Residential Review and Redesign Overview Presentation Residential Redesign Working Session March 15, 2011
Mar 31, 2015
Residential Review and Redesign
Overview PresentationResidential Redesign Working Session
March 15, 2011
Topics Background
Origins Partnership Intent Beliefs Other complementary initiatives - Aboriginal, Kinship, Tertiary
Phase One Status Methodology Statistics – describing residential care in BC Key Findings Process and Timelines
Phase Two Plan Themed Working Sessions Online Survey Key Informant Interviews Process and Timelines
Project Background - Origins Early 2010 - Alignment of interests and
concerns between Federation and MCFD Strong, Safe and Supported and Operational
Plan commitments Engagement Agreement between MCFD and
Federation specified collaborative work on residential review
Partnership agreement and contract for RR established Spring 2010
Project Background - Intent Aim: Improve the experience and outcomes of
children and youth who must spend a period of time in a residential care setting managed by MCFD
End product: Five-year strategic plan for residential redesign that is aligned with SSS & practice change
Scope: Crosses all service streams and full range of residential services including kinship, foster care, staffed/contracted care, tertiary care
Focus of joint review: Foster care and staffed/contracted care
Project Background - Beliefs All children and youth need permanency - safe,
stable & nurturing homes, lifelong relationships Out-of-home residential placements are critical
bridges…between care and return home, or care and an alternative permanent family
Every child and youth in residential care should experience high quality care, as few placement disruptions as possible, achieve permanence as soon as possible, and be prepared for transition to adulthood as needed
Project Background - Connections
Complementary initiatives: Aboriginal consultations: Caring for First
Nations Children’s Society (delegated agencies), BC Association of Aboriginal Friendship Centres (urban and off reserve), Metis Commission working together
Kinship care Tertiary care
Phase One - Methodology Aim: Learn as much as we possibly can about
residential care in BC and beyond as a foundation for Phase 2 work
Approach: Community and stakeholder consultations (600+
people; 43 focus groups) Comprehensive literature review BC reports review (what can we learn) Other jurisdictions review (who is doing what and
with what outcomes) Statistical analysis
Statistical Analysis - Residential Resources by Service Stream
Breakdown by Type of Residential Services (10,171 Children & Youth)
Residential Child in Care Placements by Type - % Comparison 2005 and 2010
Phase One - Findings Key Themes:
Achieving permanency Delivering an array of accessible residential care
options Supporting foster caregivers Working together Youth perspectives Other issues: Funding, legal and court services,
Accountability for quality care and positive outcomes
Achieving Permanency Intent: Maximize family, community and cultural connectedness
and stability Priority: Overall systemic goal; Framework within which
residential services are provided Scope: Relational, legal, and physical permanency (FBCYICN) Consultation findings:
Permanency as a priority Barriers e.g. timeframes, legal, unplanned moves Opportunities e.g. prior to placement, in early stages of placement,
when child/youth returns home, when youth approaching age of majority
Assessment Placement planning and matching e.g. processes, managing
transitions
Array of Residential Care Options
Distinction between ‘care’ and ‘treatment’ Scope suggested in consultations for child welfare:
Kinship care Family-based care: Foster homes, specialized family care
homes (e.g. treatment foster care), concurrent planning homes, ‘whole-family’ homes, relief foster care, etc
Staffed/contracted resources: shelters, safe houses, receiving homes, resources for assessment, stabilization and treatment, ‘step down’ resources
Tertiary care and treatment Supported independent living, supportive housing
Array continued Residential care is embedded in a broader
system Array of supports required for success in
residential care: from day programs and community-based supports to life skill and transitional supports to specialized assessment, counselling and intervention/treatment
Inherent tensions in the system e.g. supply of resources; placement or treatment?
Supporting Foster Caregivers Dominant focus in consultations Many concerns and issues raised are
covered by existing policies and standards - raising implementation issues?
Recruitment: Particularly in some communities and for Aboriginal, youth-friendly, specialized, birth-family-friendly/reunification focused, and multi-generational care homes
Supporting Foster Caregivers cont’ Caregiver training and education:
Orientation Basic training (post approval, prior to first
placement) Core training Specialized training Situation/child-specific training
What, when, how, who?
Supporting Foster Caregivers cont’
Retention and support Support for caregivers:
Relational: respect, valuing, inclusion, mentoring
Practical: Information, role clarity, placement planning, access to support/sounding board, relief, compensation, etc
Timely and appropriate support for children and youth = support to caregiver
Working Together Respect and valuing:
Qualities: basic courtesies, communication, inclusion, responsiveness, collaboration, resolving differences
Barriers: worker changes, attitudes, time constraints
Opportunities: joint training and learning, informal & formal networking, staff continuity, standards,
Working Together cont’ Communications and information
sharing about: Children and youth Roles and responsibilities Services and systems Cultural considerations and practices
Collaboration and teamwork Systems coordination
Youth Perspectives Permanency
Maintain a broad view of permanency Stabilize relationships – too many changes
in workers, caregivers, service providers Lifelong connections are vital Don’t give up on permanency
Youth Perspectives Array of accessible services & supports
Clear information about who to call Broader range of options Flexibility – some rules don’t make sense Supports during transitions Preparation for adulthood More appropriate use of Youth Agreements
Youth Perspectives Working together with youth
Communicating and respecting rights Sharing information, including about family Inclusion in planning processes Presenting options about placements Listening to concerns with an open mind
Quality and accountability Quality of caregivers – screening, training,
monitoring
Other Issues Funding Legal and court services Accountability for quality care and
positive outcomes: Quality and continuity of relationships Case planning and implementation Reporting, monitoring and quality
improvement
Phase One Process & Timelines
Findings Reports completed Summary version Comprehensive report and appendices
Review with Transformation team, DM, Minister
Release following review
Phase Two Plan Working sessions
Achieving permanency; Supporting foster caregivers (March 15-16)
Array of accessible services & supports (April 12-13) 40 participants each, drawn equally from MCFD staff
and community sector (foster caregivers, service providers, etc) + youth
Facilitated sessions addressing key questions - what could we do differently, how, when, who, opportunities for greatest impact?
Phase Two Plan - cont’ Key informant interviews:
Leaders in residential care and permanency Timeline: March
Online survey: Broadly distributed, requesting ideas and
recommendations Timeline: March-April
Final report with recommendations
Phase Three MCFD to lead Integrate findings and recommendations
from all 4 elements to develop a five-year plan
Initial years - low/no cost shifts Mid-years - reinvestments, pilots Latter years - enhanced resources