Family to Family Northeast/Midwest Conference November 7-8, 2007 (Dearborn, Michigan)

1. Family to Family Northeast/Midwest ConferenceNovember 7-8, 2007(Dearborn, Michigan) The Intersection of Child Welfare and Immigration

2. Workshop Objectives • To learn about organizations available to provide technical assistance. • To provide an overview of issues facing child welfare staff in working with immigrant families. • To promote improved partnerships with community-based agencies serving immigrants. • To learn about the New York City model for serving immigrant families.

3. Facilitator: Yali Lincroft,Pacific Region Family to Family Consultant/Immigration Liaison, yalilincroft@yahoo.com Presenters: Ken Borelli,Former Deputy Director for Santa Clara County, California and Co-author of Special Immigrant Juvenile Status (SIJS) Legislation and Consultant to Family to Family, kjosephb@aol.com Rene Velasquez,Pacific Region Family to Family Consultant, velasquezrene@hotmail.com Mark Lewis, Director, Immigration Services, Association of Children’s Services, New York, Mark.Lewis@dfa.state.ny.us

4. About the Migration and Child Welfare National Network (MCWNN) MCWNN Leading Members: American Bar Association Center on Children and the LawAmerican Humane AssociationAnnie E. Casey FoundationBRYCS/US Conference of Catholic BishopsCasey Family ProgramsChild Welfare League of America Family Violence Prevention FundImmigrant Legal Resource Center Loyola University of Chicago Hunter CollegeUniversity of Illinois at Chicago/Jane Addams School of Social WorkUniversity of Texas (also public child welfare agencies in Chicago, Los Angeles, New York, Fresno, Washington DC) Membership is free. To join, go to http://www.americanhumane.org/site/DocServer/CWMNN_Membership_Form.pdf?docID=5401

5. Statement Adopted by the Migration and Child Welfare National Network (MCWNN) “Child welfare services should be available to all children regardless of immigration status”“Federal, state, and local policies should encourage full integration of immigrant families into US society through an expanded delivery of child welfare services” To join the Migration and Child Welfare Network, please email CWMN@americanhumane.org or go to http://www.americanhumane.org/site/PageServer?pagename=pc_initiatives_migration

6. Resources on Immigrants and Child Welfare from the Annie E Casey Foundation • http://www.f2f.ca.gov • Recruitment Resources • Guidelines for Child Welfare Staff in Working with Immigrant Families • Sample MOUs with Mexico • Email yalilincroft@yahoo.com to join the immigration/child welfare listserv

7. Statistics on Immigrant Children and Families

8. Immigration in the United States • The United States has long been considered a land of immigrants. • The peak of immigration occurred in the 1890s, (15% of the total population, 9.25 million foreign-born in 1890) • We are now in a second peak (11.5% of total population, 32.5 million foreign born in 2002)

9. Growth in Foreign-Born Population • Immigrants are: • 1 in 9 US residents; • 1 in 7 US workers; • 1 in 5 low wage workers; • 1 in 2 new workers. Source: “A Quick Look at US Immigrants: Demographics, Workforce and Asset Building” by the National Conference of State Legislators (June 2004) http://www.ncsl.org/programs/immig/immigstatistics0605.htm

10. Growth in Foreign-Born Population • 21% of children in the US is an immigrant or has an immigrant parent. • 80% of the children in immigrant families are US citizen. • 30% of US children without health insurance is in an immigrant family. • The proportion of students in US schools who are children of immigrants more than tripled from 1970-2000, from 6 to 20% (will be 30% by 2015). Source: “Kids Count Data Snapshot” by The Annie E. Casey Foundation (No. 4, March 2007) http://www.kidscount.org/sld/snapshot_immigrant.pdf

11. Immigration Status and Family Structure Nearly 1 in 10 U.S. families with children is a mixed immigration status family ¾ of the children with non-citizen parents are citizens (Fix & Zimmerman, 2001). 1 in 12 immigrant children lives apart from their parents. Each year approximately 7,000 children arrive in the U.S. without a parent or guardian. Growth in migration, economic remittances and transnational families Source: National Center for Children in Poverty Illinois Task Force on Unaccompanied Minors World Bank

12. Immigrants Children in MI, NY, and OH • In 2005, among the 50 states, CA (47%), NV (32%), NY (32%), TX (30%) and NJ (30%) had the highest proportions of immigrant children. • 11% of all children in MI, 5% of all children in Ohio, and 32% of all children in NY are either foreign born or have at least one foreign-born parent. Source: “Data Snapshot (Number 4, March 2007): One Out of Five US Children is Living in an Immigrant Family” from KidsCount

