Preparation for Adult Living-Supervisor Training and Empowerment Program

1
Preparation for Adult Living-Supervisor Training
and Empowerment Program

• PAL-STEP

2
INTRODUCTIONS

• Name
• Learning Wish for the Day

3
PURPOSE

• Increase effectiveness in responding to youths
  needs for successful transition from foster care
  to self-sufficiency.
• Enhance supervisor knowledge, skills, strategies,
  and IDEAS to further incorporate the Positive
  Youth Development philosophy within their units.

4
OVERVIEW

• Status of Youth
• Positive Youth Development
• Collaboration
• Cultural Responsiveness
• Permanent Connections
• Working with Youth
• Supervisor Toolkit

5
STATUS OF YOUTH
6
STATUS OF YOUTH

• NATIONALLY
• Youth represent an estimated 30 of foster care
  population
• Each year an estimated 20,000 youth age out of
  foster care

• IN TEXAS (FY2005)
• Youth ages 14-20 comprised nearly 28 of foster
  care population
• Youth represented 9.8 of foster care population
  leaving DFPS legal responsibility
• Youth averaged 8.7 placements the State average
  for entire foster care population 3.2
  placements
• Youth spent an average of 62.6 months in care

7
CHALLENGES FACED BY YOUTH
Crime Homelessness Early Parenthood Juvenile
Prostitution Mental Health Issues Drug/Alcohol
Use/Abuse Poor Social Support Systems Education
and Employment Deficits
8
WHY?????
9
FOUR CORE PRINCIPLES

• Positive Youth Development
• Collaboration
• Cultural Responsiveness
• Permanent Connections

10
TODAYS THEMEStepping Stones

• FIRST STEPS

11
POSITIVE YOUTH DEVELOPMENT
12
Glance at problems, Gaze at strengths. J.C.
Chambers
13
POSITIVE YOUTH DEVELOPMENT

• Services and opportunities supporting youth in
  the development of
• Competence
• Usefulness
• Belonging
• Empowerment

14
POSITIVE YOUTH DEVELOPMENT

• Engagement of youth in attempting to
• Meet their basic personal and social needs
• Build skills and competencies that allow them to
  function and contribute in their daily lives

15
POSITIVE YOUTH DEVELOPMENT

• Successful transition results when youth have
  been able to develop
• a sense of industry and competency
• a feeling of connectedness to others and to
  society
• a belief in their control over their fate in life
• a stable identity

16
DOMAINS OF POSITIVE YOUTH DEVELOPMENT

1. Education Achievement and Cognitive Attainment
2. Health and Safety
3. Social and Emotional Development
4. Self-Sufficiency

17
BENEFITS OF POSITIVE YOUTH DEVELOPMENT

• Competence an ability to learn to make healthy
  choices
• Confidence an opportunity to develop a positive
  identify
• Connections an opportunity to identify and
  develop a support system

• Character an opportunity to create a sense of
  responsibility
• Caring an opportunity to develop a sense of
  belonging
• Contribution an opportunity to give back to the
  community

18
WHAT TEXAS YOUTH SAY

• Respect of the individual foster youth
• Involve foster youth in decision making
• Make foster youth aware of time-line of events
  impacting their lives
• Improved communication between caseworker and
  foster parent, caseworker and youth, and
  caseworker and PAL worker
• Better coordination/facilitation of
  people/agencies involved in planning for the youth

19
WHAT TEXAS YOUTH SAY

• More skill building opportunities
• Connection with a support person/network
• Advocacy to ensure youth are in an appropriate
  education setting
• Better understanding of their own health needs
• Safe housing, money, bus passes, etc.
• Earlier planning for independent living

20
WHAT TEXAS YOUTH SAY

• Connection with a support person/network
• Advocacy to ensure youth are in an appropriate
  education setting
• Better coordination/facilitation of
  people/agencies involved in planning for the
  youth
• Safe housing, money, bus passes, etc.
• Earlier planning for independent living

21
ADDRESSING CORE YOUTH NEEDS

1. Education
2. Housing
3. Physical and Mental Healthcare
4. Employment
5. Transportation
6. Financial Literacy
7. Community Connections

22
EDUCATION

• 1 predictor for successful transition
• academic success is correlated with positive
  self-esteem and hope for the future
• foster youth are more than twice as likely to
  drop out of high school
• foster youth are significantly underrepresented
  in vocational training programs and colleges
• within 2-4 yrs. of leaving care only 54 had
  completed high school

23
HOW CAN CASEWORKERS MAKE A DIFFERENCE?
COLLABORATE
PROMOTE
ADVOCATE
COORDINATE
PARTICIPATE
24
POSSIBLE TUTORING RESOURCES

• County Boards
• Adopt a Caseworker
• Interns/Volunteers from Universities
• Foster Parent
• Youths Church Family
• CASA
• School Programs
• Retired Teachers Association

25
PHYSICAL AND MENTAL HEALTHCARE

• Foster youth experience higher rates of chronic
  physical disabilities, birth defects,
  developmental delays and emotional problems
• Youth have incomplete medical records access is
  challenging
• Within 2-4 years of leaving foster care 30 of
  youth had no access to needed healthcare

• Three out of four youth in care are in need of
  mental health services
• One out of five reported receiving mental health
  services after leaving care
• Two out of four received services while in care

26
PHYSICAL AND MENTAL HEALTHCARE

• In a study cited by the Childrens Defense Fund,
  60 of youth had given birth
• In a Chapin Hall Study of 700 youth, foster youth
  report higher rates of sexual activity than other
  teens
• In the same study, 32 of girls and 14 of boys
  reported having at least one child by age 19
• Casey Alumni Study reports birth rate for girls
  in foster care is more than double the rate of
  their peers outside of the foster care system

