The Benefit of Exploring Paternal Families in Child Welfare Family Search and Engagement

Leaning into Father Engagement:

Presenters

Lorie BrickerKinnect30 Days to Family® Coach

Rick DencerKinnect30 Days to Family® Coach

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Father

(fah-th er) noun

1. a man in relation to his child or children

In child welfare, fathers are given an equal voice at the table when it comes to the best interest of their child(ren)?

Do you agree or disagree?

Where does our information about fathers typically come from?

Mother

Court Records

SACWIS

Fathers Impact on Children

Outcomes with an involved, loving Father

• More likely to:• Do well in school• Have healthy self-esteem• Exhibit empathy and pro-social behavior

• Less likely to:• Engage in drug use• Have truancy issues• Be involved in delinquent activity

Than children who have uninvolved fathers (Horn & Sylvester, 2002, p.15)

Urban Leadership Institute’s ‘Dare to be King’ curriculum (2006)

Statistics can be telling

How Are You Engaging Fathers?

Legal

Social

Alleged

Legal Father/Paternity Established

Social Father

Alleged Fathers

What does “Alleged” Father Mean?• Paternity has not been established

• Mother names man as a possible father

• Could be many names

• We explore each alleged father and their familiesequally

How is Paternity Established in Ohio? 2 Ways

Presumption of Paternity vs. Final and Enforceable Establishment of Paternity in Ohio

• Presumption of Paternity

• Parents are married, and child was born during the marriage or within 300 days of marriage dissolving

• Parents attempted to marry, but marriage is or could be declared invalid

• Father signed Acknowledgement of Paternity (AOP), but 60 days has not yet passed

• Rescission can occur within these 60 days

• Presumed father can request dna test

How is Paternity Established in Ohio? 2 Ways

Presumption of Paternity vs. Final and Enforceable Establishment of Paternity in Ohio

• Final and Enforceable Determination of Paternity

• Signed Acknowledgement of Paternity (by both parents; must be notarized

• After 60 days have passed, and no rescission

• By Judgement Entry or Court Order (Default Judgement)

• This includes divorce or dissolution

• By Administrative Order (done by Child Support after dnatest)

Barriers to Engaging Fathers?

Potential Barriers to a Father’s InvolvementThe way we engage with fathers and connect them with services can directly impact the way fathers contribute to their child’s development (Casey Family Programs)

• Child welfare professional and systemic bias (e.g., case names reflect mother)• Overburdened workers who may be hesitant to take the time to locate and

involve non-custodial fathers• Mothers’ gate-keeping• Characteristics of non-custodial fathers that make them less accessible (i.e.,

incarceration, homelessness, impairment by substance abuse, military enlistment, etc.)

• Lack of father-specific services and supports• Child welfare professionals’ reluctance to involve male perpetrators in planning

and service delivery• Dynamics around domestic violence.

When the Going Gets Tough: Lean In

Incarcerated Fathers

When the Going Gets Tough: Lean In

Deceased Fathers

When the Going Gets Tough: Lean In

Deported Fathers

30 Days to Family® Ohio

30 Days Philosophies

• Every family is unique.• Only the family members are experts on the family.• Every family has its own culture, personalities, family dynamics,

and history.• Children deserve to be with their family.• Children have a right to maintain kinship and cultural connections.• Relatives have the right to know family members exist.• Active family participation is essential for good outcomes.• All families are entitled to respect from the child welfare system.• Everyone has something to contribute.• Every child has family members that are able and willing to care

for them.

Practices different from “business as usual”

Relentless search: What would my family do for me?

Vigorous search & engagement of fathers and paternal family members

Strengths-based approach to engage family in problem solving

Illustrate a commitment of family to the family

What we do

• Notify family that a relative has come into care• Identify relative and/or kinship placement options• Place with family• Secure backup placement options• Solidify plan for placement stability• Ensure supports for family are

in place

All Within 30 Days!

