Transcript WHO ARE THOSE D&N COURT FACILITATORS AND WHAT DO …

CHILD WELFARE AND
DOMESTIC VIOLENCE
SAFETY PLANNING
Theresa Costello
Shellie Taggart
National Resource Center for Child Protective Services
Webinar September 14, 2012
CPS FOCUS:
SAFETY
DV FOCUS:
SAFETY
Safety is the primary basis for
Safety is the primary basis for
intervention throughout the life of efforts with the non-offending
the case
parent (adult victim of DV) and
children
Objective is to eliminate, reduce,
or effectively manage impending
danger threats by enhancing
caregiver protective capacity
Best way to create safety for
children is to help the NOP and
children safe together
Children are the focus of the
safety plan
Non-offending parent is the focus
of the safety plan, plus her
children
CPS FOCUS: SAFETY
Vulnerable children are safe when
there are no threats of danger
within the family . . .
DV FOCUS: SAFETY
Threats of danger to children and
the NOP are from the DV offender.
Reducing or eliminating threat
requires work with him and the NOP.
Signs of Safety: Safety is the
presence of observable acts of
protection by caregivers,
demonstrated over time.
. . . or when the parents possess
sufficient protective capacity to
manage any threats.
NOP’s behaviors reflect the context
of violence in which she lives. Her
action or inaction must be
considered/assessed in that
context.
Children are either safe or unsafe.
Children and their NOP may be
more or less safe over time.
FOCUS ON SAFETY: CPS AND DV
Services are not a proxy for safety: safety plan and
case/treatment plan are related but different.
Safety is created by caregivers and/or their networks of
support (including CPS when needed).
Safety intervention should be least intrusive plan
possible.
Safety plans must be dynamic and reflect changing
circumstances. If one part doesn’t work, don’t throw out
the whole plan—refine it.
Goal: SAFETY
• How do we get there in DV practice?
Effective engagement
Plan WITH the NOP
Accurate assessment of danger and risk to children
Build on prior acts of protection
Assess impact of prior interventions
Build her support system
Hold DV offender responsible and get him help
Safety planning throughout the case
CPS Intervention
Initial Assessment: Problem Identification
• CPS involved because children are unsafe due to
impending danger threats and diminished
caregiver protective capacities.
• What specific harm to children has resulted from
DV or is likely to result from DV in near future?
What evidence do we have of this harm?
• How dangerous is the DV offender? How
dangerous is the situation?
Perez Family: Harm to children
Physical:
•Mr. Perez pushed Fernando and knocked him down
•Mr. Perez squeezed Fernando’s arms in the past hard
enough to bruise him
Emotional:
•Fernando said he was scared of what might happen to
his mom
Need to know more about Sofia
Perez Family:
Indicators of dangerousness
To Julia Perez:
•Mr. Perez drinking, combined with extreme jealousy
•Mr. Perez slapped, pinched and bit Mrs. Perez
•Violence is escalating (“the worst it’s ever been”)
To children:
•Harm to Fernando (previous slide)
CPS Intervention
Safety Management: Assuring Protection
• Safety plans control impending danger threats and
substitute for insufficient caregiver protective
capacities.
• What have NOP and other adults done to keep
children safe? How effective has this been? How
could it be made more effective?
• How is the context of DV affecting the ability of
NOP to participate in creating safety?
• What is the DV offender willing to do in the short
term to assure safety? What is the NOP willing and
able to do?
Perez Family: Prior Safety
Planning by Mrs. Perez
• Told Fernando to go into the other room and turn on
the TV (he did)
• Told Fernando to do what his father said (he did)
• Told Fernando to call 911 if scared (he did)
• Told Fernando NOT to try to protect her (this part didn’t
work completely--what could he have done instead?)
“Insufficient caregiver capacity”? Is a child welfare
safety plan needed? Is a DV safety plan
needed?
Immediate, short term safety
• What could Mr. Perez do?
– What has he done in the past? Ever stopped
drinking? Ever dealt with his jealousy differently?
Ever felt like hurting his partner but didn’t? How
could he do more of that?
– Will Mr. Perez leave the home temporarily? Will he
agree to Titi Jalisa staying with them? What other
ideas does he have about how CPS can feel confident
about safety?
Immediate, short term safety
• Mrs. Perez: What other ideas does she have?
How worried is she about Fernando and Sofia’s
safety?
• Titi Jalisa: Is she willing to stay there? How long?
• Other relatives: How can they support safety
for Fernando and Sofia on a day-to-day basis? (i.e.
can the kids and/or their mom come to stay
overnight if Mr. Perez is drinking?; will they pick kids
up in the middle of the night if needed; will his
brother stop him from going home, or come get
him?)
CPS Intervention
Family Assessment: What Must Change
• Specific caregiver capacity behavior that must be
enhanced to assure child protection/safety is the
focus of the case plan and treatment.
• What do we need to see from the DV offender to
feel confident about children’s safety? What would
that look like, specifically? How will we know?
