Transcript Federal priorities around ECE/CW linkages

ECE/CW collaboration for
children in In-Home care
Nilofer Ahsan
November 2011
Federal priorities around
ECE/CW linkages
• Requirement for collaboration between HS
and CW
• ACYF and Child Care Bureau
Memorandum encouraging collaboration
• Overarching push for collaboration at the
federal level
• Requirements around Part C
• Child and Family Services Improvement
and Innovation Act of 2011 (P.L. 112-34)
Early Childhood as a Critical Period
Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2007
What we know about the developmental
needs of young kids in CW
• Early attachment is a basic building block
for many aspects of early development
• Neglect or trauma in early childhood can
have a cascading impact on ongoing
development
• Protective factors are important and can
buffer and mitigate the impacts of trauma
• Most children will return or stay with their
biological parents
Therefore…..
• Young children in CW will need particular
focus on their developmental needs
• Developmental supports for these children
must be informed by an understanding of
the impact of trauma on development
• We also need to think intentionally about
how to support the capacity of families to
keep children safe and support their early
development
Therefore…..A four point agenda
• Ensure that young children in CW are
connected to quality ECE programs and other
developmental supports
• Build the capacity in ECE programs to work
with and support development for children who
have experienced trauma
• Build the capacity in CW to recognize and
respond to the development needs of young
children
• Support the capacity of ECE programs and
CW to build protective factors to strengthen
families
Hope Through Action
Using what we know from
developmental science to change
what we do for vulnerable babies
A systematic focus on infants,
toddlers, and their families
Built on Five Guiding Principles:
• Decisions guided by knowledge of
child development
• Stable, caring relationships
• Early intervention services
• Family and community partnerships
• Services informed by ongoing data &
research
FIVE PROTECTIVE FACTORS
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
Strengthening Families National Network
WA
MT
ME
ND
OR
MN
ID
SD
NY
WI
RI
NE
UT
OH
IL
WV
MO
NC
TN
OK
NM
AR
TX
MD
VA
KY
SC
MS
AK
AL
GA
LA
FL
HI
NJ
DE
IN
CO
KS
AZ
CT
PA
IA
NV
MA
MI
WY
CA
V
T N
H
DC
How SF states are working
with Child Welfare
AK
Protective Factors are being
x
integrated into training for child
welfare workers:
Strengthening Families is becoming
part of the child welfare practice model
CT IL
MA
ME MI MO NC NH NJ
x
x
x
PA TN
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
Protective factors are being integrated
into child welfare assessment tools
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
New partnerships are being formed
between child welfare and early care
and education programs using
Strengthening Families
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
Child welfare provides significant
funding for state Strengthening
Families work
x
x
x
x
www.strengtheningfamilies.net
Nilofer Ahsan
Center for the Study of Social Policy
[email protected]
Questions?