The Children’s Administration Practice Model Child Safety in Practice

Developmental Competencies SW Ability to identify core principles and goals of the agency practice model such as building partnerships, focusing on pragmatic everyday life events, and targeting measurable prevention skills SW Ability to approach engagement in a respectful manner and one that honors the importance of genuineness, integrity and empathy SW Ability to complete thorough assessments that identify family culture, strengths, contributors to child maltreatment, the sequence of events surrounding the maltreatment, family needs, and resources to promote child safety and family well-being

Developmental Competencies SW Ability to identify family development stages and everyday family management tasks that interrupt family functioning and create safety threats SW Ability to use the Washington practice model approach when conducting child maltreatment investigations SW Ability to develop case plans with families that include both family and individual level objectives that are supported by specific and measureable tasks that build on family strengths, tribal resources, and natural supports SW Ability to work with parents throughout the case to help identify and address barriers to family reunification and continually celebrate a parent’s progress

Integrated Framework from:  Relapse Prevention (Cognitive Behavioral Theory) (Marlatt & Gordon, 1985, Pithers, 1990, Beck, 1993) Cognitive Behavior Therapy  Solution-Focused Therapy (Berg, 1994, DeShazer, 1988) All three models have their own well-documented evidence base. Solution Focused Interviewing  Family Life Cycle Theory (Carter and McGoldrick, 1999) Family Life Cycle Theory

Three Main Tenets of Practice We Prioritize the Family Partnership We Focus on Pragmatic Solutions to Everyday Life Problems 33 We Help Families Document and Celebrate Success

Organization Of Practice Organization Of Practice Phase 2 : Case Planning Moving from Consensus developing goals & objectives Building the Family and Community Team for Change Co-Developing a “Case Plan” Phase 1 : Engagement and Assessment Family engagement Gathering assessment information (IA, FAR FA, CFE) What has happened in the past? What do we need to create change? Phase 3 : Specific Tasks Specific Tasks for Families and Youth Documenting behavioral change Using the Team to help Phase 4: Documenting and Celebrating Change Documenting Progress and Change Celebrating Small Steps of Success Adjusting plans for progress 6

Engagement and Assessment Problem definition is located in the difficult situations of everyday life (family developmental theory) Challenging situations are discussed through: – Normalizing – Tracking the Sequence of Events – Identifying exceptions – Separating intentions from actions

Case Planning Co-construct with the family objectives that address the safety and risk issues identified (objectives can address both family and individual issues) Objectives should be SMART – specific, measurable, attainable, relevant and time-bound. We want to know what it looks like when we get there Persons from the parent’s network as well as formal services identified to help meet the objectives

Specific Tasks Setting out written tasks to attain the objectives Documenting behavioral change Support from the team Ensuring the tasks are integrated and coordinated with any other activities or services in which the family is engaged

Documenting and celebrating Noticing any movement of the parent toward positive change, including increased motivation, changes in behavior, steps in mitigating safety threats Adjusting plans that aren’t working Focusing on progress – not compliance Documenting change Celebrating

The Martinez Family Mother: Marie (38) Father: Joaquin (45) Children: Joseph (19) Jesus (16) Juanita (8) Thomas (6) Allegation: PA of Juanita and Thomas Family supports: Grandma Heather (62) Grandpa Julio (68) John Eckberg (mother’s boss) Catholic church

Martinez Family - Intake Imagine you are the CPS investigative worker. What is the family developmental level? What are the typical everyday tasks the family performs? How would you approach the parent to engage them? What specific interviewing and reflecting tools would you use? Other than the medical consultant, what other collaterals and sources of information would you contact?

Martinez Family - Assessment What should the worker now do to ask about the incident the previous evening? How could the worker approach the drinking behavior of the parents? How can she find out about the discipline of the children? How might the worker screen for other issues in the family? Domestic violence? Mental health? Drugs? Look at the gathering questions, what else does the worker need to ask about?

Martinez Family – Assessment and Identifying Objectives Write down at least one objective for each parent Write down specific tasks to achieve those objectives Tell how the plan is SMART Describe how you will measure progress Describe how you might celebrate success

Practice Solution Focused Questions Get into pairs Imagine you are at the next meeting with the Martinez Family Phrase questions to the parents in the form of Solution Focused Questions Practice at least the coping, exceptions, and scaling questions I want to be solution focused!

Summary Shout out the four phases of practice we reviewed today! What are the three basic tenants of practice? How do you think our practice honors families’ cultures? What are some examples of an objective? What does SMART stand for? How might you celebrate progress?