Transcript Safe and Together - Florida Coalition Against Domestic Violence
MAJOR RECENT, CURRENT, UPCOMING PROJECTS
Statewide Service Administration (CT DCF): DV Consultants Subject Matter Expert Training (FL DCF) Gainesville Jacksonville Lake City CLS Training (FL DCF) Safe and Together Advocate Training (FCADV) All Child Welfare Supervisors (LA) Safe and Together Supervisor Training (KC MO) Alternative Response Pilot (OH) : Train the Trainers
INTERSECTION OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AND OTHER CHILD WELFARE CONCERNS
Substance abuse •A US study reports that 60% of women accessing drug or alcohol services (n = 360) reported current or past domestic abuse.
•A Yale trauma study showed that abused women are 15 times more likely to use alcohol and 9 times more likely to use drugs than non- abused women.
•Findings from a review of the British Crime Surveys revealed that 44% of domestic violence offenders were under the influence of alcohol and 12% affected by drugs when they committed acts of physical violence.
• A number of studies have found that the perpetrators use of alcohol, particularly heavy drinking, was likely to result in more serious injury to their partners than if they had been sober.
Mental Health •Multiple studies have documented the correlation between domestic violence and higher rates of depression, anxiety and PTSD for women.
•Most domestic violence perpetrators do not appear to have Axis I or II diagnoses. Interactions between domestic violence, substance abuse and mental health issues •Domestic violence survivors who have mental health and/or substance abuse issues are more vulnerable.
•Domestic violence perpetrators may sabotage his partner’s efforts at recovery or help seeking and use her issues to maintain control.
DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AS CONCERN AND A CONTEXT Concern Context
Abuse by perpetrator •Towards non offending parent •Direct abuse or neglect of child •Abuse of siblings
PATHWAYS TO HARM
Effect on partner’s parenting •Depression/PTSD/a nxiety/substance abuse •Loss of authority •Energy goes to addressing perpetrator instead of children •Interference with day to day routine and basic care Effects on family ecology •Loss of income •Housing instability •Loss of contact with extended family •Educational and social disruptions Harm to child
SAFE AND TOGETHER ASSUMPTIONS: POLICY
• • • • Child Welfare (and others) need DV competencies Distinct from but complements cross system collaboration Child welfare can benefit from good relationships with and the expertise of domestic violence advocates Child Welfare has distinct and unique role 95% alignment Double standards around gender can benefit domestic violence perpetrators
SAFE AND TOGETHER ASSUMPTIONS: PRACTICE
• • • • Batterers can harm children Child safety and risk assessment flows first and foremost from an understanding of the perpetrator’s tactics NOT from focusing on where people are living or the status of the relationship Better assessment trumps empathy as tool Principles and critical components of Safe and Together provide a framework for case practice and cross system collaboration
SAFE AND TOGETHER MODEL
Assumptions Principals Critical Components Better Outcomes for Families
SAFE AND TOGETHER™ PRINCIPLES
1 Keeping child Safe and Together™ with non-offending parent Safety Healing from trauma Stability and nurturance 2 Partnering with non-offending parent as default position Efficient Effective Child-centered 3 Intervening with perpetrator to reduce risk and harm to child Engagement Accountability Courts ( C ) 2 0 1 1 D A V I D M A N D E L & A S S O C I A T E S L L C F O R M O R E I N F O R M A T I O N O N T H E
S A F E A N D T O G E T H E R ™
M O D E L , G O T O W W W . E N D I N G V I O L E N C E . C O M
SAFE AND TOGETHER™ CRITICAL COMPONENTS
Perpetrator’s pattern of coercive control Role of substance abuse, mental health, culture and other socio-economic factors Actions taken by the perpetrator to harm the child Adverse impact of the perpetrator’s behavior on the child Full spectrum of the non-offending parent’s efforts to promote the safety and well being of the child
ACTIONS TAKEN BY THE BATTERER TO HARM THE CHILDREN
Choosing to expose them to their abusive behavior Physical/sexual/e motional abuse or neglect perpetrated directly against the children Using children as a weapon against the children's other parent Accidentally causing physical harm to children as a result of the violence towards non-offending parent Undermining the other person's parenting efforts
EXAMPLES OF DOCUMENTATION RECOMMENDATIONS
Do not lump batterer and survivor together. Avoid phrases like – “Couple engages in violence” – “Parents have a history of domestic violence” – “Parents both deny the violence.” Precise & descriptive – Avoid euphemisms or vague terms like “argued” if what you mean is “hit” – Describe the pattern: “father has engaged in an escalating pattern of physical violence and intimidation that involved multiple incidents of physical assault, threats to kill the mother and her children.” Affirm the perpetrator’s role in harming the children through his actions – “These behaviors have isolated the mother from her support system, the children from relatives and led to them moving school systems and residences twice in the past year (as a result of evictions).” Avoid blaming the victim for the perpetrator’s violent and abusive behavior Language to avoid: – – – Dysfunctional” family Mother “allows” or “enables” the violence Mother “failed to protect” the children
RECOMMENDED ALTERNATIVE TO “FAILURE TO PROTECT” LANGUAGE Use language that focuses on the perpetrator’s role in creating harm or risk to the children.
