Viviane NgwaLicensed Clinical Social Worker.

Academy of Certified Social Worker.Riga, Latvia; November 2013

- There are a variety of family settings and types.

- Family characteristics: Emotionally Supportive; Celebrate each other; Respect is shown and given to one another; an Emotionally Safe Environment where one can feel free to express and exchange opinions; Resilient Foundation; Privacy allowing personal space and boundaries.

In many cases: Dysfunctional Family Systems can be improved with Appropriate support structures.

-Family preservation services are short-term services designed to help families cope with significant stresses or problems that interfere with their ability to nurture their children.

The goal of family preservation services is to maintain children with their families, or to reunify them, whenever it can be done safely.

-Family support and preservation services may be provided to different types of families involved with the child welfare system—birth or biological families, kinship families, foster families, and adoptive families—to enhance family functioning and ensure child safety.

In family support and preservation services, the worker assists the family in identifying strengths, needs, and current resources in order to create a plan to address their concerns and help them achieve their goals.

Assessment is incorporated throughout the process and may take a number of different forms, but always with the family as partners in the process.

-A Psycho-social Assessment.-Do not assume you know…-Strength-based Assessments: The belief that there is strength even within the dysfunctional systems of the family and that those strengths can be highlighted and build upon for the benefit of the family. -The impact of the skill of the assessor (social worker).-The interference of the biases of the Social Worker-The intrusive nature of an assessment and the family’s

reaction.-The domains of the family’s life (the physical environment, the support systems, finance, Background, family history, level of education, etc)

Family Preservation Services (FPS) are comprehensive, short term, intensive services for families delivered primarily in the home.

The services are designed to prevent the unnecessary out-of-home placement of children or to promote family reunification. (National Resource Center for Family Centered Practice 1994)

They are “services for children and families designed to help families (including adoptive and extended families) at risk or in crisis.”

Family support services are community-based services that assist and support parents in their role as caregivers. Family support services promote parental competency and healthy child development by helping parents enhance their strengths and resolve problems that can lead to child maltreatment, developmental delays, and family disruption.

-Family Preservation Services (FPS) philosophy is that most families, when properly assisted, can care for their children successfully.

-Children need to be with their families, and even in the most troubled families, separation is a traumatic event for the children and other family members.

-Family Preservation Services are usually more affordable.

-Youth go looking for family as from adolescence.

Family preservation services are short-term, family-focused services designed to assist families in crisis by improving parenting and family functioning while keeping children safe. Family preservation services grew out of the recognition that children need a safe and stable family and that separating children from their families is traumatic for them, often leaving lasting negative effects. These services build upon the conviction that many children can be safely protected and treated within their own homes when parents are provided with services and support that empower them to change their lives.

Parents and families as a whole are respected.

Families have strengths and services should build upon those strengths.

Families can take an active role in identifying needs and in developing a service plan.

Services must be flexible, determined by each family’s goals.

Families are viewed as part of a community.

Enable families to properly care for their children. Maintain a safe environment for their children

(child) to live in their homes. FPS assists families in coping with problems that

disrupts the clients ability to parent. Assist families in finding resources and support

systems. FPS can not fix everything in the family but to

help the family learn the skills necessary to provide a safe and nurturing environment for the children (child).

Benefits ALL families Builds on family strengths, buffers risk,

and promotes better outcomes Can be implemented through small but

significant changes in everyday actions Builds on and can become part of existing

programs, strategies, systems and community opportunities

Is grounded in research, practice and implementation knowledge

-Providing services to families at home and in their communities can help caseworkers better

identify strengths and needs and address parenting skills and relationships in the family's

natural environment. -Services should be family centered, community based, culturally competent, and should engage the family by using their input to determine what types of supports or services will be most helpful

to them. The goal of in-home services is to prevent the need for future child welfare involvement or

removal.

Services are targeted to individual child and family needs.

Family counseling Parenting and

other skills training Housing assistance Family budgeting

Stress management

Health/nutrition Child development Behavior

management Respite care for

caregivers Cash assistance

Providing Services to Needy Families without creating dependency.

Breaking the cycle of multi-generational dysfunction.

Families that have received services have improved.

Improvement in parenting skills Positive behavioral changes Appropriate discipline Improvement in care of children.