• What does the NOP think will help? What has she
tried in the past, and with what result? Who has
helped her the most?
• Do complicating factors (substance abuse, trauma,
depression, poverty) need to be addressed?
Perez Family
Mr. Perez:
• Learn new ways of dealing with jealousy/stress/control:
attend Batterer Intervention (monitored by court or CPS)
• Learn co-parenting skills (stop undermining her
parenting): parenting class, or do more of prior healthy
parenting strategies
• Substance abuse treatment
• Work with CPS
Mrs. Perez: Continue to work with CPS; offer her DV
services; ask her to help CPS understand changes in
danger/risk as plan progresses; help build support within
the family and elsewhere where natural supports exist
CPS Intervention
Case Plans: Influencing Change
• Treatment reinforces enhancement of caregiver
protective capacities associated with impending
danger.
• Batterer intervention, responsible fatherhood
programs, substance abuse or MH services.
• DV advocacy for empowerment, resources and
safety.
Case Plans: Measuring Progress
• Sufficiency of caregiver protective capacity
behavior is measured—must protect against
threats to child safety and assure a safe home.
• Focus on DV Offender changes.
Gather information
Safety Plan --Assess safety: sufficient, feasible, sustainable?
Least restrictive given circumstances? Reunify?
Treatment Plan-- Assess needs and progress:
reduced threat, developed capacity? Parents keep
child safe without support? (close case?)
Six Questions/Six Categories
1. Nature of maltreatment:
frequency and severity of DV;
impact on children
2. Circumstances of
maltreatment: pattern of
offender behaviors; degree of
isolation; help-seeking of NOP;
system responsiveness; available
support/resources
3. Child’s functioning: school,
peer relationships; trauma;
resiliency; opportunities for
safety and healing
4. Parental discipline:
differentiate between NOP and DV
offender; consider DV context
5. Overall parenting practices:
bonding; routines; predictability;
appropriate responses
6. Parental life management
skills: differentiate between NOP
and DV offender; consider DV
context (coercion/control, impact
on NOP choices)
Assessing Safety
• Vocabulary of
assessment
(Consider context of
violence/coercive
control)
•
•
•
•
•
Threat of Danger
Signs of Safety
Vulnerable Child
Protective Capacities
Prior acts of
protection/help-seeking
• DV offender
demonstrated desire to
change
• “Safe child”
Safety (Danger) versus Risk
Safety  concerned about imminence and severe
consequences due to things being out of control
(“out of control” language difficult in DV/CPS
collaborations—DV is a choice, and within the control
of the DV offender)
Risk  broad concept regarding whether something
might occur if there is not intervention; risk may be low,
moderate, high.
• the critical question is whether or not the child/NOP
is/are safe
Vocabulary: Safe and Unsafe Child
• Safe child
– “Vulnerable” children are safe when there are no
“threats of danger” within the family or home OR
when the caregivers possess sufficient “protective
capacity” to manage or control any threats.
• Unsafe child
– Children are unsafe when they are “vulnerable,”
there are “threats of danger” within the family or
home AND the caregivers have insufficient
“protective capacities” to manage or control the
threats, making outside intervention necessary.
Vocabulary: Threats of Danger
A specific family situation or behavior, emotion, motive,
perception or capacity of a family member: observable,
out of control, immediate, severe consequences
Assess DV offender pattern of behavior (severity,
frequency), isolation of NOP and children, use of
weapons, offender use of drugs of alcohol, obsessive
jealousy, stalking behaviors, recent instability,
depression, threats of suicide or homicide, escalation,
NOP is planning to leave
Present and Impending Danger
Present danger means immediate, significant and
clearly observable severe harm or threat of severe harm
is occurring to a child in the present requiring immediate
protective services response.
Impending danger means a state of danger in which
family behaviors, attitudes, motives, emotions and/or
situations pose a threat which may not be currently
active but can be anticipated to have severe effects in a
child at any time
Vocabulary: Vulnerability
• Vulnerability: degree of dependence on others for
protection and care
• Assess vulnerability in light of specific threats in this
family
–
–
–
–
How frequent and severe is the violence?
Who does the DV offender target for violence/abuse?
How have children been used by DV offender?
How has he undermined the relationship between the
NOP and children?
– Has a child attempted to intervene? What was the
response of caregivers?
Obvious vulnerabilities
•
•
•
•
Age 0-6
Physical, developmental disabilities or delays
Poor health, physical capacity
Inability to articulate danger
Less Obvious Vulnerabilities
• Isolated from community
– As a specific tactic of control? Degree of isolation?
• Cannot anticipate or judge presence of danger
• Consciously or unknowingly provokes danger
– DV offender is the person responsible for his
behavior
• Emotionally vulnerable
– Trauma, degree of resilience
• Impact of prior maltreatment or multiple exposures
• Attachment (enmeshment), fear, insecurity re parent
Perez Family
• Threat of danger posed by Mr. Perez when he
assaults his wife
• Harsh parenting and undermining of Mrs.
