1. What works in child welfare Social worker contact The heart of the job

2. Today Social Worker Contact Build on what you already do Reinforce what you do that works Add a new idea or method Give you some tools

3. Agenda Focused Purposeful Contact Parent – Engage and motivate parents towards change Techniques for motivate parents Negotiation skills Children – New law – Engaging children by developmental age – Assessing for safety, permanency and well-being

4. Intro’s, what is good and what you want Name and what you do Most rewarding thing about your job One thing I want most from this workshop is..

6. With your group What do you already know about social work contacts? What do you already use that works to motivate your families? What have you seen others do that doesn’t work? What results would you like to see in your work?

7. What works? The relationship between the caseworker and the family Parent child visits Involvement of foster parents

8. Hubble Duncan & Miller (1999) APA 4 Common Factors in Treatment

9. Compare to fed study What specific actions work? -Establishing open, honest communication with parents -Requesting family participation and feedback in the planning process -Providing instruction and reinforcement in the performance and completing of mutually agreed upon activities. Family Reunification: What the Evidence Shows at www.childwelfare.gov

10. So lets start with the concept of motivation We have changes our thinking about it Used to think that they are motivated or not and there is not much you can do about it A person is motivated if they agree with the social worker Confrontation, Advice, or threats of consequences are the best way to bring about change

11. Let’s see if persuasion works Persuasion Exercise Explain why a participant should make a change. List at least 3 specific benefits to make this change Tell the participant how to change Emphasize how important it is for them to make the change Tell the person to do it!

12. Persuasion Exercise Part 2 Using an engagement motivational approach Ask “ Why do you want to make this change?” “How might you go about it in order to succeed?” “What are the 3 best reasons to do it?” Summarize what you heard? Ask “What will you do next?

13. Engagement is about Seeing the Motivators and Talking Motivators WII-FM

14. What are people’s motivators? They are deep, what really matters – Different strokes for different folks They can be what you are, want to be, dreams – They are how you engage people – How you facilitate hope – Reasons to make the change? What questions do you ask to find them?

15. Step one of Motivating people

16. Where to start Change is about the ERR Elicit Recognize Reinforce

17. Elicit How do you get people to talk! Open ended questions Questions the encourage discussion and leave a broad latitude for how to respond

18. Got it right when: They are the ones talking Let them do the heavy lifting

19. Requires us to be In the moment Thinking only about what they are saying

20. Then Explore and Recognize Reflect what you hear. Wonder with them, explore, look for ambivalence and reflect both sides Trust the process, this is actually faster Look for what has worked, build confidence, look for solutions

21. What if we are stuck on “I will not...” Focus on both your interest

22. Interest vs. Position Position is What I want – I want an orange – I don’t want to go to parents ed – I want my drugs Interest is Why I want it – Why the orange – What don’t you like about parent ed? – What does the drug do for you?

23. Lets look at an idea! One person is the boss one is the employee. Boss - your employee is often late. Please have a discussion about their tardiness and why is it is a problem for everyone. Also focus on how this seems to be a life pattern.

24. Lets try another way! The same players and same roles This time only take about the possible solutions to their tardiness. Ask how questions

25. Which was more successful? Changing behavior changes people Focus on what needs to happen Ask questions that look for solutions from their world

26. Solution Focused interviewing “When” rather than “If” Coping Questions Exception Seeking Questions Scaling questions Miracle Question

27. What questions can I ask that assess for safety, permanency and well- being and remember the child’s development

28. TOOL: Developmental Approach to Assessing Safety, Permanency and Well-being with families For each of the major child developmental groups – Quick reminder child development – ? assess well-being and permanency – ? To review Safety concern Age appropriate questions for worker to ask children in the home – ? Ask well-being – ? Ask Safety

29. Time One _ _ _ _ _ _ of time saves ONE HOUR

30. Time OneMinute of time saves ONE HOUR

31. Prepare Review plan, identify goals, plan questions Explore ( Elicit and recognize) Direction Recognize and Reinforce Wrap- up review & summarize

32. Let try it on Going to meet a mom Each table has a different age but the same story Develop the agenda for your meeting – What are her motivators – What questions would you ask, read list chose favorite

