“Promoting Placement Stability through Caseworker/Child Visits” Presented by

1. “Promoting Placement Stability through Caseworker/Child Visits” Presented by

2. Learning Objectives • Recognize the relationship between caseworker/child visits and placement stability and permanency. • List the laws and policies related to worker/child visits. • Explain the impact of foster care placement on attachment. • Explain the three elements of an empowering approach to child welfare practice to achieve placement stability and permanency. • Describe three interpersonal helping skills. • Explain three elements of assessment.

3. Learning Objectives • Explain the difference between open and close-ended questions. • Describe how encouraging, paraphrasing, and summarizing skills can promote effective helping relationships. • Define the three areas of assessment; safety, well being and permanency for caseworker/child visits. • Describe the four steps of a caseworker/child, youth and foster family visit. • Name how and where to document a visit. • Demonstrate planning for a caseworker/child, youth and foster family visit.

4. MODULE ONE Setting the Stage – Reviewing the Current Federal and State Welfare Mandates

5. Introductions • Meet people you do not know. • Each participant should share one strength they have when conducting worker/child visits, and • One challenge they face when they conduct these visits.

6. Major ASFA themes The Adoption and Safe Families Act (ASFA) was designed to promote safety, well-being and permanency. ASFA also identified circumstances under which reasonable efforts to reunify are not required and shortened the timeframe for initiating proceedings for the termination of parental rights. In addition, ASFA provided incentive payments to states to encourage adoption of children out of foster care. (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 2003).

7. Child and Family Services Improvement Act 2006 • States must have standards for the content and frequency of caseworker visits for children in foster care. • Minimum standards are: • Monthly contact • Well-planned and focused on safety, permanency and well-being • Majority of visits occur in the home where the child resides

8. Goals of ASFA and Child Welfare • Safety • Permanency • Well-Being • How do you think worker/child visits helps us reach our goals and outcomes?

9. Relationship of Caseworker Visits with Children and Other Outcomes in First Round of CFSR A “strength” rating for Item 19 (caseworker visits with child) was significantly associated with “substantially achieved” ratings for 5 of the 7 outcomes. National Resource Center for Family Centered Practice and Permanency Planning

10. Relationship betweenCaseworker Visits with Childrenand 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

11. Relationship betweenCaseworker Visits with Childrenand Other Indicator Ratings in First Round of CFSR Achieving goal of other planned living arrangement 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 Significant relationships were also found between caseworker visits with children and . . .

12. Relationship betweenCaseworker Visits with Childrenand Other Indicator Ratings in First Round of CFSR 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 Finally, significant relationships were also found between caseworker visits with children and . . .

13. State’s CFSR data of 2007Insert your agency’s data

14. Contact Standards for Monitoring the Child in CareInsert your agency’s standards or policies

15. Child feels discomfort Child expresses discomfort Child feels comfortable Parent comforts child (need is met) The Circle of Attachment

16. Attachment and Bonds • Secure attachment: an exclusive attachment made between children and their contingent, sensitive caregivers, who provide nurture, comfort, buffering, shared exploration, and help. Parents represent a secure base for exploration. • Examples of secure attachment from a child’s point of view are: • My parents come back. They are reliable. • I can depend on my parents and people whom they entrust to educate and spend time with me. • I want to please my parents most of the time. • I am rewarded for being competent, for my curiosity, and for my positive states. • I can get help with psychologically overwhelming events and feelings. • Parents teach me how to cope with problems and to solve them. • Intimacy is enjoyable. • Bonds: Close relationships which tend to be formed with teachers, friends, and others who have shared experiences and emotions. (Gray, 2007)

17. Ways to Encourage Attachment • Responding to Arousal/Relaxation Cycle • Using child’s tantrum to encourage attachment • Responding to child when he is physically ill • Helping child express and cope with feelings • Share child’s excitement about her achievement • Initiating Positive Interaction • Making affectionate overtures; hugs, kisses, physical closeness • Reading and playing games with the child • Helping child with homework • Going to fun events together • Saying, “I love you” • Teaching the child about extended family and culture • Claiming Behaviors • Encouraging the child to call parents “mom” and “dad” • Hanging pictures of child in the house • Including child in family rituals • Buying clothes • Involving in religious or rite of passage events

18. My Name is Jennifer • Meeting a child’s attachment needs. • Review worksheet with statements by Jennifer. • In your teams determine • What does Jennifer’s statement indicate she felt about her attachments? • What could be done to help her be more securely attached?

19. Module Two An Empowering Approach to Child Welfare Practice

20. The Evolving Service Plan Agreement Type of Agreement • Dialogue- • Relationship Agreement; • Conducting Strengths Based Assessments; • Agreement to form a working relationship and define direction; • Agreement to explore the situation, assess strengths/needs, and resources available. • Discovery- • Agreement for Change – Develop Service Plan; • Agreement on service plan. • Development- • Agreement to conclude the worker-client relationship as plan has been achieved.

21. Interpersonal Building Blocks of Caseworker/Client Relationship • Genuineness: Being real, being yourself; verbal and non-verbal behaviors match; being spontaneous and non-defensive. • Empathy: Communicating understanding; connecting with feelings; recognizing non-verbal cues; discussing what is important to the client; showing a desire to understand their feelings. • Respect: Showing commitment; communicating warmth and suspending critical judgment; applauding the client’s resiliency.

22. Working with Different Ages Think about a child who is of the age as the picture on your table How can you demonstrate genuineness, empathy and respect in your work with him/her.

