Illinois Department of Children and Family Services, Pathways to Strengthening and Supporting Families Program April 15, 2010 Division of Service Support, Office of Training and Professional Development 11 PATHWAYS TO STRENGTHENING AND SUPPORTING FAMILIES IN ILLINOIS Module 5A – Voluntary Family Service Plan

Illinois Department of Children and Family Services, Pathways to Strengthening and Supporting Families Program April 15, 2010 Division of Service Support, Office of Training and Professional Development 2 SSF Worker Job Tasks Provide intensive strength-based, family focused, short-term services Possibly contact family daily –No fewer than twice a week –By agreement w/ the family 2

Illinois Department of Children and Family Services, Pathways to Strengthening and Supporting Families Program April 15, 2010 Division of Service Support, Office of Training and Professional Development 3 SSF Worker Job Tasks (Contd) Initial supervisory conference –Must occur within 24 hours –Includes discussion of.. Familys receptivity to DR services Family demographics Findings of DR Specialists safety assessment –SSF Worker & SSF Supervisor will prioritize services so as not to overwhelm the family Child safety & well-being having highest priority

Illinois Department of Children and Family Services, Pathways to Strengthening and Supporting Families Program April 15, 2010 Division of Service Support, Office of Training and Professional Development 4 If the family becomes uncooperative within the first 5 business days of SSF services, the SSF supervisor must conduct an assessment of all factors and available information to determine the merits of referring the report to SCR, as this is not sufficient justification (in and of itself) to warrant referral to the investigation track.

Illinois Department of Children and Family Services, Pathways to Strengthening and Supporting Families Program April 15, 2010 Division of Service Support, Office of Training and Professional Development 5 Service Planning Begins during initial contact Includes services & objectives identified by the family, as well as those which ensure child safety Documented on the CFS --- Includes: –Priority of service provision –Appropriate age/developmental tasks –Realistic achievement dates –SSF Worker tasks –Etc.

Illinois Department of Children and Family Services, Pathways to Strengthening and Supporting Families Program April 15, 2010 Division of Service Support, Office of Training and Professional Development 6 If the family cannot grasp in their own language what is needed in order to strengthen and preserve them, then simplify it until they can. How would you simplify a familys need to provide a safe, stable, nurturing, environment?

Illinois Department of Children and Family Services, Pathways to Strengthening and Supporting Families Program April 15, 2010 Division of Service Support, Office of Training and Professional Development 7 Service Planning (Contd) Assess and consider any new service plan changes initiated by the family –Will the changes help preserve child safety? –Does the family need to be re-engaged and refocused on tasks that address the initial safety and risk? The SSF Supervisor has final approval of any service plan changes.

Illinois Department of Children and Family Services, Pathways to Strengthening and Supporting Families Program April 15, 2010 Division of Service Support, Office of Training and Professional Development 8 Engaging the Familys Network of Support in Service Planning

Illinois Department of Children and Family Services, Pathways to Strengthening and Supporting Families Program April 15, 2010 Division of Service Support, Office of Training and Professional Development 9 Job Competencies Work with families to identify their strengths and coping strategies. Utilize the concepts of family organization and the social support network to strengthen and preserve the family. Discuss how to identify and invite community stakeholders to be involved in the service planning process.

Illinois Department of Children and Family Services, Pathways to Strengthening and Supporting Families Program April 15, 2010 Division of Service Support, Office of Training and Professional Development 10 Family Support Network A Family Support Network is a group of persons identified by and with the family who are committed to the family and child and invested in helping them change and grow stronger.

Illinois Department of Children and Family Services, Pathways to Strengthening and Supporting Families Program April 15, 2010 Division of Service Support, Office of Training and Professional Development 11 Engaging Families in the Service Planning Process Respect for parents, caregivers, other relatives and children Collaboration Honesty and clarity regarding choices and consequences Contracting and negotiating Maintaining focus on risk of harm to the child and a sense of permanence Sense of Urgency

Illinois Department of Children and Family Services, Pathways to Strengthening and Supporting Families Program April 15, 2010 Division of Service Support, Office of Training and Professional Development 12 Engaging Families in the Service Planning Process (Contd) Respect for parents, caregivers, other relatives and children Collaboration Honesty and clarity regarding choices and consequences Contracting and negotiating Maintaining focus on risk of harm to the child and a sense of permanence Sense of Urgency

Illinois Department of Children and Family Services, Pathways to Strengthening and Supporting Families Program April 15, 2010 Division of Service Support, Office of Training and Professional Development 13 Engaging Families in the Service Planning Process (Contd) Respect for parents, caregivers, other relatives and children Collaboration Honesty and clarity regarding choices and consequences Contracting and negotiating Maintaining focus on risk of harm to the child and a sense of permanence Sense of Urgency

Illinois Department of Children and Family Services, Pathways to Strengthening and Supporting Families Program April 15, 2010 Division of Service Support, Office of Training and Professional Development 14 Service Planning Preparation Steps 1.Meet with the family (Initial Visit). 2.Identify family strengths and coping strategies 3.Identify potential support network members 4.Identify and engage system / community stakeholders

Illinois Department of Children and Family Services, Pathways to Strengthening and Supporting Families Program April 15, 2010 Division of Service Support, Office of Training and Professional Development 15 What do we mean by family strengths? Attitudes/Values Skills/Abilities Attributes/Features Preferences

Illinois Department of Children and Family Services, Pathways to Strengthening and Supporting Families Program April 15, 2010 Division of Service Support, Office of Training and Professional Development 16 Strengths Inventory Activity Part I In pairs, interview each other using the For Parents section of the Completing a Strengths Inventory document (10 minutes each).

