EXPLORING THE CAFÉ MODEL: SUPPORTING PARENTS BY ENGAGING IN MEANINGFUL CONVERSATIONS EARLY CHILDHOOD FUNDERS MEETING THURSDAY, JUNE 4, 2015.

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BACKGROUND

• Parent and Community Cafés are derived from the World Café model

• Cafés are a method of facilitating meaningful, reflective conversations that promote leadership and collaboration

• Parents and caregivers learn and embody the protective factors that help strengthen their families

PURPOSE & GOALS OF CAFÉS

• Provide a forum for parent-to-parent conversation

• Level the playing field...everyone participates with their ‘family hat’ on

• Encourage deep listening—to self and others

• Offer a new way to make connections

• Raise awareness both of how much we know and how much there is to learn

• Allow for and honors the sharing of ideas, resources, and experiences

• Share insight ... give hope

• Celebrates the wisdom in the room!

THE PROTECTIVE FACTORS FRAMEWORK

1. Parental Resilience

2. Social Connections

3. Concrete Support in Times of Need

4. Knowledge of Parenting and Child Development

5. Social and Emotional Competence of Children

KEY STRATEGIES FOR BUILDING PROTECTIVE FACTORS

1. Facilitate friendships and mutual support

2. Strengthen parenting

3. Respond to family crises

4. Link families to services and opportunities

5. Value and support parents

6. Facilitate the social and emotional development of

children

7. Observe and respond to early warning signs of child

abuse or neglect

WHERE WE HELD PARENT CAFÉS...AND WHY:

Castlemont Corridor

Lockwood Gardens/

Lions Creek

Sobrante Park

EAST OAKLANDH I G H C O N C E N T R A T I O N O F H E A LT H D I S P A R I T I E S , P O V E R T Y & C R I M E

• 2,764 East Oakland births (2009), 48% of the births in Oakland, and 14% of Alameda County births

• 68% of school-age children qualify for free/reduced lunch

• 45 per 1,000 East Oakland children under 18 are referred to CPS compared to county average of 35 per 1,000

• Children 0-5 years represented 24% of ER visits for asthma, 17% of ER visits for unintentional injuries and 21% of ER visits for assault

EAST OAKLAND PARENT CAFÉS

CAFÉ ADAPTIONS TO SUPPORT DIVERSE COMMUNITIES AND NEEDS

• Culture• Family

Composition• Language• Literacy• Adolescent

Parents• Father/Male

Caregiver• Schools• Faith-Based

Entities

AFTER CAFÉS...THEN WHAT?Possible roles/venues for parent café graduates:

• Group facilitators

• Members of task forces

• Advisory board members

• Leaders of parent advocacy groups

• Policy makers/advisors/consultants

• Program evaluators

• Grant reviewers

• Members of boards of trustees

C A R L A K E E N E R , S E N I O R A D M I N I S T R A T O R F I R S T 5 A L A M E D A C O U N T Y

5 1 0 . 2 2 7 . 6 9 4 2C A R L A . K E E N E R @ F I R S T 5 A L A M E D A . O R G

www.First5Alameda.org