33. Tracy Smith 34 year old mom with one child living in the home. Was a victim of neglect due to parents addiction. 2 nd time in child welfare, both times for drug related neglect. Long history of drug use. Unrealistic expectations of children. Last time also a victim of DV. Just got new boyfriend. Mom has been clean for 60 days. One relapse in first month. Case plan is to be sober, demonstrate expectations related to development of her child

34. Contact with children

35. Please grab a marker and walk around the room and answer the questions on the wall.

36. Relationship of Caseworker Visits with Children and Outcomes in the CFSR A “strength” rating for caseworker visits with child was significantly associated with “substantially achieved” ratings for 5 of the 7 outcomes. Children are safely maintained in their homes when possible and appropriate. Children have permanency and stability in their living situations. The continuity of family relationships and connections is preserved for children. Children receive appropriate services to meet their educational needs. Children receive adequate services to meet their physical and mental health needs.

37. First Round of CFSR Relationship between Caseworker Visits with Children and Other Indicator Ratings in First Round of CFSR Significant relationships were also found between caseworker visits with children and... Achieving the permanency goal of other planned living arrangement Achieving placement with siblings Preserving children’s connections while in foster care Maintaining the child’s relationship with parents Assessing needs and providing services to children and families

38. First Round of CFSR Relationship between Caseworker Visits with Children and Other Indicator Ratings in First Round of CFSR Significant relationships were found between caseworker visits with children and... Providing services to protect children in the home and prevent removal Managing the risk of harm to children Establishing permanency goals Achieving reunification, guardianship and permanent placement with relatives

39. First Round of CFSR Relationship between Caseworker Visits with Children and Other Indicator Ratings in First Round of CFSR Finally, significant relationships were also found between caseworker visits with children and... Involving children and parents in case planning Caseworker visits with parents Meeting the educational needs of children Meeting the physical health needs of children Meeting the mental health needs of children

40. Child and Family Services Improvement Act of 2006  Requires at a minimum –  That children in care are seen at least once a month by their  case carrying worker  That the visits be purposeful and focus on issues pertinent to case planning, child safety, permanency and well-being  The majority of those visits occur in the child’s residence.

41. Federal Target At Least 90% Of Children in Care Are Visited Every Month 50% Or More Of The Visits Occur In The Home Goal by Oct 1, 2011

42. The Cycle of Conducting Purposeful and Meaningful Caseworker/Child Visits Preparation Engagement/ The Visit Assessment Commitments Next Steps

43. Step One: Preparation  Schedule visit. (Some unannounced visits?)  Review case information.  Identify issues related to safety, permanency and well-being.  Review case plan goal  Prepare an agenda –your goal and prepare questions.  Inform the child and caregiver about the agenda.  Prepare yourself. Worker/Child Contact

44. Step Two: Engagement/The Visit Warm-up Establishing the purpose of the visit Making the connection with the child –Alone time Gathering the information Worker/Child Contact

45. Activity: “Interpersonal Skills with Children” Think about a child who is of the age assigned your group. How can you demonstrate genuineness, empathy and respect in your work with him/her? Write one question engage the child

46. TOOL: Safety, Well-being and Permanency checklists For each of the major child developmental groups Questions for worker contact with caregivers – Assessing the caregiver’s ability to help the child through the transitions, parent child visits, etc. Age appropriate questions for worker contacts with children – Assessing the child’s transition, quality of out of home care

47. Ensuring Safety, Permanency and Well- Being: Suggestions for conducting contacts with children and caregivers Tool based on a child’s developmental age Suggestions on how to talk to the child about safety, permanency or well-being issues Look at your age group’s tool. What's different What’s the same

48. Step Three: Assessment and Commitments 1. Assessing information gathered during visit. 2. Making commitments and plans with the child. 3. Sharing information with the caregiver. Worker/Child Contact

49. Step Four: Next Steps 1. Consulting with supervisors and other experts. 2. Documenting visit. 3. Implementing case plan decision/services. 4. Beginning the preparation step for the next visit. Worker/Child Contact

50. Basic Elements 5 questions Who participated in the visit? What was the purpose of the visit? What type of contact Where did the visit occur? When did the visit occur? page 5

51. The w’s Who WHY What Who Where When

52. Let try it on Going to meet a child Each table has a different age but the same story Develop the agenda for your meeting – What is the purpose – ? To ask

53. What do you want to take back? What do you want to try? On what case? What would be the benefits? What would be the first steps, who could help you?

54. You are doing such important work!!!! Thank-you for what you do!