Illinois Department of Children and Family Services, Pathways to Strengthening and Supporting Families Program April 5, 2010 Division of Service Support, Office of Training and Professional Development 1 PATHWAYS TO STRENGTHENING AND SUPPORTING FAMILIES IN ILLINOIS Module 2 – Voluntary Family Engagement

Illinois Department of Children and Family Services, Pathways to Strengthening and Supporting Families Program Objectives Demonstrate authenticity in your role as a DR Specialist or SSF Worker. Demonstrate honesty and directness in your communications with clients. Demonstrate how to communicate warmth, concern, caring and respect for the client as a human being during the interview. Describe how it might be to walk in the shoes of the client and communicate your understanding of the clients experience through reflections, etc. Describe the parents emotional reactions to CW intervention. April 5, Division of Service Support, Office of Training and Professional Development

Illinois Department of Children and Family Services, Pathways to Strengthening and Supporting Families Program DR Policy – Case Assignment Start walking through DR Policy Insert case flow chart April 5, Division of Service Support, Office of Training and Professional Development

Illinois Department of Children and Family Services, Pathways to Strengthening and Supporting Families Program DR Specialist Job Tasks Interview reporter (within 24 hours) Make diligent efforts to locate/contact the family by telephone to schedule the initial in- home family visit within 24 hours Complete comprehensive SACWIS and other database background checks Contact the assigned SSF agency to coordinate the joint visit with the family Enter contact notes into SACWIS file within 24 hours of contact April 5, Division of Service Support, Office of Training and Professional Development

Illinois Department of Children and Family Services, Pathways to Strengthening and Supporting Families Program Initial Contact w/ the Family Joint visit by the DR Specialist and the SSF Worker Must occur in the familys residence Participative Engagement of all family members by both workers Thorough explanation and discussion of differentiating investigations April 5, Division of Service Support, Office of Training and Professional Development

Illinois Department of Children and Family Services, Pathways to Strengthening and Supporting Families Program The person knocking on the door is just as afraid as the person answering the door April 5, Division of Service Support, Office of Training and Professional Development

Illinois Department of Children and Family Services, Pathways to Strengthening and Supporting Families Program Observations? Feelings reflected and the underlying worries? What might the parents feel or experience? April 5, Division of Service Support, Office of Training and Professional Development

Illinois Department of Children and Family Services, Pathways to Strengthening and Supporting Families Program The Initial Contact: Demonstrate and Strive for… Respect Clarity Simplicity Warmth, genuineness Patience (roll with resistance) Helpfulness Acceptance Rapport April 5, Division of Service Support, Office of Training and Professional Development

Illinois Department of Children and Family Services, Pathways to Strengthening and Supporting Families Program Initial Contact Considerations Does parent understand? Is parent in agreement with voluntary participation? Is the child safe? Is the case suitable for DR? April 5, Division of Service Support, Office of Training and Professional Development

Illinois Department of Children and Family Services, Pathways to Strengthening and Supporting Families Program Initial Contact – Dyad Activity Introduce yourself Explain DR involvement Help family understand April 5, Division of Service Support, Office of Training and Professional Development

Illinois Department of Children and Family Services, Pathways to Strengthening and Supporting Families Program Debriefing Questions? Concerns? Document contact on SACWIS Contact Note April 5, Division of Service Support, Office of Training and Professional Development

Illinois Department of Children and Family Services, Pathways to Strengthening and Supporting Families Program Assumptions Activity Objectives 1.To demonstrate how we make assumptions/judgments about people based on ethnicity, gender, dress, body language and other factors that are a result of our learning and conditioning. 2.Show how we identify with people who we assume are most like ourselves. April 5, Division of Service Support, Office of Training and Professional Development