13. NEW Urban Institute Study on Immigration Raids and Families (10/31/07) • The number of undocumented immigrants arrested at workplaces increased more than sevenfold from 500 to 3,600 between 2002 and 2006 • For every two illegal immigrants arrested in a workplace raid, at least one child feels the effect • A large majority of the children affected are U.S. citizens (one site 2/3 were citizens – matching national statistics) and were often the youngest and most vulnerable (two sites, 79% and 88%, were children ten or younger, while one site had more than half of the children under age 5. • Report recommendation: Social service and other public agencies should prepare plans to respond to immigration raids and develop outreach strategies regarding emergency assistance and benefits to children under such circumstances. • Source: Paying the Price: The Impact of Immigration Raids on America’s Children • http://www.urban.org/publications/411566.html

14. Issues Facing Public Child Welfare Administrators and Staff in Working with Immigrant Families

15. Immigration Terms • Legal Permanent Resident (i.e. “green card” holders, eligible to apply for citizenship in 5 years) • Naturalized Citizen (same rights as US born citizens) • Refugees or asylees (numbers set each year by the US government) • Temporary Legal Residents (i.e. employment, student, or tourist visa) • Undocumented residents (i.e. “border crossers” or immigrants who overstayed temporary visas )

16. Unaccompanied Minors • Some children came to the U.S. fleeing violence or even murder, others were seeking escape from economic deprivation, and still others were simply abandoned. • Every unaccompanied child has his or her own story and that the circumstances of each are unique. • Different immigration relief options are available but it is important to do a thorough assessment and work in partnership with immigrant relief organizations.

17. Interaction with Recently Revised Immigration and Naturalization Services • Revised Structure • A) Bureau of Citizenship and Immigration Services • B) Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement • C) Bureau of Customs and Border Protection Toll Free number for US Citizenship and Immigration Services: 1-800-375-5283 www.USCIS.gov

18. Why Immigrant Children Enter Child Welfare • Poverty is one of the most important predictors of negative child outcomes. Poverty rates are generally higher among children of immigrants than among children of natives. • Young children of immigrants are less likely to receive public benefits. • Children in immigrant families are considerably more likely to be uninsured, to be reported in fair or poor health, and to lack a usual place where they can get preventive health care. • Immigrant families enter and stay in child welfare for same reasons as natives - domestic violence, substance abuse, health, and mental health – however access to services is limited in most regions of the country. Source: “Undercounted, Underserved: Immigrants and Refugee Families in the Child Welfare System” Annie E Casey Foundation (2006) http://www.aecf.org/upload/pdffiles/familytofamily/immigration.pdf

19. Policy Recommendations to Child Welfare Agencies • Fiscal claiming and considerations • Services to new immigrant populations, including policies regarding relevant bilingual and multicultural matters • Family assessment – local, regional, and transnational • Information sharing with partner agencies • Placement and licensing guidelines

20. Issues for Child Welfare Agencies to Consider in Working with Immigrant Agencies • Training include sensitivity to the needs of immigrant families, including confidentiality issues • Assessment for potential relief options such as VAWA, Special Immigrant Juvenile Status, U Visas • Delivery of service models (i.e. contracts with community-based organizations, consultants, specialized units, departmental task forces service committees, liaisons)

21. Issues for Child Welfare Agencies to Consider in Working with Immigrant Agencies • Support documents to assist staff (i.e. special handbooks, memos and protocols with foreign consulates) • Integration of immigration services into overall child welfare service delivery system (i.e. TDMs, domestic violence, duel status youth, ILP plans, relative searches, differential response)

22. Partnerships with Community-Based Agencies Serving Immigrant Families

23. Over Arching Issues in the Intersection between Migration and Child Welfare • Lack of sufficient research / shared knowledge / guiding principles • Often small number of cases • Complexity of cases • Unprepared professionals • Families caught between systems • Questions of professionals unanswered • No funding sources

24. Impact of Migration, Acculturation and Family Status • Culturally responsive practice with immigrants and refugees requires that child welfare professionals understand the impact of migration and acculturation has on each family and how these experiences have contributed to their child welfare involvement. • An immigrant family’s residency status is a critical aspect of their reception and eligibility for needed services during their period of resettlement.

