(Recognition of strengths and values promoted through L.A.C.)

Presented by: Martine Faucher Nault

August 2006

Sydney, Australia

Positive incentives are for:

• All children under our care, who need protection.

• Must be between the ages of 0 and 21.

• We do not have any group homes for children in Prescott-Russell

Number of children in Foster Care

Number of Foster Families

222 138

What is positive incentive

• It is a new system for per diem allowances.• Rewards for keeping difficult children, could

have very negative consequences! Instead we have established a range of positive monetary rewards. From now on, the better the children behave and succeed the more parents are rewarded. By the same token, the children will also be rewarded. THAT MEANS KILLING TWO BIRDS WITH ONE STONE!

Focus of the approach

• It is an approach focused on the efforts, successes and autonomy of Foster Parents. It encourages children in their care to improve their affective and academic development in playing a multitude of social roles.

• The per diem used to emphasize children’s needs or problems. Old practice:

Per diem for the child

Basic daily allowance($26.21 to $32.21 Canadian )

($21.56 to $26.50 Australian)

+

Supplement based on the difficult behaviour of the child

=

• Behaviour problems

• Need constant supervision

• Regularly suspended from school

(Usually they are allowed 24 days per year in respite)

• Now, the per diem tends to emphasize the extraordinary work being done by foster parents. New practice:

Per diem for the child

Basic daily allowance ($26.21 to $32.21 Canadian)

($21.56 to $26.50 Australian)

+

Supplement based on the success of the child and the family

=

• Residential stability

• Family and community integration

• Promotion of academic success

• Early preparation for independence

• Etc.

The tool « Looking After Children » has seven dimension

1. Health2. Education3. Identity4. Family and social relationships5. Social presentation6. Emotional and behavioural development7. Self-care skills

This tool has allowed us to develop criteria for monetary selection which have a direct impact on foster parents.

Criteria for monetary reward

We develop 14 criteria

1. The child must be fully integrated into the family• Must participate in all family activities: vacations,

parties, weddings, funerals …;• Must have same privileges as biological children:

same quality of clothing, gifts …; • Must obey the same rules as biological children: same

kind of rewards, consequences …

2. The family does not ask for respite• Excluding normal baby sitting; • The child can be baby-sat within the extended family.

3. The foster family is implicated in the child’s professional care

• Accompanies the child for medical appointments;

• Does the follow ups and/or the necessary exercises suggested by the professionals. Behaviour modification chart, speech therapy exercises, necessary returns to the professionals when changes are needed for medication, behaviour, etc.

4. The foster parents have a positive attitude• Speak positively about the child to the agency

personnel; • Speak positively about the child to family circle,

school …• The family is tolerant towards different behaviours

that can be very demanding/challenging: aggressiveness, hyperactivity…

5. The family is autonomous• Informs the agency about the child’s development;• Takes decisions without always verifying with or

waiting on the case worker: permission, visits with friends, problems at home, etc.;

• Manages everyday situations like any parent; • Knows when to inform the agency: serious incidents,

running away, allegations, suspensions, problems with biological family visits, etc.

6. The family collaborates with biological families• Maintains contact with family; • Accepts and encourages telephone calls with family :

brothers, sisters, parents, etc;• Accompanies the child in difficult circumstances :

funeral of the member of the extended family;• Does parental coaching.

7. The foster family spends quality time with the child

• Family activities such as meals, play time, reading, arts and crafts ….

8. The foster family collaborates with the agency• Cooperation with members of the team; • Address problems in a calm and respectful way;• Can suggest and negotiate positively (without

transfer threats);• Can continue to work with the agency even when

there is a disagreement.

9. They promote education• The foster parents must go beyond expectations by

helping and verifying homework;• Home schooling is needed; • Doing further research to be able to deal with

problems; • Ensuring that the child succeeds in school or

improves his academic results.

10. Both foster parents are implicated• Both parents are implicated and share the tasks and

the appointments; • Both parents are aware of what is happening in the

child’s life; • Both parents mutually exchange results of the

discussion with the case worker.

11. The foster parents have good parental skills• Consistency, listening abilities; • Prepare the child to become independent; • Ability to negotiate;• Good use of logical and natural consequences;• Ability to deal with crisis with a good sense of

humour, patience and communication.

12. Commitment of the foster families• No threat of transfer in cases of conflict; • Long term commitment (if necessary); • The child has been in this home for … years.

13. Positive evaluation of the foster family• There has been no breech in the policy during the

last three years; • No fully founded investigation.

14. The child is fully integrated in the community• That the child be involved in at least two activities:

sports, etc.;• That the foster parent participates, encourages,

attends the child’s activities; • That the foster parents organize or share the

transportation to different activities.

• We have also directly rewarded young adults (ages 16 -21), under our care, but living independently. They are successful while living in apartments or boarding houses.

• We have also set aside scholarship funds for 15 youths who demonstrate good learning abilities and an interest in post-secondary education.

• We have also partially paid for a trip to Australia for three young people and three foster parents to attend and do a presentation at your conference and giving them as well, an opportunity to visit as tourists.

Administration of the Positive Incentive Committee

• Throughout the year, the committee will meet a few times to choose and agree on three to six criteria (aspects) for the current year.

• The committee never reveals in advance the chosen criteria.

• On December 1st of each year, a cheque is sent to foster families who have met the criteria chosen by the committee. This amount is a bonus and is tax free.

QUESTION PERIOD ???

Thank you !

Martine Faucher Nault

Martine Faucher NaultResidential Services SupervisorPrescott-Russell Services to Children and Adults173 Old Highway 17P.O. Box 248Plantagenet, Ontario CANADAK0B 1L0mnault@seapr.cawww.seapr.ca