Transcript An approach to child abuse and neglect prevention that was:

Strengthening Families Illinois
Early Childhood / Child Welfare Collaboration
November 3, 2011
STRENGTHENING FAMILIES ILLINOIS
MISSION: Build and promote:
• Family & community resilience
• Effective partnerships between
parents and family-service systems
• Strength-based, family centered
approach in child care, school, agencies, and
organizations serving children & their families
STRENGTHENING FAMILIES ILLINOIS
4 COMPONENTS:
1. Early childhood
2. Collaboration on systems change with child
and family serving agencies and
organizations statewide
3. Assistance with embedding the protective
factors approach in the child welfare system
4. Parent engagement
IL DCFS CHILD WELFARE /
EDUCATIONAL OUTCOMES
• Children in the child welfare
system and children of wards
start school ready to learn
• Child welfare system is
increasingly focused on
keeping families strong
rather than raising children
KEY IMPLEMENTATIONS
• Procedure Rule 314
• School Readiness Team
• SFI Learning Networks
• Caseworker Training
• Head Start Collaboration
• Strengthening Families Illinois
SCHOOL READINESS
• Revision of rule 314 / Wards 3 to 5
enrolled in early care and education
programs
• School Readiness Team
–
7 positions statewide
–
Monitor implementation of Rule 314
–
Increase number of wards and intact families
enrolled
–
Liaisons with early childhood professionals in
communities
LEARNING NETWORK SCOPE OF WORK
• Embed practice throughout program among
staff and parents
• Raise awareness of Strengthening Families
• Collaborate / communicate effectively with
child welfare staff
– Collaboration on service planning
– Developing Collaborative Relationships training
– Early Childhood / Child Welfare Forums
– Monthly Learning Network meetings inviting child
welfare staff
SFI LEARNING NETWORKS
Hubs: (continued on next slide)
1. Carole Robertson Center for Learning / Chicago
– Internal & external network
2. IL Action for Children / Preschool for All / South
Suburban School Districts / South Cook
3. Childcare Network of Evanston / Evanston /
Cook North
4. Tom Thumb Community Childcare Center
(Children’s Home & Aid) / N. Kane County
5. Two Rivers Head Start (5 counties northern
region) – Internal network
6. Crittenton Centers / Peoria / Central Region
EARLY CHILDHOOD LEARNING
NETWORK HUBS (cont.)
7.
John A. Logan CCR&R / Southern Region
8.
Children’s Home & Aid CCR&R / St. Clair
County (AOK0
9.
YWCA Child Care Solutions (CCR&R) /
Rockford / Northern Region
10. Centers for New Horizons / Chicago –
Internal network
11. One Hope United / Cook County – Internal
network & Child welfare collaboration
network
12. One Hope United / Huddleston – Differential
Response Collaboration / Southern Region
13. Ounce of Prevention Fund / Chicago Public
Schools
CASEWORKER TRAINING
• Learning Collaboratives across state
– Strength based trauma informed practice
– Protective Factors training
– Role of early childhood programs in
keeping families strong / partnership
opportunities
HEAD START COLLABORATION
• Agreements with all Head Start
grantee agencies
• Cross-training for child welfare and
Head Start staff
• Head Start slots for wards
TALKING ABOUT THE PROTECTIVE
FACTORS
• Parental Resilience
• Be strong and flexible
• Social Connections
• Parents need friends
• Knowledge of Parenting
• Being a great parent is
& Child Development
• Concrete Support in
Times of Need
• Social & Emotional
Competence of Children
• Parent-Child
Relationships
part natural & part learned
• We all need help
sometimes
• Parents need to help their
children communicate
• Give your children the love
and respect they need
RESOURCES FOR PARENTS / PROVIDERS
• Love Is Not Enough Parent Cafés
• Café Talk
• Awaken To Your Potential
Leadership Training
• Café Training
NEW RESOURCES
Publications:
• Living the Protective Factors Book (E-Book / Print)
•
The Get Real Guide to Getting Your Kids Back (E-Book /
Print)
•
You’re Welcome: Parents Leaders Speak Out On What It
Takes to Promote Parent Engagement
•
Café Talk and Café Talk Booster Packs
AVAILABLE AT
www.bestrongfamilies.com
or
www.strengtheningfamiliesillinois.org
NEW RESOURCES
Online:
•
www.bestrongfamilies.com
•
www.bestrongfosterparents.com
•
Keep Your Family Strong Community on Facebook
•
Updated strengtheningfamiliesillinois.org
SFI ON THE WEB / Social Media
• Facebook: Keep Your Family Strong Online
Community
• Twitter: @StrongFamsIL
• www.bestrongfamilies.com
• www.bestrongfosterparents.com
• www.strengtheningfamiliesillinois.org
• www.keepyourfamilystrong.org
MORE TO COME!
CONTACT: 312/421-5200
Kathy Goetz Wolf, Executive Director
[email protected]
Guy Schingoethe, Assistant Director
[email protected]
312/421-5200, x125