Illinois Department of Children and Family Services, Pathways to Strengthening and Supporting Families Program What assumptions can you make about me? College graduate/degree in what area/favorite subject? Kind of car/year/color? Where living? Where born? What school attended/private or public? Married/single/a significant other? Children/number of children? Religious affiliation? Ancestry? Ethnicity? Languages spoken? Hobbies? Person most admire? Favorite vacation spot? Profession/if could choose, what would it be? Family size (only child, oldest)? April 5, Division of Service Support, Office of Training and Professional Development

Illinois Department of Children and Family Services, Pathways to Strengthening and Supporting Families Program What assumptions can you make? Find someone you least know and without talking to her/him, spend about 5-7 minutes looking her/him over, making and recording assumptions about that individual. April 5, Division of Service Support, Office of Training and Professional Development

Illinois Department of Children and Family Services, Pathways to Strengthening and Supporting Families Program Assumptions Activity (Contd) How did you come up with your assumptions? How often do you make assumptions based on your personal choices? If you are wrong, how does that impact… –You? Your team? The agency? –The client? April 5, Division of Service Support, Office of Training and Professional Development

Illinois Department of Children and Family Services, Pathways to Strengthening and Supporting Families Program Diffusing Stereotypes Small Group Activity Designate a spokesperson Generate the following: –Two examples when a group member was stereotyped incorrectly (ethnicity, race, gender, age, etc.). –Two examples when a group member incorrectly stereotyped someone else. April 5, Division of Service Support, Office of Training and Professional Development

Illinois Department of Children and Family Services, Pathways to Strengthening and Supporting Families Program Diffusing Stereotypes Activity Debriefing Spokesperson Reports April 5, Division of Service Support, Office of Training and Professional Development

Illinois Department of Children and Family Services, Pathways to Strengthening and Supporting Families Program An awareness of what we do wrong is the first step toward changing that behavior. The same applies to thought processes such as stereotypical thinking. Continue to work on conquering stereotypes you still hold. Get into the habit of shoving that first thought aside. April 5, Division of Service Support, Office of Training and Professional Development

Illinois Department of Children and Family Services, Pathways to Strengthening and Supporting Families Program Six Stages of Cultural Competency Can someone provide an example of cultural: –Destructiveness? –Incapacity? – Blindness? –Pre-competence? –Competence? –Proficiency? Trail of Tears April 5, Division of Service Support, Office of Training and Professional Development

Illinois Department of Children and Family Services, Pathways to Strengthening and Supporting Families Program Cultural Anxieties What are some of the issues you anticipate in working with families of a different culture than your own? April 5, Division of Service Support, Office of Training and Professional Development

Illinois Department of Children and Family Services, Pathways to Strengthening and Supporting Families Program Working with Families Whose Primary Language is not English Burgos Consent Decree (See Proc. 300, Appendix E) Services & documents in Spanish Bilingual workers Spanish speaking foster homes April 5, Division of Service Support, Office of Training and Professional Development

Illinois Department of Children and Family Services, Pathways to Strengthening and Supporting Families Program Disproportionate Representation of Children of Color in CW Two conflicting perspectives –Appropriate – poverty, single parents, joblessness, etc. –Problem – dont maltreat more than Caucasians April 5, Division of Service Support, Office of Training and Professional Development

Illinois Department of Children and Family Services, Pathways to Strengthening and Supporting Families Program DCFS Research Center Statistics African Americans –19% Illinois population –73% foster care Latinos –17% Illinois population –5% foster care Race Matters Consortium link April 5, Division of Service Support, Office of Training and Professional Development

Illinois Department of Children and Family Services, Pathways to Strengthening and Supporting Families Program Racial Disproportionality in Reporting So are minorities more likely to be accepted as reports by the hotline than non-minorities? April 5, Division of Service Support, Office of Training and Professional Development

Illinois Department of Children and Family Services, Pathways to Strengthening and Supporting Families Program Racial Disproportionality in Substantiations More likely indicated if: Professional made the report Physical abuse rather than neglect African American or Latino See handout, (Child Statistics 2004) April 5, Division of Service Support, Office of Training and Professional Development

