1 / 21

Cynthia Vincent, Shaye Moffat, Marie-Pierre Paquet, Robert Flynn, & Robyn Marquis

Asset-building and the Ontario Looking After Children (OnLAC) Project: Promoting resilient outcomes in young people in care. Cynthia Vincent, Shaye Moffat, Marie-Pierre Paquet, Robert Flynn, & Robyn Marquis Centre de recherche sur les services éducatifs et communitaires Université d’Ottawa

Download Presentation

Cynthia Vincent, Shaye Moffat, Marie-Pierre Paquet, Robert Flynn, & Robyn Marquis

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript


  1. Asset-building and the Ontario Looking After Children (OnLAC) Project:Promoting resilient outcomes in young people in care Cynthia Vincent, Shaye Moffat, Marie-Pierre Paquet, Robert Flynn, & Robyn Marquis Centre de recherche sur les services éducatifs et communitaires Université d’Ottawa Centre for Research on Educational & Community Services University of Ottawa (cvincent@uottawa.ca)

  2. OUTLINE • Background • Developmental Assets • OnLAC Project • The present OnLAC study • Method • Results • Implications for practice • Discussion with audience

  3. DEVELOPMENTAL ASSETS • Search Institute (www.search-institute.org) • 40 Developmental Assets • Developed from the best lessons from prevention, risk reduction, and resilience research (Scales, 1999)

  4. 20 External Assets: Support Empowerment Boundaries and expectations Constructive use of time 20 Internal Assets: Commitment to learning Positive values Social competencies Positive identity DEVELOPMENTAL ASSETS • External Assets and Internal Assets: • Offer protection • Promote resilience

  5. The Ontario Looking After Children Project (OnLAC) • Longitudinal study • Mandated in all 53 local CASs since 2006 • Goal: • to improve the quality of out-of-home care • to promote positive parenting to improve outcomes • Strengths-based • Supported by resilience research • Outcome focused • OnLAC + SAFE + PRIDE = Ontario Practice Model

  6. OnLAC Project • LAC developed in the UK in 1987 • Uses the Second Canadian Adaptation of the Assessment and Action Record (AAR-C2) • Search Institute’s Developmental Assets were adapted when incorporated into AAR-C2

  7. METHOD • Participants: (N = 713, in OnLAC yr 5) • 10 - 17 years old • 56% male, 44% female • Mean age 14 years • 85% in foster care (including kinship care) • 15% in group homes • 87% Crown Wards

  8. METHOD (continued) • Measures from OnLAC AAR-C2 (and sources of data): • Assets profile (CWW) • Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire - SDQ – Prosocial and Total Difficulties Scales (caregiver) • Academic performance (caregiver) • Self-esteem (young person in care) • Relationship with female caregiver (young person) • Placement satisfaction (young person) • Adverse life experiences since birth (young person)

  9. RESULTSPercentage of sample with varying levels of developmental assets (N = 713)

  10. RESULTSMean number of developmental assets,by gender 28.6 26.0 GENDER

  11. RESULTS Significant associations of developmental assets with the following outcomes: • Positive correlations: • Prosocial • Academic performance • Self-esteem • Relationship with female caregiver • Placement satisfaction • Negative correlations: • Psychological difficulties (SDQ Total Difficulties Score)

  12. RESULTSNet association (Betas) of predictors with SDQ Prosocial Score (N = 636) * Statistically significant association

  13. RESULTSNet association (Betas) of predictors with SDQ Total Difficulties Score (N = 636) * Statistically significant association

  14. RESULTSNet association (Betas) of predictors with Academic Performance (N = 666) .34* * Statistically significant association

  15. RESULTSNet association (Betas) of predictors with Self-esteem (N = 676) * Statistically significant association

  16. RESULTSNet association (Betas) of predictors with Relationship with Female Caregiver (N = 674) * Statistically significant association

  17. RESULTSNet association (Betas) of predictors with Placement Satisfaction (N = 693) * Statistically significant association

  18. DISCUSSION • Present study consistent with research: • Females have more assets (mean of 29 assets) • Males (mean of 26 assets) • More assets = better mental health, more prosocial behaviour, better academic performance • Assets offset risks • 31 assets contribute to maximum protection • Asset-building, combined with risk reduction, is especially effective

  19. IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE • Intervention strategies to offset risk factors: • Resources to support academic achievement • Positive relationships and social networks • Opportunities to participate in extracurricular activities • Participation in community • Nurture positive self-esteem and self-identity

  20. IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE • Intervention strategies continued: • Risk reduction • Provide opportunities for young people to build on their strengths • Identify specific assets to build into plans of care • Nurture the acquisition of developmental assets • Effective communication between young people, their caregivers and child welfare workers • Collaboration between home, school and community

  21. REFERENCES • Flynn, R. J., Ghazal, H., Legault, L. (2004). Looking After Children: Good Parenting, Good Outcomes, Assessment and Action Records. (Second Canadian adaptation, AAR-C2). Ottawa, ON, & London, UK: Centre for Research on community Services, University of Ottawa & Her Majesty’s Stationary Office (HMSO). • Masten, A. (2006). Promoting Resilience in development: A general framework for systems of care. In R. J. Flynn, P. M. Dudding & J. G. Barber (Eds.). Promoting resilience in child welfare (pp. 3-17). Ottawa: University of Ottawa Press. • Scales, P. C. (1999). Reducing risks and building developmental assets: Essential actions for promoting adolescent health. Journal of School Health. 69, 113-119. • Scales, P. C., Benson, P. L., Leffert, N., & Blyth, D. A. (2000). Contribution of developmental assets to the prediction of thriving among adolescents. Applied Developmental Science. 4, (1), 27-46.

More Related