Child Neglect Demonstration Projects: Synthesis of Lessons Learned

Series: Grantee Lessons Learned

Author(s): Child Welfare Information Gateway

Year Published: 2004

3. Lessons Learned

In addition to strategies that address the specific challenges described above, several characteristics were seen by many of the programs to be crucial to their overall success. Their recommendations are summarized below.

3.1 Use a Family Empowerment Approach

Several programs reported outcomes were better when families were empowered to be active participants rather than passive service recipients. Grantees suggested using a strengths-based, family-centered approach to guide participants toward self-reliance. One program used the Personal Goal Achievement Measure as a successful strategy for encouraging families to set their own goals and focusing the intervention on what is important to each individual parent or family.¹⁰ Staff then helped families identify a list of steps needed to accomplish each goal and sought to provide opportunities for success in areas that mattered most to each family.

3.2 Focus on the Relationship Between Staff and Caregivers

Caregivers respond most effectively to staff persons they believe are committed to their well-being. Staff must have the ability to establish trusting therapeutic relationships, so it is important to hire the right people and provide the support they need to do their jobs well. Many grantees cited the ability to vary staff caseloads according to families' needs. Others found maintaining open lines of communication among all service providers and family members to be important.

3.3 Offer Staff Ongoing Training

Programs recommended additional staff training on subjects such as child welfare reform's impact on case management, behavioral health availability, case management across agencies, best practices in meeting child care needs, maternal depression, parenting stress, community resources, and general principles for good practice (e.g., community outreach, empowerment approaches, strengths perspective, cultural competence, developmental appropriateness, outcome-driven service plans).

3.4 Use Multidisciplinary Teams in Working with Families

Many programs found support to families could be provided most effectively by multidisciplinary teams.¹¹ These teams were composed of various combinations of professionals, paraprofessionals, and volunteers. (How programs defined "professional staff" and assigned roles varied widely.) In one program, parenting skills were taught by professional staff. Another program used master's-level social workers and certified preschool teachers. Having professional staff with experience dealing with serious mental health issues and multiproblem neglectful families was found to be beneficial. In one program, staff nurses who were highly committed and possessed clinical experience in many areas made home visits. In addition to professional support, peer support and positive role models were often provided by teams of mentors or through group mentoring. One program recommended using extended family members or friends as mentors rather than recent program graduates. Recent graduates often experienced problems too overwhelming to allow them the flexibility they needed to take care of others.

3.5 Build Collaboration with Other Community Partners

Grantees agreed neglect is too complex for any one organization or agency to address successfully on its own; collaboration with a broad range of key community resources and partners at every level was seen as critical. Productive partnerships with other service providers, medical centers, and CPS were often reported. One program found building a partnership with the Department of Health, which also had a home visiting program, strengthened both programs. Another found developing partnerships with kinship-serving agencies and obtaining additional funding helped them target appropriate services to relative caregivers. Collaboration with CPS was seen as beneficial, but since many families distrust child welfare agencies, partnerships with other community-based organizations provided additional referral sources and supported a multitrack response system.

3.6 Offer a Combination of Out-of-home and In-home Services

Parent support groups were found to be effective tools for engaging families, providing peer support, educating parents, building and maintaining skills, and increasing self-esteem. Most programs found in-home services improved engagement, recruitment, and retention by avoiding the transportation, child care, and physical disability issues presented by out-of-home services. One program found engaging families affected by substance abuse or mental health issues through in-home family therapy led to fewer missed appointments for the family members' out-of-home treatment services. Another program found making two home visits per week was better for high-risk families and produced better gains than weekly visits.

3.7 Form an Advisory Committee that Engages all Stakeholders

Advisory committees need to include local leaders, program participants, and members of key community organizations. These committee members can assist with planning to create a program that is sensitive to the target population and community, and ensure a strong collaborative network.

¹⁰ This tool was developed by the Parent Empowerment Program, Montefiore Medical Center, 3314 Steuben Avenue, Bronx, NY 10467. back
¹¹ For specific staffing information for each program, see Appendix B. back

This material may be freely reproduced and distributed. However, when doing so, please credit Child Welfare Information Gateway.

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