Illinois Department of Children and Family Services, Pathways to Strengthening and Supporting Families Program April 15, 2010 Division of Service Support, Office of Training and Professional Development 17 Strengths Inventory Activity Part II Select one strength-based description of your partner and work with her/him to break it down into functional components (10 minutes each)

Illinois Department of Children and Family Services, Pathways to Strengthening and Supporting Families Program April 15, 2010 Division of Service Support, Office of Training and Professional Development 18 Service Planning Preparation Steps 1.Meet with the family (Initial Visit). 2.Identify family strengths and coping strategies 3.Identify potential support network members 4.Identify and engage system / community stakeholders

Illinois Department of Children and Family Services, Pathways to Strengthening and Supporting Families Program April 15, 2010 Division of Service Support, Office of Training and Professional Development 19 Genograms & Ecomaps

Illinois Department of Children and Family Services, Pathways to Strengthening and Supporting Families Program April 15, 2010 Division of Service Support, Office of Training and Professional Development 20 Family Organizing & Functioning Balance Leadership Harmony

Illinois Department of Children and Family Services, Pathways to Strengthening and Supporting Families Program April 15, 2010 Division of Service Support, Office of Training and Professional Development 21 Examples of balance, leadership, and harmony with families from your practice?

Illinois Department of Children and Family Services, Pathways to Strengthening and Supporting Families Program April 15, 2010 Division of Service Support, Office of Training and Professional Development 22 Interviewing for Balance, Leadership & Harmony Who are the leaders in your family? Do different people provide leadership in different types of situations in your family? Who are the persons who help settle arguments and disagreements in your family? Who are the persons in your family who are most willing to help other members of the family? Are there many people who help out?

Illinois Department of Children and Family Services, Pathways to Strengthening and Supporting Families Program April 15, 2010 Division of Service Support, Office of Training and Professional Development 23 Definition of a Social Support Network A social support network refers to a set of relationships that provide nurturing and reinforcement for coping with life on a daily basis.

Illinois Department of Children and Family Services, Pathways to Strengthening and Supporting Families Program April 15, 2010 Division of Service Support, Office of Training and Professional Development 24 Characteristics of a Social Support Network Helpfulness Intensity Durability Accessibility and proximity Reciprocity Size

Illinois Department of Children and Family Services, Pathways to Strengthening and Supporting Families Program April 15, 2010 Division of Service Support, Office of Training and Professional Development 25 Characteristics of a Social Support Network (Contd) Helpfulness Intensity Durability Accessibility and proximity Reciprocity Size

Illinois Department of Children and Family Services, Pathways to Strengthening and Supporting Families Program April 15, 2010 Division of Service Support, Office of Training and Professional Development 26 What are the Physical Safety concerns you have about involving the familys support network in the service planning process?

Illinois Department of Children and Family Services, Pathways to Strengthening and Supporting Families Program April 15, 2010 Division of Service Support, Office of Training and Professional Development 27 Service Planning Preparation Steps (Contd) 1.Meet with the family (Initial Visit). 2.Identify family strengths and coping strategies 3.Identify potential support network members 4.Identify and engage system / community stakeholders

Illinois Department of Children and Family Services, Pathways to Strengthening and Supporting Families Program April 15, 2010 Division of Service Support, Office of Training and Professional Development 28 Identifying & Engaging Stakeholders (Contd) If your relative had a DR case and wanted you to be on their family support team, what would you want to know from the FFS Worker?

Illinois Department of Children and Family Services, Pathways to Strengthening and Supporting Families Program April 15, 2010 Division of Service Support, Office of Training and Professional Development 29 Mock Family Support Meeting Divide into pairs and decide who will be the facilitator first (both will get a turn). Read the role-play scenario Facilitator will.. –discuss purpose of the Family Support Team meeting with the parent –Begin to identify potential team members with the parent Switch roles after 15 minutes

Illinois Department of Children and Family Services, Pathways to Strengthening and Supporting Families Program April 15, 2010 Division of Service Support, Office of Training and Professional Development 30 Debriefing 1.In your role as birth parent did you feel you really understood why the Family Support team was being developed? 2.What was your perception of the impact it would have on your current situation? 3.As the facilitator did you use any of the interview questions from the handouts? Which specific questions were most helpful? 4.Were you able to identify any members of the kinship network who should be invited to be a part of the team? 5.What community stakeholders were identified as potential members of the team?

Illinois Department of Children and Family Services, Pathways to Strengthening and Supporting Families Program April 15, 2010 Division of Service Support, Office of Training and Professional Development 31 Summary – Family Support Networks Questions? Concerns?