Strengthening Families Illinois

Early Childhood / Child Welfare Collaboration

November 3, 2011

MISSION: Build and promote:

• Family & community resilience

• Effective partnerships between

parents and family-service systems

• Strength-based, family centered

approach in child care, school, agencies, and

organizations serving children & their families

STRENGTHENING FAMILIES ILLINOIS

4 COMPONENTS:

1. Early childhood

2. Collaboration on systems change with child

and family serving agencies and

organizations statewide

3. Assistance with embedding the protective

factors approach in the child welfare system

4. Parent engagement

STRENGTHENING FAMILIES ILLINOIS

• Children in the child welfare

system and children of wards

start school ready to learn

• Child welfare system is

increasingly focused on

keeping families strong

rather than raising children

IL DCFS CHILD WELFARE / EDUCATIONAL OUTCOMES

• Procedure Rule 314

• School Readiness Team

• SFI Learning Networks

• Caseworker Training

• Head Start Collaboration

• Strengthening Families Illinois

KEY IMPLEMENTATIONS

• Revision of rule 314 / Wards 3 to 5 enrolled in early care and education programs

• School Readiness Team– 7 positions statewide

– Monitor implementation of Rule 314

– Increase number of wards and intact families enrolled

– Liaisons with early childhood professionals in communities

SCHOOL READINESS

• Embed practice throughout program among staff and parents

• Raise awareness of Strengthening Families

• Collaborate / communicate effectively with child welfare staff– Collaboration on service planning

– Developing Collaborative Relationships training

– Early Childhood / Child Welfare Forums

– Monthly Learning Network meetings inviting child welfare staff

LEARNING NETWORK SCOPE OF WORK

1. Carole Robertson Center for Learning / Chicago – Internal & external network

2. IL Action for Children / Preschool for All / South Suburban School Districts / South Cook

3. Childcare Network of Evanston / Evanston / Cook North

4. Tom Thumb Community Childcare Center (Children’s Home & Aid) / N. Kane County

5. Two Rivers Head Start (5 counties northern region) – Internal network

6. Crittenton Centers / Peoria / Central Region

SFI LEARNING NETWORKS

Hubs: (continued on next slide)

7. John A. Logan CCR&R / Southern Region

8. Children’s Home & Aid CCR&R / St. Clair County (AOK0

9. YWCA Child Care Solutions (CCR&R) / Rockford / Northern Region

10. Centers for New Horizons / Chicago – Internal network

11. One Hope United / Cook County – Internal network & Child welfare collaboration network

12. One Hope United / Huddleston – Differential Response Collaboration / Southern Region

13. Ounce of Prevention Fund / Chicago Public Schools

EARLY CHILDHOOD LEARNING NETWORK HUBS (cont.)

• Learning Collaboratives across state– Strength based trauma informed practice

– Protective Factors training

– Role of early childhood programs in keeping families strong / partnership opportunities

CASEWORKER TRAINING

• Agreements with all Head Start grantee agencies

• Cross-training for child welfare and Head Start staff

• Head Start slots for wards

HEAD START COLLABORATION

TALKING ABOUT THE PROTECTIVE FACTORS

•Parental Resilience

•Social Connections

•Knowledge of Parenting

& Child Development

•Concrete Support in

Times of Need

•Social & Emotional

Competence of Children

•Parent-Child

Relationships

•Be strong and flexible

•Parents need friends

•Being a great parent is

part natural & part learned

•We all need help

sometimes

•Parents need to help their

children communicate

•Give your children the love

and respect they need

RESOURCES FOR PARENTS / PROVIDERS

• Love Is Not Enough Parent Cafés

• Café Talk

• Awaken To Your Potential

Leadership Training

• Café Training

• Living the Protective Factors Book (E-Book / Print)

• The Get Real Guide to Getting Your Kids Back (E-Book / Print)

• You’re Welcome: Parents Leaders Speak Out On What It Takes to Promote Parent Engagement

• Café Talk and Café Talk Booster Packs

NEW RESOURCESPublications:

AVAILABLE AT www.bestrongfamilies.com

orwww.strengtheningfamiliesillinois.org

• www.bestrongfamilies.com

• www.bestrongfosterparents.com

• Keep Your Family Strong Community on Facebook

• Updated strengtheningfamiliesillinois.org

NEW RESOURCES

Online:

• Facebook: Keep Your Family Strong Online

Community

• Twitter: @StrongFamsIL

• www.bestrongfamilies.com

• www.bestrongfosterparents.com

• www.strengtheningfamiliesillinois.org

• www.keepyourfamilystrong.org

MORE TO COME!

SFI ON THE WEB / Social Media

Kathy Goetz Wolf, Executive Directorkathygw@strengtheningfamiliesillinois.org

Guy Schingoethe, Assistant Directorguys@strengtheningfamiliesillinois.org

312/421-5200, x125

CONTACT: 312/421-5200