Illinois Department of Children and Family Services, Pathways to Strengthening and Supporting Families Program The decision of whether to place a child in out of home care is the culmination of a cascade of previous decisions... from Profile of Child Welfare System Involvement of African Americans in an Illinois County April 5, Division of Service Support, Office of Training and Professional Development

Illinois Department of Children and Family Services, Pathways to Strengthening and Supporting Families Program Multiple Hypothesis Questions Is the disproportionality appropriate? Are African American and American Indian children over reported? Are children of other racial and ethnic backgrounds underreported? April 5, Division of Service Support, Office of Training and Professional Development

Illinois Department of Children and Family Services, Pathways to Strengthening and Supporting Families Program Multiple Hypothesis Questions (Continued) Are children of different races and ethnic backgrounds exposed to different types of maltreatment? Does institutional bias explain such a high number of African American children in the child welfare system? April 5, Division of Service Support, Office of Training and Professional Development

Illinois Department of Children and Family Services, Pathways to Strengthening and Supporting Families Program Multiple Hypothesis Questions (Continued) What role does the community and family play? April 5, Division of Service Support, Office of Training and Professional Development

Illinois Department of Children and Family Services, Pathways to Strengthening and Supporting Families Program Things You Can Do to Learn About Other Cultures NASW Code of Ethics (1.05) Cultural Competence and Social Diversity –Recognize strengths –Provide culturally sensitive services –Learn about social diversity & oppression April 5, Division of Service Support, Office of Training and Professional Development

Illinois Department of Children and Family Services, Pathways to Strengthening and Supporting Families Program Preparation 1.Recognize that everyone has behaviors, habits, customs and beliefs that are culturally based. 2.Conduct a self-evaluation. 3.Develop a working knowledge of the clients culture. 4.Get in touch with your own biases. April 5, Division of Service Support, Office of Training and Professional Development

Illinois Department of Children and Family Services, Pathways to Strengthening and Supporting Families Program Developing a Safe Environment 1.Keep an open mind. 2.In the first session, address the different racial or cultural differences directly. April 5, Division of Service Support, Office of Training and Professional Development

Illinois Department of Children and Family Services, Pathways to Strengthening and Supporting Families Program Developing a Safe Environment (Continued) 3.Ask your client the meaning, significance, and importance his or her cultural heritage plays in his or her life. 4.Allow your client to be the expert storyteller of his or her life. April 5, Division of Service Support, Office of Training and Professional Development

Illinois Department of Children and Family Services, Pathways to Strengthening and Supporting Families Program Developing a Safe Environment (Continued) 5)Help create for your client a natural pathway for change. April 5, Division of Service Support, Office of Training and Professional Development

Illinois Department of Children and Family Services, Pathways to Strengthening and Supporting Families Program Solutions Activity Design a role-play of a CW interaction with a family of color that has been reported to the SCR. The role-play topics are: – Respect for Families –Cultural Sensitivity and Competence –An Emphasis on Strengths –The Empowerment of Families April 5, Division of Service Support, Office of Training and Professional Development

Illinois Department of Children and Family Services, Pathways to Strengthening and Supporting Families Program Group Presentations April 5, Division of Service Support, Office of Training and Professional Development

Illinois Department of Children and Family Services, Pathways to Strengthening and Supporting Families Program Goals of the Child Interview To obtain facts, information and evidence that can help determine the need for continued services. To determine any follow-up action that may be required as a result of the interview, i.e., a referral to child protection, etc. April 5, Division of Service Support, Office of Training and Professional Development

Illinois Department of Children and Family Services, Pathways to Strengthening and Supporting Families Program Conducting the Interview of the Minor Child Subject What are the Objectives of the Interview, For All Children? Minimize stress or trauma to the child. Maximize facts and information obtained from the child subject Minimize the effects of contaminating a child statement or memory. Maintain the Integrity of the interview; Avoid Non-verbal behavior that might influence or change a child statement or memory. April 5, Division of Service Support, Office of Training and Professional Development