23. Information Gathering: The element of assessment considers underlying conditions contributing factors that influence an individual’s strengths and needs Elements of Assessment

24. Analysis: Review of underlying conditions and contributing factors These two elements influence an individual’s strengths and needs and impact upon the strategy or intervention chosen. Elements of Assessment

25. Decision Making: The strategy is dependent upon ascertaining what needs are being met by the present state of functioning the individual’s view and feelings of her/his issue or situation. Elements of Assessment

26. Module Three Developmental Approach to Assessing Safety, Permanency and Well Being

27. Infants Toddlers Pre-School School-Age Early Adolescence Middle Adolescence Late Adolescence Developmental Milestones

28. Child Development - Infancy Trust vs. Mistrust Stage • Do not understand change • Attachment is critical • Communication limited • Interferes with development • Adults must cope for child • Separation is immediate and permanent

29. Child Development - Toddler Autonomy vs. Shame/Doubt Stage • Regression and Fear • They control the world • Forms attachments to others • Adults must cope for the child • May see foster care as punishment • Must be helped to learn new home • Days = permanency

30. Child Development - Preschooler Identity and Power Stage • Magical thinking • Does not understand cause and effect • Forms attachments to adults and other children • Needs help coping • Self blame – Acting Out Fears • Weeks = permanency

31. Child Development – School Age Industry versus Inferiority Stage • A concrete world • Months are permanent • Self esteem tied to family • Foster child is “different” • Compare parents • Friends are important • Perception may be distorted • Needs to know “rules”

32. Child Development - Adolescent Identity versus Role Confusion Stage • Adult understanding • Decision making • Adults as role models • Emotional and body changes • Moral development • Future, emancipation • Ambivalence about family • Help with conflicts

33. Less “USEFUL” QUESTIONS • Begin with “Why?” implies blame; presumes insight into problem • Can be answered “yes” or “no” -- because then it’s your turn again already • End with a tag like “don’t you?” or “right?” “You want to be sober, don’t you?”

34. THE MOST “USEFUL” QUESTIONS • Use “WHEN…” rather than “IF…” • Ask OPEN-ENDED Questions YES or NO

35. CONSIDER USING OPEN-ENDED LEADS… “Tell me more about…”

36. Let’s focus on solutions: Asking “HOW” questions. Examples: • “How can you tell? How do you know this?” • “How did you do it before… ?” • “How would that be for you/ your children…?”

37. TRY ASKING “W” QUESTIONS Begin with “Wh…” What? Who? When? Where? (but not Why?)

38. Ask questions in a way that demonstrates empathy and compassion. Acknowledge your understanding of the pain, fear or frustration that the family member may be experiencing. It also helps point out that they are, in fact, doing the best job they can, given the circumstances Strategy: Coping Questions

39. Strategy: Exception-Seeking Questions • Elicit information that addresses how a problematic situation might have been different. • These questions allow the receiver to talk about their successes (strengths). • Exceptions are the building blocks of success. • They shrink the problem. Exceptions focus on the possibilities.

40. Strategy: Scaling Questions • Assessment tool • Helps assess the issue in a concrete way • Leads to solutions -- planning the next steps, one step at a time

41. Strategy: The Miracle Question • Help them remember • What would it look like, be like, feel like? • They need to see it • Once they see the vision they can go there

42. Interview • Watch the demonstration • Answer these questions • What questions and strategies were used? • What are the strengths on this interviewer? • What did the interviewer do for each type of agreement: • Dialogue • Discover • Development • Use Worksheet • Be prepared to provide feedback in your role as a supervisor as to strengths and improvements.

43. Interviewing Children • Each table has one developmental age group assigned to the group. • Review the Interview Checklist for that age group. • Assume that Jennifer is the age that your group is assigned. • Given her age what questions or activities would you do in the “Discovery” phase? Assessment: Information gathering, analysis, decision making. Include questions you would have for her caregiver.

44. Other Factors that Impact Children • What things must a worker consider besides the child’s developmental age when planning to conduct an interview with the child? • What makes this child unique? • Age • Other?

45. Children’s Reaction to Grief and Loss • Separation is always traumatic • Child’s reaction will vary according to her current attachments • Uncertainty hampers a child’s ability to cope • Children who are in trauma stop or regress on their developmental tasks • There are no set patterns of reactions • Yearning is a dominate characteristic

46. Shock and Denial • Child seems indifferent or in shell shock • May not show emotions or appear to be emotionally unattached • May try to please the adults – honeymoon period • Is in denial – mom will come and get me • Be careful not to misinterpret the child’s initial response to placement

47. Anger or Protest • Loss can no longer be denied • First emotional response occurs • Anger may be directionless or directed at the person the child believes is responsible • Guilt and blame – child may blame himself • May hurt self, others, property • Oppositional behaviors

48. Bargaining • Trying to regain control of their life • Promises to be better if… • Bargaining with person in power • Eager to please • Try to undue what the child believes caused the abuse or placement • Trying to prevent final loss

49. Depression • Expression of despair and futility • Fear, panic and hopelessness • Touchy and out of sorts • Listless, without energy • Regression in behaviors and skills • Emotional or physical symptoms • Even young child think of suicide or try to harm themselves

50. Resolution • Child believes the loss is final • Younger children may believe other family is dead • Child tries to attach to caregiving family • Child may feel loyalty bonds • Child behaviors become normal • If child detaches from birth family and reunification is still the plan Resolution can be a problem • The younger the child the quicker this stage is usually reached. • All time lines MUST be on the child’s developmental clock.