A New Chance Cross Border Fostering Project Project Manager: Eric Plunkett, Eric Plunkett, Principal Social Worker. Principal Social Worker.Consultant: Professor Robbie Gilligan, Professor Robbie Gilligan, Trinity College Dublin. Trinity College Dublin.

Background to Project Both Irish jurisdictions experience difficulties managing challenging behaviour  Lack of appropriate placements.  Mismatch between children’s needs and service provision.  Demands of statutory requirements.  Public and judicial scrutiny.

Aim of project Design of a scheme for the development of high support foster care for young people with challenging behaviour

Project methodology Literature review.  the development of high support foster care schemes internationally Research survey.  the numbers of young people requiring high support in the CAWT area Consultation.  implementation of international high support foster care;  experience of children, foster carers, social workers etc. Design of a scheme.  Plan and costed proposal for a pilot scheme within the CAWT area.

Challenging Behaviour Definitions:  Children requiring high support facilities (CAWT: Application for EU funding) (CAWT: Application for EU funding)  Behaviour which, does or is likely to interfere with a young person’s optimum learning or engagement in positive social interactions with peers or adults. (Powell, Fixen, Dunlap. 2003)

How many children ?

What Happens Elsewhere? Lisdeel Family Placement Service South and East Belfast Community Placement Service Community Alternative Placement Scheme (CAPS) Multidimensional treatment Foster Care: Oregon Social Learning Centre.

What Matters Support to Carers Effective Throughcare Plans Adult Mentors Positive Peer Influence Close Proximity to Family Accurate information to children and carers.

What Works in High Support Comprehensive multidisciplinary assessment focused on admission criteria Behaviour management program designed around a throughcare plan Intensive support to foster carers as part of a multidisciplinary team. Maximum planned contact with family of origin.

Multidimensional Treatment Foster Care Oregon Social Learning Centre Comprehensive multidisciplinary assessment focused on admission criteria Positive reinforcement through adult mentors during 8-12 month foster care placement Centred on a behaviour management program delivered by a multidisciplinary team Objective to reintegrate child with family/post program carers who participate in the programme

High Support Team Programme supervisor Case manager Birth family therapist Youth therapist Skills trainer Foster care recruiter teacher

Child Introduced to the detail of the scheme, probably from care. Placed with chosen carers. Daily monitoring of home and school behaviour. Earning points gets higher levels of independence and recreation. Intense team support aids reintegration into family/post-treatment care within 12 months

Foster carers Complete home and school daily report. Communicates daily with the team. Team membership: shared decisions. Weekly team meeting. Biweekly supervision. 24/7 support. No contact with child’s family. Only one placement at a time. One carer at home full-time

Family/Post-Treatment Carers Agree to participate in the programme. Continuous contact with child. Work with family therapist. Attend regular review meetings with the team. Have no contact with treatment carers. Participate in three-month post-treatment follow up.

Referring Agency Accept the principles of the model. (Assist in recruitment and training of carers) Agree an non-interventionist role. Attend review meetings. Ensure availability of post treatment placement.

High support model Closely linked with mainstream foster care  Share recruitment  Share training  Mainstream foster care referral point for high support Independent decision-making  Foster carers part of the Team  Teachers, family and others engaged in implementation of behaviour management program  Review and adaptation of throughcare plan

Structure Representative board Non-governmental organisation (director) Members of the statutory authority Foster carers Children Recruitment team Team leader plus 4 (including PR/marketing consultant High support team Director of service Plus 7 multidisciplinary support workers and (?no.)foster carers Administrative team Team leader plus 3 3

High Support Process Placement High support foster carers Mainstream foster carers providing high support Process Behaviour management program Education Leisure Throughcare Plan Throughcare plan Carers trained. Enhanced carer payment Case team appointed. Carers/child matched. Introduce stakeholders to program Daily carer contact Daily monitoring of child’s progress. Daily/biweekly contact with teacher/school. Biweekly high support team meeting. Weekly case team meeting. Weekly carer support Child’s regular monitored contact with future carers Familiarisation of future carers with programme. Target positive peer influences for child. Maximise educational abilities Target employment opportunities Review throughcare plan.

Key Issues NGO/statutory organisation structure. Centralised and dedicated recruitment of carers. Payment to carers Criteria for a young person’s admission. Effective links with education system Composition of support staff. Meaningful throughcare plan Cost/Benefit comparisons