Perez as parent--part of pattern of control
• Vulnerability of children:
– Sofia due to age and developmental delays, BUT
he treats her “like a princess”
– Fernando may be vulnerable due to age and
worries about his mom, BUT also able to follow
(for the most part) a safety plan
Vocabulary: Protective Capacities
Personal characteristics that indicate protective
vigilance, preparation and power to protect.
– ASK NOP: What have you tried to protect the
children and yourself when DV is occurring? What
was the effect? What else have you thought about
trying?
– ASK DV OFFENDER: Has there ever been a time when
you felt like (being violent) but didn’t? What was
going on then/what stopped you? How can you do
more of that in the future?
Perez Family
• Protective capacities/factors
–
–
–
–
Mrs. Perez actively safety plans with Fernando
Extended family support (need specifics)
Early Intervention for Sofia; soccer for Fernando
Mr. Perez parented with some success when
Mrs. Perez unable to do so because of postpartum depression
Child welfare
safety plans
actions and services
that will
temporarily
substitute for
lacking parental
protective
capacity to
control the
threat of danger
actions, resources and
assistance from systems
that will help
the NOP and children
be safe together
Domestic
violence safety
plans in child
welfare
In home safety plan
Safety Plans
combination
Out of home safety plan
Child welfare safety plan must
• Immediately control or manage threat of danger
• Be made up of components (people and services)
accessible when threat will be present
• Describe concrete, action oriented activities and
tasks assigned to identified people
• Not rely on parental promises to control what has
been assessed as out of control
In-home safety plan?
With threats of danger
clearly identified by
defined criteria it
becomes easier to
assess whether
agency can create a
plan with caregivers
to control them
within the child’s
home
• Managing crises
• Providing social support
• Separating parent and
child when necessary for
safety
• Providing resources
Domestic violence safety plans in
child welfare must
•
•
•
•
Address specific harm to children and NOP from DV
Include children in age-appropriate ways
Address potential danger posed by CPS intervention
Build on NOP knowledge of DV offender and what will
increase the threat of danger from him
• Include people and services that will be accessible
when threat is present
• Describe concrete, action oriented activities and tasks
agreed upon by identified people
Perez Family
• Possible in-home child safety plan
– Mr. Perez will use xxx positive parenting practices with
Fernando (that he has used in past successfully)
– Titi Jalisa will stay with the family for xxx weeks
(consider work schedule, etc when planning details)
– Mrs. Perez, Titi Jalisa and Fernando will practice what
to do if Mr. Perez is drinking/becomes violent (leave
and go to xxx, call Mr. Perez’ brother to come get him
until he is sober, call police, etc)
– If Mr. Perez drinks or becomes violent, Fernando will
stay in his room until his mom or Titi Jalisa tells him
what to do; can also call the police again if he feels
scared
Perez Family
• Possible DV safety plan: all CW plan items PLUS
– Mrs. Perez may call the DV hotline to talk about
personal safety, options for additional safety, or
emotional support
– Mrs. Perez may call her (friend, sister, etc) to talk
about her worries and what support she needs
– CW worker will provide xxx resources to Mrs. Perez
(ask her what she needs)
– CW worker will check in with Mrs. Perez every xxx
days about any changes in level of danger
– CW worker will stay in contact with Mr. Perez every
xxx days to see if he is getting help (BI program, etc)
Is the plan Sufficient? Feasible?
Sustainable?
• Are aware, committed and reliable people
involved?
• Is the DV offender engaged and being held
responsible?
• Is the NOP’s safety a focus as well as children?
• Are safety supports from systems/providers
available as often and for duration needed?
• Is plan dynamically monitored and adjusted to
reflect changing circumstances?
Out of home placement/safety plan in DV
situations ONLY WHEN
• Children are in danger from DV offender
• Adult caregivers are unwilling (despite safe and
supportive interventions) or unable (due to
offender level of violence) to provide safety for
children
– Children are not able to participate in keeping
themselves safe
• An in-home safety plan is not sufficient, feasible
and sustainable
• MUST SAFETY PLAN WITH NOP
Reasonable Efforts?
If an in-home safety plan would be sufficient,
and the agency fails to consider or implement
one,
then the agency has failed to provide
reasonable efforts to prevent removal (or to
return child home).
Key Concept
Threat of Danger
+
Vulnerable child
+
Safety Plan substituting for compromised Protective
Capacity
=
“safe child”
“CASE PLAN”
§475 [42 USC 675] (“The ASFA”)
“and that the services are
provided to the parents,
“A plan assuring that the
child and foster parents in
child receives safe and
order to improve
proper care…”
conditions in the parent’s
home, to facilitate return
of the child to his own
home.”
Safety Plan
Treatment Plan
Keeping track of two plans
For more
information/resources
www.nrccps.org
www.actionchildprotection.org
Theresa Costello
505-301-3105
[email protected]
Shellie Taggart
[email protected]