Meaningful Family Engagement State of Louisiana, Department of Children and Family Services Staff Development & Appreciation Day.

Meaningful Family Engagement

State of Louisiana, Department of Children and Family

ServicesStaff Development & Appreciation

Day

Presenters

Sherry Tomlinson, NRCPFC/LCWCWP Consultant

Randy Jenkins, NRCPFC/LCWCWP Consultant

Rules of Engagement

Cell phones on vibrate or off Confidentiality Honest/open dialogue Respect other opinions Use of acronyms

Introduction to Parent Engagement

Parents At The Table

Guiding Principles

Mutual Respect Appreciation Inclusion Dignity Partnership Opportunity

What We Are Learning About Parent Engagement Families are better able to use services Improvement in service delivery More responsive and culturally sensitive Improved customer satisfaction Improved positive child welfare outcomes Parents build skills and capacity for future

Parent Engagement and Child and Family Services Review

Add Louisiana CFSA/PIP

Key Elements of Engagement

Provide all parents with children in imminent

risk of entering foster care the information they

need to successfully advocate for themselves

and for their children.

Walking In The Door

Substance Abuse

To provide all parents with substance abuse

histories the skills they need to advocate for

the services and resources they need to

overcome their addiction and maintain their

recovery.

Child and Family Team Meeting

Provide parents with children in imminent risk

of entering foster care the means to participate

in all decisions made about their children’s

care, custody, and placement.

Policy and Resource Allocation

Provide parents who have experienced the

child welfare system with opportunities to

influence and improve child welfare policy,

practice, and resource allocation

New Tools for Workers

Provide all child welfare staff the skills and tools

necessary to work effectively with families and

children.

Public Information

Inform the public, legislators, and the

community at large about the struggles and

successes of families who have been involved

with child welfare

Self-Assessment

Break

Grief, Loss & Healing

Birth Fathers and Mothers Feelings and Behaviors

How do birth parents feel when their children are removed and placed into foster care?

How might they behave or act?

Child Feelings and Behavior

What might a child feel during the first week or two after being separated from their fathers and mothers?

How might they behave or act?

Social Worker Feeling and Behaviors

How might a social worker feel after being involved in the removal of a child?

How might they behave or act?

Foster Parent Feeling and Behaviors

What might a foster parent feel when a child is removed from their home and returned to their parent?

How might they behave or act?

Relative/Kinship Caregiver Feelings and Behaviors

How might a relative or kinship caregiver feel when children are placed back with the birth parent?

How might they behave or act?

LUNCH

How “R” You Feeling?

Engaging and Working with Fathers

Father Presence/Father Involvement

Better School Performance Attachment to School Staying Out of Trouble Delayed Sexual Activity Fewer Teen Pregnancies

Discussion Guide

AFTERNOON BREAK

Benefits and Consequences of Change

Ambivalence

Mixed Feelings Or Emotions

Having Opposing Feelings Or Attitudes (Such As Love And Hate Towards A Person)

Feeling Unsure Or Undecided About What To Do (Sitting On The Fence)

An Exchange, Give And Take; Involves Speaking And Listening; Involves Non-Verbal And Verbal

Communication;

3232

Words =

Voice Tone =

Body Language =

7%

38%

55%

Percentage of Communication Conveyed Through…

Active Listening

Questions and Discussion

TRAINING IS DONE FOR DAY

GO OUT THEREAND DO YOUR GOOD WORK!

The National Resource Center for Permanency and Family Connections

Louisiana Child Welfare Comprehensive Workforce Project

Hunter College School of Social Work

LSU School of Social Work

A Service of the Children’s Bureau/ACF/DHHS

Gmallon@hunter.cuny.edu

www.nrcpfc.org

www.lcwcwp.org

Additional Resources

National Resource Center for Permanency and Family Connection (nrcpfc.org) Family Engagement: a Web Based Practice

Toolkit Digital Stories From the Field

Child Welfare Organizing Project (cwop.org) Rise Magazine (risemagazine.org) Iowa Dept. of Human Services

(www.dhs.state.ia.us/cppc)