25. Why are Immigrant Families Vulnerable • Complex immigration laws and policies, costly services • Dependence upon others for information • Language skills • Overall levels of education • Discrimination (ethnic, religious, socio-economic, gender, sexual orientation) • Limited work opportunities • Other factors: living arrangements, cultural practices Based on: American Bar Association Latin America & Caribbean Law Initiative Council

26. Undocumented Immigrant Families • Children may come in through temporary (e.g. visitor) visas and overstay, or come in over the border • Increasing numbers of children are coming in; previously undocumented immigration was a largely male phenomenon (since men were the people crossing the border to seek work) • US policy changes and the general border crackdown has made it harder for immigrants to make the return trip to their homes and families - if they have any expectation of going back to the US - so in many cases entire families are crossing over so they can stay together Source: Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights

27. Family to Family Core Strategies • Building Community Partnership • Team Decision Making • Recruitment, Development and Support • Self-Evaluation

28. Who are Key Providers in the Immigrant Community? • Advocacy Organizations • Immigrant Coalitions • Faith-based Organizations • Legal Services Provider • Community-Based Organizations

29. Recruitment and Support Immigrant Foster Parents not only help children adjust to out-of-home placement but are better able to communicate with birth parents, an important step toward reunifying families. There is a population of legal residents within each immigrant community with the potential to become foster parents. Recruiting families, through personal connections, is key.

30. Core Services for Families

31. Collaboration with Ethnic Community-Based Organizations Interpretation • Ethnic Community- Based Organization Cultural Consultations Translation Cross-Training Foster Families Indigenous problem-solving strategies Reunification Plan Support Alternative / Family Preservation Services Morland/BRYCS (2006)

32. ADMINISTRATION FOR CHILDREN'S SERVICES150 WILLIAM STREETNEW YORK, NEW YORK 10038 JOHN B. MATTINGLYCommissioner Mark Lewis Director, Immigrant Services

33. Immigrant Community Partnership Initiative

34. Population Trends in New York City

35. Project Background • Newly emerging and fastest growing populations: • Mexico • - 2/3rd comes from Mixteca region (Puebla, Oaxaca, Guerrero) • West Africa • - Nigeria, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Guinea, Bissau-Guinea, Mali, Sierra Leone, Liberia, Niger, Congo, Burkina Faso, Fulani, Mauritania, Gambia, Congo, Uganda, Senegal • South Asia • - India, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Maldives, Nepal, Bhutan, Tibet, Afghanistan, Myanmar

36. Challenges for Child Welfare System in Working With Immigrant Communities • Language barriers • Religious practices • Cultural differences • Lack of information and understanding of Child Welfare System • Immigration status limiting access to services • Fear of government intervention • Cultural competence of service providers • Capacity of immigrant-services CBOs

37. Services offered through the Project • Community Education Forums • Cultural Competence Training • Interpretation • Family Case-Conferencing • Assistance in Engaging Families • Information & Referral to Support Services

38. Current status of the project – Mexican immigrants • Asociación Tepeyac de New York • Language capacity: Mixteco, Zapoteco, Otomi, Nahuatel, Chinanteco, Chontal (of Oaxaca), Cuicateco, Huasteco, Huichol, Popoloca, Tzeltal • Services provided: Community forums (Queens and Brooklyn) Presentations at ACS field offices Participation in case-conferencing Interpretation and family engagement

39. Current status of the project – West African immigrants • Sauti Yetu Center for African Women • America Welcomes Africans • Forum for African Immigrant Associations • Nigerian Social Workers Association • Language capacity: Soninke, Hausa, Twi, Mandingo, Bambara, Jula, Susu, Pulaar, Fulani, Ibo, French, Wolof, Arabic, Swahili, Morey, Yoruba • Services provided: Participation in case conferencing Interpretation and support services

40. Challenges • Capacity of immigrant community organizations • Community Resource and Family Advocate • Building Child Welfare expertise of CBOs • Buy-in by Child Welfare Agencies • Evaluating outcomes and impacts

41. Going forward • RFP for the South Asian community • Connection with Borough offices and Preventive and Foster Care agencies • Participation in Community Partnership Coalitions • Capacity Building for CBOs • Creating data collection and evaluation systems

42. Children’s Services Initiatives to Improve Language Services for Immigrant Families • Recruited new bilingual child protective specialists • Increased language assistance services by over 300%(6,600 in CY05 to 20,000 in CY06) • Implemented a new telephonic interpreter system (Nearly 10,000 requests in CY06) • Out-stationed Spanish interpreters in field offices and the Office of Advocacy to improve language access • Improved accuracy of translations through secondary reviews • Improved primary language determinations by eliminating default field.

43. Children’s Services Initiatives to Improve Language Services for Immigrant Families (Continue) • Funded preventive service agencies to enhance their interpreter capacity to serve Limited-English Proficient (LEP) clients. • Revised cultural competency training and special immigrant training to include best practices and protocols in providing interpreter services. • Created an internal Children’s Services Task Force on Racial Equity and Cultural Competency to address racial disparity in child welfare outcomes and to improve Children’s Services’ provision of culturally competent services.