1. 301:Engaging Clients from a Strength-Based, Solution-Focused Perspective

2. 301:Engaging Clients from A Strength-Based, Solution-Focused Perspective The Pennsylvania Child Welfare Resource Center 2 Learning Objectives: Identify the conditions for establishing effective engagement with clients; Connect the engagement process with the appropriate application of protective authority to establish the collaborative/protective partnership; Identify the elements of the solution-focused intervention model that distinguish it from the more typical problem-focused approach; Identify seven key solution-focused strategies; Identify the appropriate use of solution- focused skills and questions; and Identify opportunities to implement the solution-focused interviewing and intervention approach with child welfare clients.

3. 301:Engaging Clients from A Strength-Based, Solution-Focused Perspective The Pennsylvania Child Welfare Resource Center 3 Agenda Brief Introductions and Workshop Overview Engagement in the Context of Strength-Based Child Welfare Practice Protective Authority Introduction to the Solution-Focused Approach: History, Values and the 7 Key Strategies Introduction to the Solution-Focused Foundational Skills and Questions Demonstration of the Strength-Based, Solution-Focused Strategies and Skills Summary and Transfer of Learning Evaluation and Closing

4. 301:Engaging Clients from A Strength-Based, Solution-Focused Perspective The Pennsylvania Child Welfare Resource Center 4 Professionalism: Professional Practice Clear Mission Shared Values Practice Standards Relevant Knowledge and Skill Results-oriented Self-assessment Ongoing Improvement Professional Interview Give and get information Initiate/maintain client engagement Initiate/sustain movement toward solutions

5. 301:Engaging Clients from A Strength-Based, Solution-Focused Perspective The Pennsylvania Child Welfare Resource Center 5 Strengths What people have learned about themselves, others and their world Personal qualities, traits and virtues What people know about the world around them The talents people have Cultural and personal stories and lore Pride The community

6. 301:Engaging Clients from A Strength-Based, Solution-Focused Perspective The Pennsylvania Child Welfare Resource Center 6 Types of Strengths Mitigating Strengths: protect children from threats to safety Risk-Reducing Strengths: reduce the likelihood of maltreatment in the future Well-Being Related Strengths: serve to enhance or support the family’s overall quality of life Neutral Strengths: positive qualities or conditions in the family that do not directly act to mitigate safety threats, reduce risk or enhance well-being

7. 301:Engaging Clients from A Strength-Based, Solution-Focused Perspective The Pennsylvania Child Welfare Resource Center 7 Engagement Engage: to obtain or contract for; to obtain and hold the attention of; to pledge or promise; to interlock or cause to mesh (The American Heritage Dictionary).

8. 301:Engaging Clients from A Strength-Based, Solution-Focused Perspective The Pennsylvania Child Welfare Resource Center 8 Engagement: Process & Outcome Engagement is both a process and an outcome. It requires the effective and balanced use of helping skills and protective authority It produces an ongoing worker/client relationship that results in the pursuit and accomplishment of agreed upon goals (ASFA + client goals)

9. 301:Engaging Clients from A Strength-Based, Solution-Focused Perspective The Pennsylvania Child Welfare Resource Center 9 Promoting Effective Engagement Tuning-in to Self and Others Focused Listening Clarification of Role and Purpose Respect Clear and Accurate Response to Client Questions Honesty Dependability Identification and Support of Client Strengths Seeking to Understand the Client’s Point of View Culturally Sensitive Practice Connecting Agency Goals with Client Goals Investment in Client Success Outcomes-Oriented Practice Regular Feedback Confrontation Demand for Work

10. 301:Engaging Clients from A Strength-Based, Solution-Focused Perspective The Pennsylvania Child Welfare Resource Center 10 Protective Authority Protective Authority is the application of helping and/or coercive strategies that result in client acceptance of CYS intervention and effective client engagement leading to the assurance of child safety, reduction of risk of maltreatment, promotion of well-being and timely permanence. And /or

11. 301:Engaging Clients from A Strength-Based, Solution-Focused Perspective The Pennsylvania Child Welfare Resource Center 11 Protective Authority is a Continuum that Requires Balance and Flexibility Clarifying/ Helping Clarifying/ Helping Confronting/ Forced Choice Confronting/ Forced Choice Police/ Courts: Removal/ TPR Police/ Courts: Removal/ TPR LowModerateHigh Balance/Flexibility = Engagement & Protective Partnership

12. 301:Engaging Clients from A Strength-Based, Solution-Focused Perspective The Pennsylvania Child Welfare Resource Center 12 Avoiding Authority Extremes “Nice” Stance: submissive Concern: conflict Client potential: ambivalent Authority: minimizes Goal for client: cooperation Style: inconsistent

13. 301:Engaging Clients from A Strength-Based, Solution-Focused Perspective The Pennsylvania Child Welfare Resource Center 13 Avoiding Authority Extremes “Tough” Stance: superior Concern: loss of control Client potential: pessimistic Authority: heavy Goal for client: compliance Style: inflexible

14. 301:Engaging Clients from A Strength-Based, Solution-Focused Perspective The Pennsylvania Child Welfare Resource Center 14 Solution-Focused Core Principles If what you are doing doesn’t work, stop doing it and do something else. If what you are doing is working, do more of it.

