Displaying 81 - 90 of 99
Introduction
In 2007-2008, the Michigan Court Improvement Program (CIP) Basic Grant Strategic Plan identified competent representation for parents in child protection proceedings as essential to improving outcomes for Michigan’s children and families. In September 2008, the Child Welfare Services Division of the State Court Administrative Office (SCAO) engaged the American Bar Association (ABA) Center on Children and the Law to assess how Michigan provides representation for parents in child protection proceedings and to make recommendations for an improved parent representation…
Abstract
Summary
Although a wealth of research exists related to children involved in the child welfare system, far less is known about parents’ experiences. Specifically, research is needed that examines the motivation for change of parents involved with the child welfare system in order to inform interventions with this at-risk population. Semistructured interviews were conducted with 33 parents court ordered to participate in a parent education group due to involvement with the child welfare system. Interviews were recorded and transcribed, and researchers used qualitative content…
This issue of A Closer Look examines:
- Definitions of family involvement;
- Families in child welfare, yesterday and today;
- How grant communities respond to challenges in strengthening family involvement;
- Operationalizing family involvement in system change; and
- What leaders can do to support family-agency partnerships for system transformation.
Abstract
Despite growing use of evidence‐based parenting interventions (EBPIs) in child welfare settings, few qualitative studies have obtained parents' direct views and feedback on these programs. Further, engagement in EBPIs continues to present challenges in a child welfare context, particularly for parents affected by substances. We sought to understand parents' experiences of the supports and barriers to engagement in an EBPI. Semistructured interviews were conducted with a purposive sample of 10 parents who were involved in child welfare and a family drug treatment court, affected by…
Abstract
This qualitative study examined caregivers' experiences with SafeCare®, an evidence‐based programme that focuses on child neglect through modules on health, safety, and parenting. Shortly after completing SafeCare, 30 caregivers participated in a semi‐structured interview about their experiences with the programme. Overall, caregivers indicated that the programme helped with improvements in their parenting skills. Among the factors that contributed to a positive experience were the simplicity of language, the skills‐based approach, and the quality of the relationship with the…
Family Group Decision-Making (FGDM) is a widely used term referring to the engagement of a family (broadly defined) to participate in the planning, actions, and assessment of decisions that impact child safety, permanency, and well-being. Many different approaches and models to FGDM have been developed and implemented within child welfare agencies and organizations.
This podcast gives listeners an overview of how Arizona Kinship Support Services implements the Family Group Conference (FGC) model, developed by the Kempe Center for the Prevention and Treatment of Child Abuse…
Participants’ Satisfaction With Family Involvement Meetings: Implications for Child Welfare Practice
Abstract
Purpose:
Bivariate and logistics regression analyses were conducted to examine the effectiveness of child welfare agencies’ Family Group Decision-Making (FGDM) practices focused on strengthening families and positive outcomes for children. This study evaluates one mid-Atlantic state’s implementation of a FGDM called family involvement meetings (FIMs) to improve family strengths and their active engagement in the service planning process.
Methods:
Through use of a FIM Feedback Survey, participants provided satisfaction feedback on the…
Caseworkers advocate for services for individual families and help families learn to advocate for themselves and negotiate with service systems to obtain needed help. Caseworkers can also play a prominent role in empowering and advocating for families to become interdependent members of the community. Family advocacy focuses on the principles of family development, communication skills for workers, and promoting the participation of community residents and families in the design of services. The resources on this page address ways to advocate for families in the U.S. and include …
Abstract
In 1995 New York City had one of the worst child welfare systems in the United States. The city’s system struggled under 20 class-action lawsuits and 11 court orders or stipulations resulting from these suits. Elisa Izquierdo, a 6-year old girl involved in the child welfare system, was killed by her mother while other families struggled without help until their situation exploded. The city’s response was to place children into foster care at an unprecedented rate, reaching 50,000 children in care in the early 1990s. Less traumatic and less expensive interventions could…
Following increased international attention and criticism since 2000 of the dramatic escalation in the numbers of Guatemalan children being unethically placed into intercountry adoptions, the country passed a new adoption law in 2007 and imposed an intercountry adoption moratorium until a stronger child protection system could be operationalized to ensure the safety and rights of children and their families. Despite some efforts at gatekeeping, children, however, continued to be admitted into child-care institutions without a systematic determination of their best…