Quality Parenting Initiative A Cross Sector Partnership

Presenters Jane Soltis-Eckerd Family Foundation Carole Shauffer-Youth Law Center Alan Abramowitz- Fl. Dept of Children and Families Glen Casel-CBC of Seminole Donna Krauser-Hillsborough Kids Kimberly Hernandez- Hillsborough Kids Aundre West-Hillsborough Kids

What We Know Too many children in out of home care Too few foster homes Effects of group and shift care Florida’s IVE Waiver and efforts of family preservation and reunification

Underlying Principles of the Initiative Parents and Parenting The Foster Parent “Brand” is seriously damaged We can’t create a new brand without reassessing the role of foster families A new brand is useless without changes in practice A quality foster parent brand is core to the success or failure of the child welfare system

Our Approach and Process Through a collaborative process we are rebranding foster parenting by articulating expectations ▫Working with biological families ▫Acquiring additional training ▫Working in partnership with agencies Our approach relies on ▫Team planning to model mutual respect ▫Use of branding principles to articulate expectations ▫Use of HR principles to implement the brand ▫Use of data to measure progress

Phase One Three Community Based Care Agencies selected Community Based Care of Seminole Hillsborough Kids Big Bend Community Care

The Consensus Brand A foster parent is a full partner in a team supporting the healthy development and achieving permanency for children who cannot live with their parents. The specific job of the foster parent is to provide high quality parenting, consistent with the needs of the child, when appropriate to mentor the bioparent, and to maintain a lifelong commitment to the child wherever he or she lives.

Results From the First Sites Hillsborough Kids, Inc. Improvement in keeping sibling groups together in foster care (31% in May 2008 compared to 56% in October 2009) Decline in the number of children under age 12 in group care (100 children in May 2007 compared to 36 children in Oct 2009) Improvement in the number of children experiencing placement moves (54% had 2 or less placements in May 2008 compared to 92% in Nov 2009 Per Foster Parent Survey in Nov 2009 ▫More families willing to foster teens up form 16 to 23% ▫More families willing to foster siblings up form 50 to 90% ▫More families willing to work with bio pareants-63 say they do and 86% say they are willing to do ▫86% of families reports their case manager return calls promptly ▫89% of families report their family development specialists return calls promptly ▫98% of families report that they understand normalcy

CBC of Seminole Major Practice changes Brought foster family licensing within the lead agency rather than subcontracting Established a fulltime position and hired foster parent to lead classes for new families Foster parent serves as mentor consultant to new families before and after licensing

Phase Two Four Additional Sites Selected Eckerd Community Alternatives-Pinellas /Pasco Heartland for Children-Polk/Hardee/Highlands Family Services of Metro Orlando Child and Family Connections-Palm Beach

Phase Three Gold Seal/Diamond/Platinum Families Redesigned Training Piloting in seven CBC’s Bringing the initiative statewide Changing the foster parent name

Funding Funding mix of : Eckerd Family Foundation Department of Children and Families Annie E. Casey Foundation Community Based Care Resources

Lessons Learned DCF Perspective CBC Perspective Foster Parent Perspective Implementer Perspective Foundation Perspective

The Challenge Funders can make big changes through public policy grant making.