15. 301:Engaging Clients from A Strength-Based, Solution-Focused Perspective The Pennsylvania Child Welfare Resource Center 15 Problem Model vs. Solution Model The Problem-Focused Model The practitioner is the expert. Practitioner must figure out the type of client problem and the related solution. The “Problem” is seen as real and separate from the client as a whole person; the client is “labeled”. The job of the professional is to know about various problems, have assessment procedures and present interventions for client compliance.

16. 301:Engaging Clients from A Strength-Based, Solution-Focused Perspective The Pennsylvania Child Welfare Resource Center 16 Problem Model vs. Solution Model The Solution-Focused Model The client is the expert about his/her life. Practitioner must facilitate client solution building. Solutions emerge without connection to the specific related problem. The “problem” does not exist apart from the client as a whole person in context. The job of the professional is to understand the direction that the client wants to go, identify the supporting strengths and co-construct solutions that promote family and ASFA goals.

17. 301:Engaging Clients from A Strength-Based, Solution-Focused Perspective The Pennsylvania Child Welfare Resource Center 17 Contrasting Types of Questions Problem Questions What is the worst this problem has been? What’s going on during those bad times? Can you think of anything you are doing to set him off? Have you thought about getting treatment for this problem? Solution Questions Tell me about the times when this problem is a little bit better? How did you make this happen? What are you doing differently during those times when things are a little bit better? What would your best friend (mother, child, etc.) tell you when things are going a little bit better for you?

18. 301:Engaging Clients from A Strength-Based, Solution-Focused Perspective The Pennsylvania Child Welfare Resource Center 18 7 Key Solution-Focused Strategies 1. Identifying strengths in a problem situation. 2. Exploring past successes. 3. Finding & using exceptions to the problem. 4. Facilitating a positive vision of the future. 5. Developing Action Steps. 6. Scaling questions. 7. Encouraging commitment.

19. 301:Engaging Clients from A Strength-Based, Solution-Focused Perspective The Pennsylvania Child Welfare Resource Center 19 Types of Useful Questions: Exceptions Exceptions are those occasions in clients’ lives when their problems could have occurred but did not – or at least were less severe. Exception questions focus on who, what, when and where (the conditions that helped the exception to occur) - NOT WHY; exceptions should be related to client goals.

20. 301:Engaging Clients from A Strength-Based, Solution-Focused Perspective The Pennsylvania Child Welfare Resource Center 20 Types of Useful Questions: Coping Coping questions are related in a way to exploring for exceptions. They attempt to help the client shift his/her focus away from the problem elements and toward what the client is doing to survive the painful or stressful circumstances.

21. 301:Engaging Clients from A Strength-Based, Solution-Focused Perspective The Pennsylvania Child Welfare Resource Center 21 Types of Useful Questions: Indirect or Relationship Indirect/Relationship questions invite the client to consider how others might feel or respond to some aspect of the client’s life, behavior or future changes. Indirect questions can be useful in asking the client to reflect on narrow or faulty perceptions without the worker directly challenging those perceptions or behaviors.

22. 301:Engaging Clients from A Strength-Based, Solution-Focused Perspective The Pennsylvania Child Welfare Resource Center 22 Types of Useful Questions: Scaling Scaling questions invite the clients to put their observations, impressions, and predictions on a scale from 0 to 10, with “0” being no chance, and “10” being every chance. Questions need to be specific, citing specific times and circumstances.

23. 301:Engaging Clients from A Strength-Based, Solution-Focused Perspective The Pennsylvania Child Welfare Resource Center 23 Types of Useful Questions: Miracle The “Miracle Question” is the opening piece of the process of developing well-formed goals. It gives clients permission to think about an unlimited range of possibilities for change. It begins to move the focus away from their current and past problems and toward a more satisfying life.

