Transcript Document

Signs of Safety:
Integrating a Solution Focused
Approach to Protecting Children in
Massachusetts
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GOALS FOR THIS OVERVIEW
Participants will:
 Gain some basic familiarity with the Signs of
Safety approach to family protection
 Learn about our experience in integrating the
Signs of Safety into our state agency child
welfare practice
 Hear about the next generation of tools we are
developing in a differential response model
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DSS Vision and Mission Statement
Our Vision is…
To ensure the safety of children in a manner that holds the best hope of nurturing a
sustained, resilient network of relationships to support the child’s growth and
development into adulthood.
Our Mission is…
To support the safety, permanency and well-being of children through the
development and integration of new child welfare practices and behaviors that are:
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Child-driven
Family-centered
Community-focused
Strengths-based
Committed to Diversity and Cultural Competence, and
Committed to Continuous Learning and Innovation
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SIGNS OF SAFETY
(Turnell & Edwards, 1999)
Signs of Safety are observable and identifiable capacities within:
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individuals
families
communities
That increase the likelihood that a child will be:
 physically, emotionally, and developmentally protected from
maltreatment
 and support a child’s resiliency and healing in situations where
maltreatment has occurred.
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SIGNS OF SAFETY
PRACTICE PRINCIPLES THAT BUILD PARTNERSHIPS
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Respect Service Participants As People Worth Doing
Business With.
Cooperate With The Person, Not The Abuse
Recognize That Cooperation Is Possible Even When
Coercion Is Required
Recognize That All Families Have Signs Of Safety
Maintain A Focus On Safety
Learn What The Service Recipient Wants
Always Search For Detail
Focus On Creating Small Change
Don’t Confuse Case Details With Judgments
Offer Choices
Treat The Interview As A Forum For Change
Treat The Practice Principles As Aspirations, Not
Assumptions
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SIGNS OF SAFETY
THE SIX PRACTICE PRINCIPLES
Treat the practice principles as aspirations rather than assumptions
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Understand The Position Of Each Family
Member
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Find Exceptions To The Maltreatment
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Discover Family Strengths And Resources
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Focus On Goals
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Scale Safety and Progress
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Assess Willingness, Confidence, & Capacity
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Distinguishing Between
Treatment & Therapy
Goal of Child
Protection
Case Work
Family functions
such that child is
in danger
Treatment
Family
functions such
that child is
“safe enough”
Therapy
Family functions
“ideally”
Turnell & Edwards, 1997
Point at which
statutory
agency closes
case
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INTEGRATING SIGNS OF
SAFETY INTO DSS PRACTICE
SHORT-TERM
 Required Component of Social Worker PreService Training – 2 Days
 Integrate Into Family Service (Action) Plan
LONGER-TERM
 System Redesign Using a Differential Response
Model (Family Engagement Model)
 Incorporation of Structured, Actuarially-based
Decision-making Tools (Children’s Resource
Center)
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Family Engagement Model
Overview
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Family Engagement Model
Case Flow Diagram
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Capacity Assessment Guide: Safety—The Concept Model
Guided Interview:
Social worker
records notes and
observations
directly into the
sections of the tool
Observable and
identifiable lapses
in capacity that
increase likelihood
of maltreatment
Observable and
identifiable
capacity that
increases
likelihood of
protection
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Capacity Ratings: A Scaling
Model with Actuarial Elements
1
2
Immediate
Danger
Moderate
Danger
3
Balanced
Safety
and
Danger
4
5
Optimal
Safety
Adequate
Safety
Rate each Capacity along a Safety/Danger Scale
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Overall Rating: Frequency Model
Capacity
Assessment
Guide
Unified
Entry
Protective
Response
Assessment FCR
Response
Closing
# of 1s
2
1
0
0
0
# of 2s
4
5
4
2
0
# of 3s
3
3
4
6
3
# of 4s
1
1
2
2
5
# of 5s
0
0
0
0
2
Decision Point facilitated by Assessment Tool
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What We’ve Learned
From Other States
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IF YOU INCORPORATE SIGNS OF SAFETY INTO
CHILD WELFARE PRACTICE WITHOUT ALSO
SHIFTING THE WAY YOU ENGAGE AND RELATE
TO FAMILIES, THE RESULTS WILL NOT BE
SIGNIFICANTLY DIFFERENT.
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THIS IS NOT EASY!
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Strengthening Families, Community by Community
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