Family Preservation is about ServicesThe term "family preservation services" means services for children and families designed to help families (including adoptive and extended families) at risk or in crisis, including: =Service programs designed to help children where safe and appropriate, return to families from which they have been removed; or be placed for adoption, with a legal guardian, or, if adoption or legal guardianship is determined not to be safe and appropriate for a child, in some other planned, permanent living arrangement; =Pre-placement preventive services programs, such as intensive family preservation programs, designed to help children at risk of foster care placement remain safely with their families; =Service programs designed to provide follow-up care to families to whom a child has been returned after a foster care placement; =Respite care of children to provide temporary relief for parents and other caregivers (including foster parents); =Services designed to improve parenting skills (by reinforcing parents' confidence in their strengths, and helping them to identify where improvement is needed and to obtain assistance in improving those skills) with respect to matters such as child development, family budgeting, coping with stress, health, and nutrition; and = Infant safe haven programs to provide a way for a parent to safely relinquish a newborn infant at a safe haven designated pursuant to a State law.

Each State in the U.S.A has laws requiring certain people to report concerns of child abuse and neglect. While some States require all people to report their concerns, many States identify specific professionals as mandated reporters; these often include social workers, medical and mental health professionals, teachers, and child care providers. Specific procedures are usually established for mandated reporters to make referrals to child protective services.

State of mind Extent of harm

Belief on reasonable grounds Not specified: "sexual abuse ... or non-accidental physical injury"

Suspects on reasonable grounds that a child is at risk of significant harm

A child or young person "is at risk of significant harm if current concerns exist for the safety, welfare or wellbeing of the child or young person because of the presence, to a significant extent, of ... basic physical or psychological needs are not being met ... physical or sexual abuse or ill-treatment ... serious psychological harm"

Belief on reasonable grounds Any significant detrimental effect caused by any act, omission or circumstance on the physical, psychological or emotional wellbeing or development of the child

Becomes aware, or reasonably suspects Significant detrimental effect on the child's physical, psychological or emotional wellbeing

Suspects on reasonable grounds Any sexual abuse; physical or psychological abuse or neglect to extent that the child "has suffered, or is likely to suffer, physical or psychological injury detrimental to the child's wellbeing; or the child's physical or psychological development is in jeopardy"

Believes, or suspects, on reasonable grounds, or knows

Any sexual abuse; physical or emotional injury or other abuse, or neglect, to extent that the child has suffered, or is likely to suffer, physical or psychological harm detrimental to the child's wellbeing; or the child's physical or psychological development is in jeopardy

Belief on reasonable grounds Child has suffered, or is likely to suffer, significant harm as a result of physical injury or sexual abuse and the child's parents have not protected, or are unlikely to protect, the child from harm of that type

Belief on reasonable grounds Not specified: any sexual abuse

Suspects on reasonable grounds Not specified: any assault or sexual assault; serious psychological harm; serious neglect

Mandated reporters are professionals who may work with childrenin the course of their professional duties.Medical Personnel: physician, dentist, nurses, medical social worker, emergency medical technician, practitioner, chiropractor, hospital administratorSchool Personnel: includes administrators and certified andnon-certified staff such as the superintendent, teacher, principal,school counselor, school nurse, school social worker, assistantprincipal, teacher’s aide, truant officer, school psychologist, Secretary and school administrator.Social Service/Mental Health Personnel: for example, mentalhealth personnel, social workers, psychologists, domesticviolence personnel, substance abuse treatment personnel, staffof state agencies dealing with children such as Department ofHuman Services, Department of Public Aid, Department of PublicHealth, Department of Corrections, and Department of Childrenand Family ServicesLaw Enforcement Personnel: court, parole/probation officer, emergency services staff, police, states attorney and staff, juvenile officerCoroner/Medical Examiner PersonnelChild Care Personnel: overnight, day care, pre-school or nursery school facilities, recreational or athleticprogram or facility personnel, early intervention providers asdefined in the Early Intervention Services System Act, and foster Parents.

Trauma Informed Care is an organizational structure and treatment framework that involves understanding, recognizing, and responding to the effects of all types of trauma.

Trauma Informed Care also emphasizes physical, psychological and emotional safety for both consumers and providers, and helps survivors rebuild a sense of control and empowerment.

