2. FAMILY INTERACTION: THE EXPRESSWAY TO PERMANENCY - FACILITATING SUCCESSFUL VISITATION Prepared by: Prepared by: Norma M. Ginther, M.S.W., L.I.S.W. Norma M. Ginther, M.S.W., L.I.S.W. Jeffrey D. Ginther, J.D. Jeffrey D. Ginther, J.D. From From The Institute for Human Services The Institute for Human Services Prepared for: Prepared for: Western Wisconsin Training Partnership Western Wisconsin Training Partnership At The University of Wisconsin At The University of Wisconsin River Falls, Wisconsin River Falls, Wisconsin

3. WELCOME Who are you? Who are you? Why do you see your family? Why do you see your family? What do you need? What do you need?

4. Hess, P. & Proch, K. (1988). Family visiting in out-of-home care: A guide to practice. Pine, B., Warsh, R., & Maluccio, A. (eds.) (1933). Together again: Family reunification in foster care. National Resource Center for Foster Care & Permanency Planning (2003), in the article Visiting Between Children in Care and Their Families: A look at Current policy. C.H. Neuman (1997).

5. FAMILY INTERACTION Without family interaction parent/child relationship deteriorates Without family interaction parent/child relationship deteriorates Loss greatest emotional trauma Loss greatest emotional trauma Reduces negative affects Reduces negative affects Reduces fantasies/fears Reduces fantasies/fears Reduces self-blame Reduces self-blame Immediate, regular, and increased Immediate, regular, and increased Length? – age/need for protection Length? – age/need for protection Least restrictive Least restrictive Minimum – multiple times per week Minimum – multiple times per week

6. Child expresses need Relaxation Security/ Attachment Arousal Caregiver Meets Need Fahlberg, Vera I. (1991) The Importance of Attachment: 0-3 Fahlberg, Vera I. (1991)

8. 1. Reassurance – reduce fear of separation 2. Assessment –observe attachment, develop plan, teach family, and assess family’s progress. 3. Treatment – engage family in active treatment, test and build attachment. 4. Documentation – Justify return to home or termination of parental rights.

9. Optimizing Family Interaction Surest way to assess strengths/needs Surest way to assess strengths/needs Teaching tool for caseworkers to model Teaching tool for caseworkers to model Minimize risk. Minimize risk. Never do anything for a child, a parent can do. Never do anything for a child, a parent can do. Evaluate why children or parents withdraw. Evaluate why children or parents withdraw. Keep and encourage family traditions. Keep and encourage family traditions. Make life books. Make life books. Caseworkers must assess their commitment level and why it’s there. Caseworkers must assess their commitment level and why it’s there. Specifically recruit foster parents to work with birth parents. Specifically recruit foster parents to work with birth parents.

10. SIBLINGS ARE IMPORTANT Place together or in close proximity Place together or in close proximity Use sibling placement contracts. Use sibling placement contracts. Assist foster parent with parentified sibling. Assist foster parent with parentified sibling. Don’t strip the role of the parentified sibling. Don’t strip the role of the parentified sibling.

11. AGENCY RESOURCES COMMITTED Agency makes sure family interaction takes place and following guidelines are met: A required well developed, written Family Interaction plan Family Interaction held to same level as case plan Policy concerning expectations of agency Correlate high caseloads and lack of family interaction Provide assistance to caseworkers Provide varied hours of operation A comfortable and relaxed environment Offer financial assistance to parents with limited resources.

12. ASSUMPTIONS 1.Agency assures well-planned family interaction. 2. Family interaction is not a reward or punishment. 3. All planning should involve all members of the Primary Care Team.

13. Basic Elements of Family Interaction Plan Frequency Frequency Length of time Length of time Location Location Supervision Supervision Participants Participants Support Services Support Services Activities Activities Case identification information Case identification information Reasons for child being in care, risk to the child, ways to protect child if child needs to be protected. Reasons for child being in care, risk to the child, ways to protect child if child needs to be protected.

14. Roles and Responsibilities Regarding Family Interaction

15. Caseworkers’ Role/Responsibility Develop, implement and revise plan. Develop, implement and revise plan. Prioritize facilitation of plan. Prioritize facilitation of plan. Support the parent, foster family and child. Support the parent, foster family and child. Inform parent of their responsibilities. Inform parent of their responsibilities. Assess family attachment and extended family connection. Assess family attachment and extended family connection. Evaluate success of plan. Evaluate success of plan. Supervise Family Interaction, if needed. Supervise Family Interaction, if needed. Work with child and parent over setbacks in plan. Work with child and parent over setbacks in plan. Provide conflict resolution to the plan. Provide conflict resolution to the plan. Stress to all that safety is sole responsibility of parent. Stress to all that safety is sole responsibility of parent.

