Strengthening Families and ECCS—Making the
Connections
C E N T E R F O R T H E S T U D Y O F S O C I A L P O L I C Y
Strengthening Families began as a search for a new approach to child abuse prevention that:
Is systematic
Is national
Reaches large numbers of children
Has impact long before abuse or neglect occurs
Promotes optimal development for all children
Strengthening Families has inspired an approach to family support services that is:Universally available, not
targeted by risk
Focused on development and growth, not only on
identified problems
Delivered through new, powerful partners not
typically identified as CAN prevention or family
support agents
the protective factors frameworkParental Resilience
Social Connections
Knowledge of Parenting and Child Development
Concrete Support in Times of Need
Social and Emotional Development
The Research Process:
Step 1: Search the evidence to find out what factors influence child abuse and neglect
Step 2: Explore the connection between factors that prevent child abuse and neglect and what quality early childhood programs do to build them
Step 3: Identify programs that build the factors and learn how they do it
Step 4: Learn about policy and practice changes needed to infuse the model statewide through a partnership with 7 pilot states
Program Strategies that build Protective Factors
CAN prevention/optimal development
Parental Resilience
Social Connections
Knowledge of Parenting and Child Development
Concrete Supports
Social Emotional Development
Shifts in:
•Policy
•Resources
•Cross-system relationships
•Support structure
To support program implementation
protective factors
quality early care and education
state & national systems
strengthening families national network26 States
Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, California, Connecticut, Delaware, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Kansas, Louisiana, Maine, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Missouri New Hampshire, New Jersey, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania,, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Washington, Washington, DC, Wisconsin
7 National Partner OrganizationsBUILD, FRIENDS National Resource Center for CB-CAP, National Alliance of Children’s Trust and Prevention Funds, NAEYC, NCCIC, Zero to Three, United Way
4 National Affiliate OrganizationsMidwest Learning Center for Family Support, National Registry Alliance, Parents as Teachers, Parent Services Project
Program Implementation• Use of the self-assessment to develop a
Strengthening Families action planIN MOST STATES• Training on protective factors and family
strengtheningIN SOME STATES• Small pots of funds for action plan
implementation• Learning networks• Mentoring, supervision or other
professional development approaches
levers for change
Parent Partnerships
Infrastructure and Policy Changes
Professional Development
Early Childhood-Child Welfare Linkages
local, state, federal policy
What can SF contribute to ECCS?• A way to articulate and define family
support
• A framework for bringing together
multiple players around a common set of
goals
• Connections to CAN prevention, child
welfare and early childhood communities
• Enthusiasm and energy
A L T A R U M I N S T I T U T E P R E S E N T A T I O N 2 0 0 8
What is the purpose of ECCS?
To assist States and Territories in their efforts to build and implement Statewide Early Childhood Comprehensive Systems that support all families and communities in their development of children that are healthy and ready to learn at school entry
A L T A R U M I N S T I T U T E P R E S E N T A T I O N 2 0 0 8
How Does ECCS Work?MCHB provides funding to States
and other jurisdictions to support State Early Childhood Teams’ system building activities
Early Childhood Teams include all the agencies, organizations, and stakeholders involved in building a comprehensive system for young children
A L T A R U M I N S T I T U T E P R E S E N T A T I O N 2 0 0 8
The Five Key ComponentsThe Teams are expected to include
representatives who are involved in each of the five components
• Health care/medical home• Early care and education• Social and emotional
development/mental health• Family support • Parenting education
A L T A R U M I N S T I T U T E P R E S E N T A T I O N 2 0 0 8
What needs to be addressed to build a comprehensive system?*
• Governance• Financing• Communications• Family leadership development• Provider/practitioner support• Standards• Monitoring/accountability* Adapted from the work of the Early Childhood Systems Working
Group
14
The Seven Infrastructure Elements
A L T A R U M I N S T I T U T E P R E S E N T A T I O N 2 0 0 8
A L T A R U M I N S T I T U T E P R E S E N T A T I O N 2 0 0 8
Why Build Systems?
If I could have an ideal situation, I would like to see crossovers between professions and have them and the schools all work together… have all the services in the State married together to look out for children.
A Parent
A L T A R U M I N S T I T U T E P R E S E N T A T I O N 2 0 0 8
For more information on ECCS
Visit:http://www.state-eccs.org/
Email:[email protected]
WA slides
•
IL slides
•
Sharing
• What has your state done to connect it’s
SF and ECCS?
• How have these connections contributed
to your ECCS work?
• How have these connections contributed
to your Strengthening Families work?
Discussion—How can we deepen the connection between ECCS and SF?• Within our individual states?
• Across our networks?
• At a national level?
Recommended