Leadership Skills

Grieving and Imagination

Safety Skills

Emotional ManagementSkills

Cognitive Skills

Communication Skills

Judgment Skills

Trauma Informed Treatment Model

Brain architecture is experience dependent

Social-emotional buffering makes a big difference

◦Positive parenting◦Trusted mentors◦Healthy attachment◦Social-emotional skills

What we know: Families thrive when protective factors are

robust in their lives and communities

PARENTAL RESILIENCE

SOCIAL CONNECTIONS

KNOWLEDGE of PARENTING and CHILD DEVELOPMENT

CONCRETE SUPPORT in TIMES of NEED

SOCIAL and EMOTIONAL COMPETENCE of CHILDREN

ALIGNING RESULTS FOR FAMILIES

SERVICES IN PERSPECTIVE

• “at risk” families all families

• risk factors protective factors/buffers to toxic stress

• prevention promoting strong families and healthy development

Parental Resilience = Be strong and and flexible

Social Connections = Parents need friends

Knowledge of Parenting = Being a great parent is part natural and part learned

Concrete Support = We all need help sometimes

Social and emotional development for children = Help your children communicate and give them the love and respect they need

The framework builds upon the principles of brief solution focused therapy and Restorative practice.

Collaborative - The ‘Strengthening Families’ model aims to foster as far as possible a spirit of collaborative working between professionals and families. (information sharing)

Strengths-based – Acts as a tool for risk assessment. Members will be made aware, not just of the risks and concerns within a family but also of their strengths and protective factors. Participants should build up a full and balanced understanding of the family and its needs. Prospective – Professionals should look beyond specific incidents that lead to the call for help.

Listen to family members

Relationship-focused – the model seeks to achieve positive outcomes.

By developing partnerships between professionals and families.

Establishing a sense of equality within the relationships.

Ensuring that families are listened to, respected and actively involved.

Meeting between key family participants and the chair takes place before the conference convenes.

Following introductions, there is an ‘ice-breaker’ session. The family will help create their own genogram. (put on white board)

Information sharing session in which families, as well as professionals, are encouraged to express their views and opinions. (put on white board)

The information that is collected at the conference is organized under 5 headings:

Danger/Unmet Needs Risk Statements Complicating Factors Strengths/Protective Factors Grey Areas

The intention of implementing this new framework is to ensure better engagement with parents.

To promote the parents active involvement in developing a meaningful child protection plan that clearly identifies risks.

Actions that need to happen to reduce these risks.

The Family Preservation Service and the Strengthening Family Framework share principles of design which stress the importance of client respect.

Both programs detail the significance of the client being heard in order for their needs to be understood by both themselves as well as the professional. 

The FPS and the Strengthening Family Framework attempt to cultivate an atmosphere where families are encouraged to play a role in identifying their family needs and assisting in developing a workable service plan.

Most importantly, the focus of each program is to establish comprehensive, protective plans which clearly direct families in proper child care techniques necessary to provide a safe home environment.  

The term 'time limited family reunification services' means the services and activities that are provided to a child that is removed to facilitate the reunification of the child safely and appropriately within a timely fashion.

The services and activities described in this subparagraph are the following:

- Individual, group, and family counseling. - Inpatient, residential, or outpatient substance abuse treatment

services. - Mental health services. - Assistance to address domestic violence. - Services designed to provide temporary child care and therapeutic

services for families, including crisis nurseries. - Peer-to-peer mentoring and support groups for parents and primary

caregivers. - Services and activities designed to facilitate access to and visitation

of children by parents and siblings. -Transportation to or from any of the services and activities described

in this subparagraph.

-The Social Worker needs to fully embrace her role and belief in the program model of second chance.

-Accepting that in many cases, parents can change with the right type of support systems around them.

-The belief that children within dysfunctional family structures need to be protect, keep safe but not necessarily always removed from the family setting.

Advocacy = Education, support, accountability

-Cooperating with the social worker-Engaging in services-Involvement of extended family members-Playing an active role in the development of the

Service Plan.-Actively participating in Child and Family

meetings.-Allowing reasonable access to the social worker.-Being truthful and forthcoming.-Accepting of documentation. -Knowing their right to accept or refuse services

and the consequences of either decision.

Promoting Safe and Stable Families (PSSF) to operate a coordinated program for the following objectives: Community-Based Family Support Services: To prevent

child maltreatment among families at risk through the provision of supportive family services.

Family Preservation Services: To assure children‘s safety within the home and preserve intact families in which children have been maltreated, when the family‘s problems can be addressed effectively.

Time-Limited Family Reunification Services: To address the problems of families whose children have been placed in foster care so that reunification may occur in a safe and stable manner in accordance with the Adoption and Safe Families Act of 1997.

Adoption Promotion and Support Services: To support adoptive families by providing support services as necessary so that they can make a lifetime commitment to their children.

The term 'adoption promotion and support services' means services and activities designed to encourage more adoptions out of the foster care system, when adoptions promote the best interests of children, including such activities as pre and post adoptive services and activities designed to expedite the adoption process and support adoptive families