Example:
“Despite the mother’s efforts to protect the children, the perpetrator is creating conditions injurious and harmful to the children.” (CT Collaborative)
ASSESSING CHILD WELFARE SKILLS REQUIRED TO PARTNER WITH SURVIVORS
• • • • • • • • • Ability to introduce child welfare ’ s concerns in a non-blaming way.
Assessing/listening for her strengths as it relates to day to day safety and well being efforts Validating her strengths Collaboratively developing a safety plan Developing a case plan that supports her needs/doesn ’ t set her up to fail/helps her Working collaboratively with victim services Presenting survivors strengths to supervisor and/or team (who may be less than sympathetic) Making appropriate referrals to substance abuse , mental health and in-home service providers Developing a petition that focuses on the domestic violence perpetrator as the source of the safety concerns
STRENGTHS BASED APPROACH TO NON-OFFENDING PARENT
Full spectrum of the survivor’s efforts to promote the safety and well being of the children Goes beyond “yardstick” of LE, Injunction, Leave Avoids double standard around mothers and fathers Assess survivor’s strengths as they relate to the children Prior traditional and non traditional safety planning Day to day care of the children Positive impact on children Develop case plan based on the strengths Validating her strengths builds partnership Does not mandate unnecessary services
BUILDING PARTNERSHIPS WITH SURVIVORS
How good are your workers in building partnerships with survivors around the safety of the children?
◦ How are they framing the Department ’ s concerns ◦ ◦ ◦ ◦ around child safety to the survivor?
How are they asking questions to assess her strengths around safety and well being?
Are they able to take a non-blaming approach to the survivor?
Are they validating her strengths?
Can they work collaboratively with the survivor to develop a plan for the child ’ s safety?
EFFICIENT, EFFECTIVE SAFETY PLANNING
Requires knowledge about batterer
’
s pattern of behavior Builds on survivor
’
s efforts Developed in collaboration with survivor Might include going to shelter, calling police, getting injunction
◦ BUT does not rely exclusive on those three things
Includes informal resources (friends, family, employer) Attempts to account for other critical child
’
s needs like stability Whatever plan, it needs to be well documented
EXAMPLE OF CASE PLANNING PRACTICE ASSOCIATED WITH PARTNERING WITH THE NON-OFFENDING PARENT
Don ’ ts
◦ ◦ ◦ “ Ms. Smith agrees not to engage in further domestic violence.
” “ “ Ms. Smith will not violate the restraining order against Mr. Smith Ms. Smith will ensure that Mr. Smith will have no further contact with the child. ” ”
Do
’
s
◦ If Mr. Smith begins to escalate his threats or intimidation, Ms. Smith will report concerns to the Department.
◦ ◦ Ms. Smith will continue to work with her domestic violence advocate to modify her safety plan as necessary.
Ms. Smith will discuss with her mother a plan for moving in with her if there are new concerns of violence. ◦ Ms. Smith will report any violations of Mr. Smith enforcement and the Department. ’ s restraining order to law ◦ If Mr. Smith is violent, Ms. Smith will implement the agreed upon safety plan for herself and her children. This involves taking the children to stay with her mother until she can contact her DCF worker.
SAFE AND TOGETHER TRAINING AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE
Training Child Welfare Community Service Providers Domestic Violence Advocates Court Others Development of Domestic Violence Specialists Intensive domestic violence trainings Training in consultation Technical Assistance Needs Assessment Review of protocols and practices Facilitation of cross system dialog Mentoring Online Training Coming in 2011
David Mandel & Associates LLC Ph: 860-319-0966 email: [email protected]
http://safe-and-together.endingviolence.com/blog/