
53
ASSESSINGEFFECTIVE PRACTICES
• Are services easily accessible?– Are services in non-threatening
& convenient locations & times?– Can families easily access staff
when needed?– Are families aware of services &
how to access them?
• Are services long-term & with adequate intensity?– Are services provided with the
frequency & intensity needed?– Do services continue even after
short-term successes to ensure maintenance of desired outcomes?
54
EFFECTIVE ADMINISTRATION
• Importance of effective administration & management of:– Overall agencies &
organizations
– Programs within agencies
55
EFFECTIVE ADMINISTRATION:Agency/Organization
• Administrative structure
• Budget/financial management
• Funding & overall resource development
• Board of directors
• Human resources & personnel management
• Facility operations
56
EFFECTIVE ADMINISTRATION:Agency/Organization
• Organizational policies & procedures
• Quality assurance & outcome measures
• Long-term & strategic planning
• Public relations & marketing
• Community support & collaboration
57
EFFECTIVE ADMINISTRATION:Programs
• Program structure, components, design & procedures
• Practices related to interactions with families served
• Funding of program• Supervision, staff
development, & training• Pertinent certifications &
licensures
58
EFFECTIVE ADMINISTRATION:Programs
• Annual program work plan & long-range plans for the program
• Record-keeping
• Evaluation & reporting
• Use of advisory groups
• Cooperative & collaborative relationships with other programs & groups
59
EFFECTIVE ADMINISTRATION:Sound Program Structure, Design, & Practices
• Program activities reflect the beliefs & incorporate effective practice standards for promotion/prevention programs
• Family support principles are modeled in all program activities – planning, governance, & administration
60
EFFECTIVE ADMINISTRATION:Sound Program Structure, Design, & Practices
• Design, procedures, & timeframes for implementation are documented & understandable to staff & families
• Program manuals reflect concepts, practices, & administrative standards of the program
61
EFFECTIVE ADMINISTRATION:Committed, Caring Staff
• Quality of staff & their ability to interact effectively with families & other professionals is key
• Staff & families work together in relationships based on equality & mutual respect
• Staff are warm, empathetic, effective listeners, & use a strength-based approach
• Adequate staff training & supervision is provided
62
EFFECTIVE ADMINISTRATION:Data Collection & Dissemination
• Service levels & outcomes are collected & reported to staff, Board, & families, & community
• Relevant data is gathered at all stages from diverse sources
• Staff are trained in record-keeping & report preparation
63
EFFECTIVE ADMINISTRATION:Data Collection & Documentation• Intake data:
– Source of referral– Family structure &
membership– Major strengths– Major concerns/issues– Available resources &
sources of support– Voluntary nature of
participation
64
EFFECTIVE ADMINISTRATION:Data Collection & Documentation
• Service summary data:– Frequency & intensity
of service(s) provided over time
– #s of families receiving services & supports
– Types of services provided
– Information on who is providing services
65
EFFECTIVE ADMINISTRATION:Data Collection & Documentation• Descriptive Data:
– Length of time of service
– Level of family’s participation
– Extent of goals achieved
– Reason for termination of services
66
EFFECTIVE ADMINISTRATION:Outcomes Measures & Evaluation
• Use of quantitative & qualitative data to evaluate program effectiveness & accomplishment of desired outcomes
• Identify changes in circumstances, knowledge, skill, attitudes, behaviors
67
EFFECTIVE ADMINISTRATION:Outcome Measures & Evaluation• Evaluation tools are:
– Relevant to program
– Relevant to families
– Relevant to characteristics of effective research (reliability & validity)
– Relevant to current parenting norms
– Relevant to staff skill sets
– Relevant to fiscal constraints of agency
68
EFFECTIVE ADMINISTRATION:Outcome Measures & Evaluation
• Strongest evaluations:– Random assignment of
participants– Large enough sample size– Short & long-term results– Behaviors not just attitudes
or beliefs– Proper statistical analyses– Publish positive & negative
results– Includes replication of
successful programs– Uses independent evaluators
69
EFFECTIVE ADMINISTRATION:Outcome Measures & Evaluation
• Evaluate benefits gained by families:– Evidence of more effective
parenting knowledge, attitudes, skills, behaviors
– Evidence of ability to cope with stresses
– Improved parent-child communication or bonding
– Enhanced ability to care for child(ren)’s physical & developmental needs
– Increased social supports & decreased risk indicators
70
EFFECTIVE ADMINISTRATION:Adequate Funding & Long Range Plan
• Stable & long-term funding is available for ongoing program implementation
• Elements include:– Financial stability– Annual & long-term plans
for implementation, responding to family feedback, & addressing resource needs
– Meet accreditation, licensure & tax-exempt requirements as needed
71
EFFECTIVE ADMINISTRATION:Collaboration with Families & Communities
• Advisory groups, collaborations, & input foster family & community involvement
• Families & communities are involved in all program activities: planning, governance, administration, & evaluation
72
EFFECTIVE ADMINISTRATION:Collaboration with Families & Communities
• The engagement & support of families & communities is key to sustaining & funding family support programs
• Participation ideas:– Focus groups– Family/community surveys– Follow-up questionnaires– Advisory groups– Participation of families &
community representatives on boards of directors
73
ASSESSING EFFECTIVE ADMINISTRATION
• Does the program have sound structure, design, & practices?– Is the agency conducting
the program strong & stable, as evidenced by past success?
– Does the agency have documented program, management, & fiscal procedures in place?
– Are timeframes written & realistic?
74
ASSESSING EFFECTIVE ADMINISTRATION
– Does the program incorporate critical beliefs & effective practices?
– Does the program follow an established & researched model?
– Is the program a good fit for the intended targeted population (families & community)?
75
ASSESSING EFFECTIVE ADMINISTRATION
• Does the program have committed, caring staff?– Are direct service staff
caring, empathetic, sensitive, and dedicated?
– Are staff strong, credible, experienced, culturally-competent & credentialed?
– Are adequate training & supervision provided at the onset & ongoing?
76
ASSESSING EFFECTIVE ADMINISTRATION
• Does the program have adequate data collection & documentation?– Are record-keeping
documents in place & ready for use in a timely manner?
– Is the infrastructure adequate to manage data collection & preparation of reports?
77
ASSESSING EFFECTIVE ADMINISTRATION
• Does the program measure outcomes & conduct evaluations?– Are well-defined & quantified
levels of service routinely recorded?
– Are relevant outcomes measured?– Is there a process in place for
routine analysis of data on outcomes?
– Are evaluations shared with staff, Board, families & communities?
– Are evaluations used to improve services?
78
ASSESSING EFFECTIVE ADMINISTRATION
• Does the program have adequate funding & long-range plans?– Is the anticipated funding in
line with the long-range plans?
– Are adequate funds available for current & long-term provision of effective services?
– Are long-term plans realistic & in line with family & community needs?
79
ASSESSING EFFECTIVE ADMINISTRATION
• Do programs involve families & communities as equal partners & collaborators?– Is family/community
involvement evident through the use of advisory groups, family feedback surveys, focus groups, &/or other means?
– Is continued involvement by families & community members welcomed & used?
80
Family Strengthening & Support:
Critical for Child Welfare• The most effective way
to keep our children safe & healthy is to ensure that their families are strong from the start.
• The most effective intervention is promotion & prevention.