Placement Support for Caregivers, Relatives and Fictive Kin

Caregiver Support The foundation for retaining good caregivers and ensuring the safety, well being and permanence of the children placed with them.

Supporting Caregivers Studies paint a disheartening picture of the foster care system: −Insufficient foster parents for kids who need placement, −Lack of experienced foster parents for children with special needs −low retention/high dropout rates of caregivers contribute to disruptions for children. (Gibbs 2005)

Washington and Children’s Administration (CA) aren’t alone – all states are struggling to find and maintain adequate numbers of caregivers for children placed in out-of-home care.

If CA wants to successfully recruit, retain and partner with foster families, relatives and kinship caregivers, we must learn to treat them like GOLD ! So this seems like a no brainer... yet it’s strangely easy to forget – that we can’t do this job without them. −Caregivers are always on the job 24/7

Treat Them Like GOLD ! Even after you and I go home – they have just started the evening shift.....

Treat Them Like Gold!  With legal and policy mandates, child visits, staffings, safety assessments, large caseloads, court hearings, paperwork, etc., some of us begin to see caregiver support as someone else’s job & caregivers themselves almost as a nuisance. paperwork, paperwork, paperwork!

Regardless of the Type of Caregiver... Relative, foster, kinship, adoptive or guardianship - all provide safe, loving homes for children when a parent is unable to provide one Caregivers all need support to meet the ongoing needs of children placed in their home.

Treating Them Like Gold Might Look Like: Take the time to get to know them Demonstrate they are team peers Help them learn about the court process Encourage them to attend court and submit the Caregiver’s Report to Court Show respect for the pivotal role they play

Supporting Caregivers Supporting, recruiting and partnering with Resource Families is a responsibility of all of us working in the child welfare system. Social workers CASAs GALs Providers Supervisors Courts Recruitment & Retention Contractors

Most Frequent Comments on CA’s Foster Parent Survey What comments do you think foster parents mention most frequently when asked: What could CA and your social workers do better to support you?

The Basics of Retention Treat caregivers with respect Value their knowledge of the child Share timely information on child & case Respond to calls/ s more quickly Reimburse them on time Provide info on training & resources

Foundations of Retention Good Case Management includes “TLC” −Develop a strong positive relationship with resource parents and offer on-going support −Be Responsive −Show Appreciation

Foundations of Retention Quality Training & Development −Offer Pre-service Training and include resource parents as co-trainers −Assess strengths & needs −Offer ongoing & interesting training through a variety of sources

Foundations of Retention Collaborate as partners serving kids −Provide regular supervision, monitoring & consultation Monthly Health & Safety Visits

Foundations of Retention Collaborate as partners serving kids −Include resource families in decision making, (FTDMs, Court hearings, Shared Planning Meetings)

Foundations of Retention Collaborate as partners serving kids −Update them regularly on court dates and decisions −Explain court terms and the flow of the court process. What’s a “First Set Termination”? What’s a Dependency? Why all the continuances?

Support/Retention Efforts Before the First Placement Make sure Resource Families receive an agency newsletter to help them feel connected.

Support/Retention Efforts Before the First Placement Connect Resource Families with CA’s Recruitment & Retention Contractors  Eastern Washington University’s Fostering Washington Program - Region 1 or  Olive Crest’s Fostering Together Program Regions 2 and 3

Recruitment & Retention Contractors Olive Crest – Fostering Together th Ave NE, #174 Bellevue, WA KIDS (5437) Fostering Washington Eastern Washington University 121 Senior Hall Cheney, WA

Caregiver Support-Why is it important? Foster parents who leave, disrupt placements Good PR promotes recruitment Saves time and money for the Department Happy, supported, informed caregivers - recruit other foster parents / relatives / kinship families for CA. This > > > Not this > > >

What do we know retains caregivers? Pre-service and in-service training Being part of the team–case planning, staffings and court Matching of children in care Positive working relationship with assigned workers Mentors and Support GroupsCourtesy, Respect and ConsiderationServices (respite, child care)

Tracking & Supporting Interested Families EWU / Olive Crest track & support prospective foster parents from inquiry, through training, home study, issuance of license and first placement. Both contractors help support relative and kinship caregivers with supports and referral to services Numerous caregiver support groups in each region 25 FaceBook groups help support and retain foster families. RPMs/Liaisons trouble shoot and offer individual support to families

Alliance for Child Welfare Excellence Provides Caregiver Core Training and continuing education for foster parents at: − CA’s Foster Parent Web site CA’s Foster Parent Web Site has great info for caregivers, links to services and foster parent news −

What are other resources for caregivers?  Foster Parent & Caregiver After Hours Support Line After hours support regarding children in care  FIRST: Telephone support for foster parents during a DLR/CPS or facility investigation  Local and Statewide Foster Parent Associations  Liaisons’ wide network of foster parent resources and support groups across the state

What are other resources for caregivers?  Relative Support Service Funds (CA) – helps relatives/kin obtain concrete goods for items needed to accept placement– or to support placement needs (open case with CA and no foster care payment)  Kinship Care Website (ALTSA) - services-kinship-care/kinship-care  Kinship Navigators and Support Agencies –offers help to relatives and kin caregivers who are not caring for a dependent child

What are other resources for caregivers?  Voices of Children  Kinship Advocacy Day  Lifespan Respite Voucher Program  Washington State Park Pass Program  Seattle Aquarium Pass  Seattle Mariners We Are Family Event  Kinship Publications (see website above)  Kinship Care Oversight Committee  Grandparents Day

What are other resources for caregivers?  CA – first placement clothing voucher  Local clothing banks & furniture distribution  Sleep Country beds, school supplies, coats, shoes  Transportation services (mileage reimbursement)  Respite Care (cost covered by CA)  Sibling visitation activity fee reimbursements  Contact CA offices, Olive Crest and EWU, The Alliance for Child Welfare, Community Services Offices (CSO) and Kinship Caregiver Programs for other additional supports

When communicating with caregivers, one of the most powerful words you can use is:

Caregivers want to be appreciated... Thank you for helping us show how much we value them!