Program Benchmarks

• Identify at least 80 relatives/kin per case

• Identify an average of 150 relatives over the history

of cases served

• Identify 4th generation in all areas

• Demonstrate equal exploration efforts on maternal

and paternal sides of family tree

2013

Kaylee

7

1987

Christina

33

1966

Thomas

54 1964

Helen

56

1937

Edward

831949

Christine

71

1963

Sheila

57

1961

Al

59

1983

Rachel

36

Jason Trinity DaShawnDamion

1967

Brian

531967

Kristin

53

1944 - 2004

Joseph

601945

Dorothy

75

1968

Patricia

51

2000

Briana

20

1968

William

52

1994

Kaitlynn

26

1997

Joseph

22

1997

Joshua

23

Thomas Apple

ShirleyWilliam EdwardJames

1988

India

31

2013

Daniel

7

Ricky

1970

Tina

49

1961

Edward

58

1988

Mark

31

1991

Brittany

29

1968

Jesse

52

1952

Linda

68

1991

Marko

29

1967

Mark

53

1966

Lauri

1970

Diana

50

2002

Cassidy

18

1999

Jesse

21

1995

Brian

24

1931

Alice

881932 - 1998

Ira

66

1958 - 2010

Ira

51

1961

Diana

58

1982

Nicole

37

1979

Christopher

40

1965

Deborah

55

1986

Candace

33

1977

Ryan

42

2012

Ow en

8

2010

Chase

9

1978

Bruce

42

2008

Lily

12

2009

Bruce

112013

Mason

7

Angie

1993

Allysa

27

2002

Austin

181991

Chassity

29

2006

Jeremy

13

2004

Joshua

16

2010

Emily

10

1991

Johnathan

28

2014

Hailey

6

Zachary

Al Dorothy

Sally

ThomasWilliamTheresa

Maternal Family on Genogram

1965

Donny

55Melissa

1981

Misty

39

1966

Sheri

1993

Ariel

27

1991

Tricia

28

1930 - 1978

How ard

48

Mildred

1994

Nicholas

26

Sharon James

1971

Wendy

48

Larry

Kathy

1952 - 2009

Linda

57H.E.Gene

1971

Rebecca

48Stephanie

1974

Jason

46

1897 - 1981

Sam

84

1914 - 2001

Elma

86

1939 - 2007

Auburn

67

1933 - 2007

James

73

1943 - 1988

Susie

44

Evans

1960 - 1979

Ronny

19

1907 - 1956

Mary

49

Clyde

Sammy Douglas Christine Jew el Evelyn

Elmer

1940 - 1999

Billie

59

1958 - 2003

Robert

45

1960 - 2011

Debra

51

1969 - 1992

Michael

23

1929 - 1998

Elsie

69

2013

Kaylee

7

Look at what we would miss from Dad’s side

Engaging Fathers: Legal, Social, Alleged

Social Services

• Child Abuse & Neglect Screenings and Narratives• Search Child Protective Services SACWIS case record system• Search Income Maintenance (food stamps, TANF, medical

benefits, etc.) for family members and current addresses• Child Support Databases include name and address for each

parent, as well as their employment. Will also include other children of the parent

LexisNexis®: Accurint

• Purchased license • Confidential • Powerful investigative tool: can efficiently locate people,

accurately verify identity, perform in-depth searches, and help easily visualize complex relationships.

Publicly Available Information

• Search for obituaries online• Search Department of Revenue to determine property ownership

and tax records• Call leasing office or landlord for tenant information• Contact funeral homes• Google everything (name, location, profession, school, email

address, handle, etc.)• Utilize public search databases • Registries: Wedding, baby, farmland, and professional • Request documents from Vital Records

Department (varies by jurisdiction)

Law Enforcement Records

• Sex Offender Registries• Online court records and databases• Vinelink.com• BOP.gov• County and state specific court records (vary by jurisdiction)• mugshots.com and arrests.org

**Remember, inmates are not appropriate for placement, but can be a wealth of information!

Social Media

• Facebook• Pinterest• LinkedIn• Twitter• Snapchat• Instagram• Google+• Myspace

Facebook Tips

Info or About Sections– Employment, school, location– Contact information– Pages or companies they “like” for location clues– Relatives list

Friends List– Relatives with the same

last name, search for specific relatives, or nicknames

Facebook Tips, conti.

Photos– Review for tagged individuals– Labels of albums for family info (Family Reunion, Dad’s

birthday, etc.)– Review for cars, house numbers, background clues and

landmarks for locationStatus Updates

– Tagged friends– Comments by those expressing concern or wanting to help– “Happy Birthday” messages– Check-ins for location

Agents of Change

Contact Information

Kinnect1427 E. 36th Street

Cleveland, Ohio 44114(216) 692-1161

www.kinnectohio.org

Rick Dencerrick@kinnectohio.org

Lorie Brickerlorie@kinectohio.org

Questions?