Family Teams and the Wraparound Process

Practice Patterns: How it Happens in Wraparound – Three types of team members Natural: connected to family by relationship Informal: Connected by citizenship System: Paid to care – Potential team members are generated through initial conversations prior to first meeting – Families are encouraged to invite their supports to help “us” stay on track – Move the team conversation from “treatment” or “service” orientation to a “life” orientation – Identify who will invite who – Orient team members prior to first meeting Teams & Wraparound

Natural Support Family or friend relationship Examples: Parent Childhood friend Sibling Cousin

Informal Support Community Relationship Examples: Spiritual Leader Next door Neighbor Sponsor Support Group Leader

Formal Support System Representatives Examples Therapist/Provider Child Welfare Worker Probation or Parole Officer School Representative

Community Resources “Goodies” in a community that can be supportive, at little or no cost to the family.

Examples of Community Resources Place of Worship YMCA/YWCA Libraries Park and Recreational Programs Free Health Clinics Community Support Groups Boys’ and Girl’s Club

Why Do Families Say No? Too many people in their business Didn’t understand what It meant Had not been told of the benefits Care Coordinator didn’t ask Shame Feel blamed Perceived or real isolation

Why Do Families Say No? Confusion over too many workers Afraid their child will be taken away Pre-conceived ideas Cultural differences Family secrets Previous bad experience Meetings were too long or ineffectively run

Methods to Enhance Teams

Why Have Families Said Yes? The process was explained Other families shared a positive experience Liked strength-based approach Felt listened to Team brought new ideas

Why Have Families Said Yes? Increased real help and support Acceptance by others Relief Systems were talking to each other Felt commitment to their family

Methods to Enhance Teams

Families Advice: Explain it to us Come with a positive attitude! Be flexible about time and location Start small if that is what we ask for Define everyone’s role Make it a comfortable and pleasant experience Share success stories Ask us more than once Have parents talk to other parents It takes as long as it takes

Training Points Engaging with families is a must Listen to the family’s story Get to know the family Get to know the family’s community/neighborhood Get to know the family’s culture Recognize team resources

Engagement Staff must own the responsibility of engaging families Full engagement doesn’t happen before you begin to act Engagement and agreement are not the same thing Engagement requires openness and inquisitiveness regarding differences in culture Don’t mistake facts, problems or worries for deficits Create space for people to tell their own story and be prepared to really listen

Initial Indicators of Engaged Enough Families have some understanding of what comes next Families perceive you as dependable and reliable Families begin to think you appreciate them and value their opinion Families consider you as for them rather than against them

Identifying Supports Listen to the family’s story Listen for past supports and resources they have utilized. Also listen for what has worked in the past. Ask who the family would call during a crisis at 2 am in the morning. Learn from past hard times as well as happy times. Analyze the family story to identify team members

Identifying Supports (cont..) Get to know the family Spend time with the family. Who does the family identify as family members? How does the family describe themselves? What activities are they involved in and with whom? Be observant: – Family pictures – Awards/trophies – Pets – Artwork – Gardens

Identifying Supports (cont..) Practical questions – Who helps watch your kids? – What does your daily schedule involve? – Who can you depend on at work or school? Feeling questions – Who can you really laugh with? – Who are you comfortable crying with? – Who would you trust with your deepest thoughts? – Who do you look up to/admire? Miracle Question – Who/What is involved?

Identifying Supports (cont..) Get to know the family’s community/neighborhood When you familiarize yourself with the family’s surroundings, you learn what is available in their community. Find out who the neighbors are and which ones the family depends on.

Identifying Supports (cont..) Get to know the family’s culture Family culture is the unique way a family forms itself in terms of rules, roles, habits, activities, beliefs, and other areas. Every family will have a different culture, despite similarities in ethnic and/or cultural background. Who shares the family’s ideas, values, and beliefs? Find out who their favorite relatives are? Who are their best friends?

Identifying Supports (cont..) Recognize team resources Recognize personal as well as professional strengths Each team member is an expert, and may have different resources Use strengths and interests as a way to help members change roles

Utilizing Support Options After natural supports have been identified, it is up to the family to decide which resources to utilize. With the team, the family then decides to what extent these supports will be utilized and how they will be contacted. Be prepared to assist the family in re- establishing relationships that may have deteriorated. Remember you are looking for 50 – 50 representation.

Utilizing Supports Look beyond the reason they’re at the table and utilize other areas of expertise Keep an open line of communication to avoid a decrease in participation Recognize that natural supports are just as and almost always more knowledgeable than everyone else on the team.

Set Benchmarks for Best Practice 50/50 – Balanced Team within 6 months 20/80 – Formal/Informal 6 months to end of formal system involvement

Generating Enthusiasm and Selling the Process

Keeping Team Members Engaged Set meeting dates well in advance Set agenda ahead of team and send out reminders prior to team meetings Develop ground rules for team behavior with the team Set a time frame for the meeting and stick to it Utilize organizational skills: The process must lead to a product Stay positive and give the members a compelling reason to return

Assuring Participation Remember everyone wants to be validated and serve a purpose Recognize and utilize each team member’s strengths Utilize visuals to keep people focused and on task Assign tasks to each team member Document each person’s tasks and distribute plan to each team member Schedule next one to two meetings before leaving

Well Functioning Teams Have diverse membership Listen to each other Communicate within the team Everyone works Know how to ask for help Embrace conflict Remain strength-based, family driven and outcome focused

“It takes a village to raise a child.” (African Proverb)

For more information contact: Mary Jo Meyers, M.S. P A special thank you to the families of Wraparound Milwaukee who contributed their thoughts through focus groups to assist me in developing the content for this presentation Wraparound Milwaukee 2009