Developed by the Center for the Study of Social Policy

Funded by the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation

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Strengthening Families began by seeking a strategic, feasible approach to child abuse prevention that was:

• systematic,

• national,

• reached large numbers of very young children, and

• would have impact long

before abuse or neglect occurred

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Usual CAN Prevention Strategies

• Public education campaigns (both targeted and general)

• Parent education

• Family support programs/family resource centers

• Home visiting and other targeted interventions based on risk

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CAN Prevention

• Successes– Created broad public

awareness of the issue

– Provided needed information and support to targeted families

– Learned about risk factors and how to target families at risk

• Challenges– Created a sense of

defeat/hopelessness

– Issues of “at risk” stigma seriously affect program participation and impact

– Does not reach enough families early enough

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The hypothesis: early care and education programs could be a good strategy because they offer:

• Daily contact with parents and children

• Uniquely intimate relationship with families

• A universal approach of positive encouragement and education for families

• An early warning and response system at the first sign of trouble

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A new CAN Prevention Framework

• Suitable for universal, positive approach to families (no “risk” factors or deficit approach)

• Connected to what early childhood programs could really do

• Based on hard evidence

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National Consultation • CBFRS

• Child Trends

• CWLA

• Family Support America

• Free to Grow

• Natl.Alliance of Children’s Trust Funds

•NAEYC•NCCAN•NACCRRA•Natl. Child Care Assn•Prevent Child Abuse America•USA Child Care •Zero to Three

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Protective Factors

1. Parental Resilience

2. Social Connections

3. Knowledge of Parenting and Child Development

4. Concrete Support in Times of Need

5. Social and Emotional Competence of Children

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CANPrevention

Protective Factors

Social and EmotionalCompetence of Children

Concrete supports in times of need

Knowledge of Parenting& Child Development

Parental ResilienceProgram Strategies That:

????

Social Connections

Quality Early Care & Education:

How Early Childhood programs contribute to prevention of child abuse and neglect

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CANPrevention

Protective Factors

Social and EmotionalCompetence of Children

Concrete supports in times of need

Knowledge of Parenting& Child Development

Parental ResilienceProgram Strategies That:•Facilitate friendships and mutual support

•Strengthen parenting

•Respond to family crises

•Link families to services and opportunities

•Value and support parents

•Facilitate children’s social and emotional development

•Observe and respond to early warning signs of child abuse or neglect

Social Connections

Quality Early Care & Education:

How Early Childhood programs contribute to prevention of child abuse and neglect

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Tools for Implementation

• Program guide book and self-assessment tools• Literature review• Program summaries• Analysis of EC infrastructure requirements• Newsletters and updates• Handouts/slide shows/communication materials

• Web site: www.cssp.org

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Early care and education programs can serve several critical roles for young parents: 

• as a primary source of information and support for young families

• as a gateway to outside services or supports such as health or mental health services, transportation, and even education, housing and jobs. 

• as the key early warning system when families or children are in trouble.

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What it takes

• Small but significant changes in program orientation, practice, and attitudes about working with families

• New partnerships with other service providers, particularly child welfare agencies

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Creating national momentum…

• National partners– Zero to Three

– NAEYC

– U of WI

– Alliance of Children’s Trust and Prevention Funds

• CSSP– State pilots

• What does it take?

• What would help?

– Technical Assistance

– Work with funders

– Dissemination

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A few persuasive States

• Alaska

• Arkansas

• Illinois

• Missouri

• New Hampshire

• Rhode Island

• Wisconsin

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State Leadership Teams• Child Welfare• Early Childhood: Pre K and child care

administration and licensing• Early Childhood Comprehensive Systems

planning (MCH)• Early childhood providers of all kinds• Advocates for children• Children’s Trust Funds and Prevent Child

Abuse affiliates• Families

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Cross State Issues

• Professional Development

• CW/EC linkages

• Communications

• Policy and funding changes

• Evaluation and tracking

• Learning networks of exemplary programs

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What states can do

• Define and promote quality standards for early care that include the five protective factors for families.

• Change licensing requirements to include protective factors

• Create incentives for programs to adopt new practices

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Partnerships• Create real partnerships between early

care providers and other agencies that work with children and families – especially the child welfare agency.

• Change policy and practice to facilitate partnerships.

• Train all professionals who work with children to promote protective factors

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Alaska• Pilot programs with

CAN tracking• Develop EC/CW links• Professional

Development

Arkansas• 3-5 Pilot programs• EC/CW links,

including cross training

• Professional Development

• Media campaign• Parent involvement

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Illinois

• 4 Pilot programs with results tracking

• EC plan for state wards

• Professional development in CW and EC

• CW/EC links

• Communications plan

• Parent component

Missouri

• Pilot programs

• Develop evaluation tools

• Professional development, including cross training CW and EC workers

• CW/EC links, including policy and practice changes

• Funders group

• Mental health and special needs children links

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New Hampshire

• 10 pilot programs with evaluation by DYFS and UNH

• Create model MOAs to create multi agency links

• Professional development, including higher ed.

Rhode Island

• Community pilot

• Professional development

• Indicators and tracking

• Communications plan

• Mental Health consultation model

• Focus on families affected by domestic violence and substance abuse

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Wisconsin• EC/CW links and

policy changes• Pilot programs • Professional

development for EC providers

• Research-based Evaluation

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An interesting development…

What about the very vulnerable young children already in the child welfare system?

EC programs can provide:– Key developmental support– Continuity of care– Support for foster families, kin, and biological

families– Early warning and response

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So, in pilot states…

CW agencies are looking into:• Training for case workers & foster

families around child development• Changes in assessment and data

collection• Reimbursements, training and support

services (e.g. Mental Health consultants) for centers