24. 301:Engaging Clients from A Strength-Based, Solution-Focused Perspective The Pennsylvania Child Welfare Resource Center 24 Posing the Miracle Question “Now, I want to ask you a different kind of question. I want you to imagine a time in the future when the problem which brought you to the attention of CYS is solved. All the present barriers are gone. So, when this miracle happens what will be different that will tell you that this positive future has happened and the problem is solved?” (adapted from de Shazer, 1988)

25. 301:Engaging Clients from A Strength-Based, Solution-Focused Perspective The Pennsylvania Child Welfare Resource Center 25 Follow-up Questions to the Miracle Question Through follow-up questions, the interviewer further extends and amplifies the impact of the miracle by a series of questions designed to guide the client in exploring the implications of the miracle in the client’s life. “What might others notice about you that would tell them that the miracle has happened, that things are different or better?” “Have there been times when you have seen pieces of this miracle/positive future happen?”

26. 301:Engaging Clients from A Strength-Based, Solution-Focused Perspective The Pennsylvania Child Welfare Resource Center 26 Dialogue I: Review High Authority 2 Asking about change, difference or exceptions 3,5 2 Asking for client feedback 10,11 3 Asking for information about a problem 6,8,13 2 Clarification of purpose or role 2,14 0 Demonstrating understanding of the client’s words and feelings 1 Reinforcing client strengths and accomplishments 4 0 Scaling and scaling follow-up questions 4 Confrontation 7,9,12,12 3 Explaining actual or possible consequences of client behavior,12,14,15 2 Demand for work 15,16 0 Summarizing 1 Planning next steps 17 2 Asking about change, difference or exceptions 3,5 2 Asking for client feedback 10,11 3 Asking for information about a problem 6,8,13 2 Clarification of purpose or role 2,14 0 Demonstrating understanding of the client’s words and feelings 1 Reinforcing client strengths and accomplishments 4 0 Scaling and scaling follow-up questions 4 Confrontation 7,9,12,12 3 Explaining actual or possible consequences of client behavior,12,14,15 2 Demand for work 15,16 0 Summarizing 1 Planning next steps 17

27. 301:Engaging Clients from A Strength-Based, Solution-Focused Perspective The Pennsylvania Child Welfare Resource Center 27 Comparison of Interview Styles Question/Statement TypeOneTwo Asking for information about change, difference or exceptions28 Asking for client feedback28 Asking for information about a problem37 Clarification of purpose or role24 Understanding client’s words and feelings03 Reinforcing client strengths and accomplishments15 Scaling and scaling follow-up questions04 Confrontation42 Explaining actual or possible consequences30 Demand for work24 Summarizing01 Planning next steps 11

28. 301:Engaging Clients from A Strength-Based, Solution-Focused Perspective The Pennsylvania Child Welfare Resource Center 28 Problem Wagon Problem Wagon ASFA GOALS: Safety Permanence Well-being Timeliness

29. 301:Engaging Clients from A Strength-Based, Solution-Focused Perspective The Pennsylvania Child Welfare Resource Center 29 Strength/Problem Wagon Strengths/Problem Wagon ASFA GOALS: Safety Permanence Well-being Timeliness

30. 301:Engaging Clients from A Strength-Based, Solution-Focused Perspective The Pennsylvania Child Welfare Resource Center 30 Solution Wagon Solution Wagon ASFA GOALS: Safety Permanence Well-being Timeliness

31. 301:Engaging Clients from A Strength-Based, Solution-Focused Perspective The Pennsylvania Child Welfare Resource Center 31 Summary of Key Concepts Prepare to be Strength-Based and Solution-Focused. Clarify your role and the purpose of your meeting or interview. Listen and seek to understand the client’s perceptions. Look for client/family strengths. Negotiate an agreement to do the work. Use the least intrusive effective level of protective authority. Identify and develop clear goals. Use scaling questions to assess and build client confidence and commitment. Work on developing small steps toward goals. Support progress and work to overcome barriers. Celebrate accomplishments. Check: Was the interview a professional interview?. Prepare to be Strength-Based and Solution-Focused. Clarify your role and the purpose of your meeting or interview. Listen and seek to understand the client’s perceptions. Look for client/family strengths. Negotiate an agreement to do the work. Use the least intrusive effective level of protective authority. Identify and develop clear goals. Use scaling questions to assess and build client confidence and commitment. Work on developing small steps toward goals. Support progress and work to overcome barriers. Celebrate accomplishments. Check: Was the interview a professional interview?.

32. 301:Engaging Clients from A Strength-Based, Solution-Focused Perspective The Pennsylvania Child Welfare Resource Center 32 WHAT SBSFA CAN & CAN’T DO No model can give you more time to do your job. However, the SBSFA can help to focus your time and energy in the direction of behaviors and tasks that are sharply focused on the mission of child welfare, on unit performance and the most critical elements of your role. *BE CURIOUS *BE PATIENT *GROW YOUR COMPETENCIES *TRY OUT NEW KNOWLEDGE & SKILLS