16. Parents’ Role/Responsibility Insure emotional and physical safety and well-being of child. Insure emotional and physical safety and well-being of child. Provide or support transportation, Provide or support transportation, whenever possible. Attend Family Interaction as scheduled. Attend Family Interaction as scheduled. Call in advance to cancel and discuss cancellation with child. Call in advance to cancel and discuss cancellation with child. Take on parental role to meet child’s Take on parental role to meet child’sneeds. Respond to direction during visits. Respond to direction during visits. Follow agreed-to rules and conditions. Follow agreed-to rules and conditions.

17. Foster Families’ Role/Responsibility Assist or provide transportation of child. Assist or provide transportation of child. Have regular on-going contact with parent. Have regular on-going contact with parent. Permit Family Interaction in foster homes. Permit Family Interaction in foster homes. Active in arranging Family Interaction. Active in arranging Family Interaction. Document behavior before, during, and after. Document behavior before, during, and after. Encourage contact and support child. Encourage contact and support child. Have child ready to participate. Have child ready to participate. Pack clothing and other essentials for overnight. Pack clothing and other essentials for overnight. Help child accept separation from parent – life book opportunities. Help child accept separation from parent – life book opportunities. Notify caseworker of any unplanned activity that occurs. Notify caseworker of any unplanned activity that occurs.

18. CONTACT MUST BE CHILD SPECIFIC Child’s ability to self-care Child’s ability to self-care Family’s willingness/ability to get help Family’s willingness/ability to get help Child’s request for and reaction to visits Child’s request for and reaction to visits Divided loyalty/chaos at home Divided loyalty/chaos at home Developmentally appropriate activities Developmentally appropriate activities Therapeutic needs of child Therapeutic needs of child Consider child’s schedule Consider child’s schedule

19. Parent/Child Relationship Neglect Lack of knowledge Lack of knowledge Immature Immature Ambivalent Ambivalent Living conditions – poor Living conditions – poor Rejection/unwilling Rejection/unwilling

20. Parent/Child Relationship Physical Abuse Inability to manage anger Inability to manage anger Limited child management skills Limited child management skills Philosophical commitment to corporal punishment. Philosophical commitment to corporal punishment.

21. PARENT/CHILD RELATIONSHIP SEXUAL ABUSE Different from physical abuse/neglect – it is the disabling condition Different from physical abuse/neglect – it is the disabling condition Not curable, can be managed Not curable, can be managed Child contact with the perpetrator with should be based on the child’s therapy Child contact with the perpetrator with should be based on the child’s therapy Support non-offending parent to build attachment for child and receive counseling Support non-offending parent to build attachment for child and receive counseling Supervise until non-offending parent takes responsibility for safety of child Supervise until non-offending parent takes responsibility for safety of child Watch for failure to protect. Watch for failure to protect.

22. Special Conditions Affecting the Parent Drug or alcohol addiction Drug or alcohol addiction Incarceration Incarceration Parental non-compliance Parental non-compliance with Family Interaction Issues of foster parents Issues of foster parents * Extra supports to assist parent * Putting aside biases

23. Phases of Family Interaction I.Initial I.Initial II.Middle II.Middle III.Transitional III.Transitional

24. Initial Phase Characteristics: Builds relations Builds relations Assessment/Goal setting Assessment/Goal setting Two-Four weeks Two-Four weeks People uncomfortable People uncomfortable Pressure on child Pressure on child Close supervision Close supervision Supervisor plays important roles Supervisor plays important roles Levels of supervision – fade in/out Levels of supervision – fade in/out

25. Middle Phase Characteristics: Responsibility shifts agency to parent Responsibility shifts agency to parent Work toward goals Work toward goals Activities chosen to provide learning/practice Activities chosen to provide learning/practice Collaboration of agencies Collaboration of agencies Timing and reconnection assessed Timing and reconnection assessed Consider change in arrangements Consider change in arrangements More often/longer More often/longer Time – months to years Time – months to years

26. Transition Phase Characteristics: Case goal in sight Secure services after return Plan ahead Maximize contact Evaluate remaining stressors

27. Transition Phase Alternative Permanent Placement Three Critical Messages: Three Critical Messages: I love you I love you I can’t take care of you I can’t take care of you I give you permission to love I give you permission to love someone else  Video and/or letter  Parents role changes