Illinois Department of Children and Family Services, Pathways to Strengthening and Supporting Families Program The 10 Step Interview Protocol 1.Establish Rapport 2.Use the Dont Know Instruction 3.Use the Dont Understand Instruction 4.Use the You are Wrong Instruction 5.Use the Ignorant Interviewer Instruction 6.Use the Promise to Tell the Truth Instruction 7.Practice Narratives 8.Disclosure 9.Multiple Incidents 10.Closing the Interview. April 5, Division of Service Support, Office of Training and Professional Development

Illinois Department of Children and Family Services, Pathways to Strengthening and Supporting Families Program The 10 Step Interview Protocol Step 1, Establish Rapport Begins with having picked a location and room that is conducive to making the child comfortable From your experience, what will help make the room comfortable for a child? Who will be present in the room with the child? Where will each person sit? (assign seating) What props will aid the interview? April 5, Division of Service Support, Office of Training and Professional Development

Illinois Department of Children and Family Services, Pathways to Strengthening and Supporting Families Program The 10 Step Interview Protocol Step 1, Establish Rapport Start with a Proven, Standard Introduction … First, I want to know your name, what name do you want me to call you? Excellent, I will call you _________. (Brief Pause) (Name)____________, my name is ___________. I am a DR Specialist/SSF Worker. Part of my job is to interview children about things that have happened to them. I will be asking you questions to learn what you know. I will also be giving you information and answering your questions. This will be conversation between you and I. April 5, Division of Service Support, Office of Training and Professional Development

Illinois Department of Children and Family Services, Pathways to Strengthening and Supporting Families Program The 10 Step Interview Protocol Step 2, Use the Dont Know Instruction First Say to the child, I am going to ask you a lot of questions that will help you give me as much information as you can about what happened and what you know. Then Say, if I ask you a question and you do not know the answer, then just say I do not know. Then Say, So, if I ask you, what is my dogs name? What do you say? Expected answer is I dont know. Then Say, OK, because you do not know my dogs name. Then Say, But if I ask you Do you have a dog? What will you say? Expected Answer is Yes or No. Then Say, OK, because you do know if you have a dog. April 5, Division of Service Support, Office of Training and Professional Development

Illinois Department of Children and Family Services, Pathways to Strengthening and Supporting Families Program The 10 Step Interview Protocol Step 3, Use the Dont Understand Instruction First Say to the child, if I ask you a question and you dont know what I mean or what I am saying, then it is OK for you to say to me, I do not know what you mean, and then I will ask it in a different way Then Say, So, if I ask, What is your gender, what will you say to me? Expected answer is I do not know what you mean. Then Say, OK, because the word gender is a hard word. Then Say, So I will then ask you Are you a boy or a girl? And you will understand that question. April 5, Division of Service Support, Office of Training and Professional Development

Illinois Department of Children and Family Services, Pathways to Strengthening and Supporting Families Program The 10 Step Interview Protocol Step 4, Use the You Are Wrong Instruction First Say to the child, Sometimes I make mistakes or say the wrong thing. When I do, you can tell me that I am wrong or made a mistake. Then Say, So, if I say you are 30 years old, what will you tell me? Expected answer is you are wrong. April 5, Division of Service Support, Office of Training and Professional Development

Illinois Department of Children and Family Services, Pathways to Strengthening and Supporting Families Program The 10 Step Interview Protocol Step 5, Use the Ignorant Interviewer Instruction First Say to the child, I do not know what has happened to you Then Say, I need your help to tell me the answers to my questions. Can you help me? April 5, Division of Service Support, Office of Training and Professional Development

Illinois Department of Children and Family Services, Pathways to Strengthening and Supporting Families Program The 10 Step Interview Protocol Step 6, Promise to Tell the Truth Instruction First Say to the child, Do you know what the truth is? Wait for an answer. Follow up to be certain the child understands. Then Say, Do you know what a lie is. Wait for the answer. Follow up by asking the child to give you an example of a lie. Then Say, I need your help to tell me the truth when you answer my questions. Can you help me? April 5, Division of Service Support, Office of Training and Professional Development

Illinois Department of Children and Family Services, Pathways to Strengthening and Supporting Families Program The 10 Step Interview Protocol Step 7, Friends Narrative (Use Practice Narratives) Say to the child, First, I would like you to tell me something about your friends? Then Say, What are the names of your friends? Tell me more about them. Then Say, Tell Me about the things you like to do? Wait for answer. Then Say, Tell me about things you do not like to do. Follow-up focus questions with tell me more… e.g. you said you like to play soccer, tell me more about soccer. April 5, Division of Service Support, Office of Training and Professional Development

Illinois Department of Children and Family Services, Pathways to Strengthening and Supporting Families Program The 10 Step Interview Protocol Step 8, Disclosure Common Disclosure Methods: Use the Method, Tell me why I came to talk to you? Or in the alternate, Tell me why you cam e to talk to me. Use the Method, I heard you saw e.g., I heard you saw … Use the Method, Someone is Worried e.g. Is your mom worried that something might have happened to you? tell me all about what your mom is worried about. Use the Method, Bothered You. e.g. I heard someone might have bothered you. Tell me everything about that. Use the Method, Something wasnt right. e.g. I heard that someone might have done something that was right. Tell me everything about that. April 5, Division of Service Support, Office of Training and Professional Development

Illinois Department of Children and Family Services, Pathways to Strengthening and Supporting Families Program The 10 Step Interview Protocol Step 9, Multiple Incidents Start with Did (repeat the alleged charge) happen one time or more than one time? If more than once, then … Say, Tell me about the time you remember the most … Say, Tell me about the first time. Say, Tell me about the last time this happened. Say, was there another time …? April 5, Division of Service Support, Office of Training and Professional Development

Illinois Department of Children and Family Services, Pathways to Strengthening and Supporting Families Program The 10 Step Interview Protocol Step 10, Closing the Interview At closing, maintain trust and rapport Ask, I there something you wanted to tell me that I did not ask you? Ask, Do you have any questions about what we have been talking about? Be Prepared for unusual questions from the child. Be prepared for questions about what might happen to the person that perpetrated the act of harassment. Explain what the immediate next steps are. Give the child and the parent/other adult present information about how to contact you. \ April 5, Division of Service Support, Office of Training and Professional Development

Illinois Department of Children and Family Services, Pathways to Strengthening and Supporting Families Program The 10 Step Interview Protocol Step 10, Closing the Interview (Contd) Engage the child in a neutral activity. This helps reduce the stress that may have built during the interview, and helps the child regroup. Use something you learned when the child told you what they liked to do, etc. Thank the child for talking with you, regardless of cooperation or what information you obtained from the child. Following the child and parent/adult departure, collect your material notes, etc., and turn out the lights. April 5, Division of Service Support, Office of Training and Professional Development

Illinois Department of Children and Family Services, Pathways to Strengthening and Supporting Families Program Summary: Establishing Competence For cases that involve children, it is important to establish that the child can, as accurately as possible, observe, recall, and report what happened. Equally it is important that the child knows what it means to tell the truth, and promises to do so. For children the word promise can replace the word oath in order to establish competence. According to Weissman (1991), competence has the components found on the following slide, for both children and adults. April 5, Division of Service Support, Office of Training and Professional Development

Illinois Department of Children and Family Services, Pathways to Strengthening and Supporting Families Program Summary: Establishing Competence (Contd) The childs capacity to observe facts accurately (i.e. mental capacity at the time of occurrence to observe and receive accurate impressions of the occurrence. The capacity to recollect and recall The capacity to understand the oath, to tell the truth, and to understand the consequences of not telling the truth The capacity to communicate based upon personal knowledge of the facts (to communicate the memory of such observation, and to understand an answer simple questions about the occurrence. April 5, Division of Service Support, Office of Training and Professional Development