27
HOW CAN CASEWORKERS IMPACT HEALTHCARE STRUGGLES?

1. Arrange comprehensive screenings before youth
   leave care
2. Assist youth in gathering and organizing health
   records encourage youth to keep a
   medical/health log
3. Inform youth of any diagnoses and explain
   prescribed medication
4. Coordinate/Collaborate with PAL worker to ensure
   youth know how to use a Medicaid card, and
   receive information/education on healthcare
   resources and options

28
HOW CAN CASEWORKERS IMPACT HEALTHCARE STRUGGLES?

1. Teen pregnancy and repeat pregnancy prevention
   efforts must be targeted to teen boys as well as
   girls
2. Youth want to hear directly from teen
   parents-utilize Youth Specialist to help organize
   a group, a panel, or a one-to-one meeting

29
AVAILABLE RESOURCE OPTIONS

• Planned Parenthood
• Community Support Groups, Foundations
• Clinics, County Hospital
• MHMR Services

30
EMPLOYMENT

• Outcomes for youth who have transitioned out of
  care resemble those of people living at or below
  the federal poverty line
• The percentage of youth employed while in care is
  substantially lower than employment figures of
  youth in the general population
• Childrens Defense Fund cited a national study
  reporting within 2-4 years of leaving care fewer
  than half of youth were employed

31
WHAT CAN CASEWORKERS DO?

• Work with youth to identify their skills,
  abilities, and interests
• Check into career aptitude testing and employment
  vocational assessments
• Coordinate opportunities for volunteerism, job
  shadowing, etc.
• Provide opportunities for participation in job
  readiness training programs and practice/role
  play interviewing with youth

32
EMPLOYMENT RESOURCES

• Texas Workforce Commission
• Employment Mentor
• Job Corps
• Military

33
HOUSING

• ISSUES
• One of the biggest challenges for youth
• Between 20-50 of homeless population have been
  in foster care
• A national study cited by the Childrens Defense
  Fund reports within 2-4 years of leaving care 25
  of youth had been homeless

• CASEWORKER STEPS
• Ensure referral to PAL at first eligible age
• Increase their own knowledge of housing issues
  and available resources to more effectively
  advocate
• Begin the discussion earlier in the case help
  youth to problem-solve and weigh options

34
HOUSING RESOURCES

• Transitional housing
• Campus housing (college or vocational training)
• Friends and or family

35
TRANSPORTATION

• Participation in Drivers Education can be
  challenging to youth while in care due to costs,
  placements disruptions, etc.
• Purchasing a vehicle is often unheard of for
  youth in care due to limited access to funds,
  whether utilizing cash or borrowing and potential
  restrictions on acquisition of assets based on
  eligibility for foster care payments, Medicaid,
  etc.

36
CREATIVE CASEWORKER RESPONSES

• Familiarize youth with public transportation.
  Have them practice identifying routes to various
  destinations. Plan a monthly visit and let youth
  plan a field trip using public transportation.
• Seek out alternative resources to facilitate
  youth participation in drivers education.
• Prepare youth for what is involved when owning a
  car.

37
TRANSPORTATION RESOURCES

• Animated video on used car purchasing
• A visit with a reputable used car dealer
• Casey Family Guidebooks
• As a monthly visit teach youth to change a flat
  tire, check oil, etc., let them practice, ask
  others involved in youths case to participate

38
CASEWORKER IMPACT ON FINANCIAL LITERACY

• Maximize teachable moments help youth prepare a
  budget for school lunches, clothing, other
  activities
• As a monthly visit, take youth to the grocery
  store and discuss meal planning
• Utilize a college intern (dietician or
  nutritionist) to develop an easy how-to meal plan
  and preparation on a budget

39
HOW CASEWORKERS HELP DEVELOP COMMUNITY CONNECTIONS

• Provide opportunities for youth to participate
  in extra-curricular and community sponsored
  events
• Provide opportunities for youth to volunteer

40
SUBSTANTIAL CONTRIBUTORS TO SUCCESSFUL TRANSITION

• Internal Resources
• Self-esteem
• Mastery the youths perception of their ability
  to control their environment
• External Resources
• Social support the perceived social support
  given, rather than the actual support, positively
  impacts adjustment and coping
• Sense of faith or spirituality

41
SUBSTANTIAL CONTRIBUTORS TO SUCCESSFUL TRANSITION

• Preliminary results from the Casey National
  Alumni Study
• Completion of high school while in care
• Access to post-secondary education or vocational
  training
• Preparation for adult living services
• Access to housing specifically not being
  homeless during the 1st year of leaving care
• Participation in clubs/groups while in care
• Access to academic support to minimize academic
  problems
• Minimized use of alcohol or drugs

42
SUBSTANTIAL CONTRIBUTORS TO SUCCESSFUL TRANSITION

• Preliminary results from the Casey National
  Alumni Study indicate
• Participation in clubs/groups while in care
• Access to academic support to minimize academic
  problems
• Minimized use of alcohol or drugs

43
MEASURING SUCCESS
44
SO WHAT CAN CASEWORKERS DO?

• Fulfill Multiple Roles
• Jointly Develop a Comprehensive Service Plan
• Collaborate in the Delivery of Services

45
YOUTH DEVELOPMENT WORKER COMPETENCIES

1. Understands and applies basic youth development
   principles
2. Communicates and develops positive relationships
   with youth
3. Respects and honors cultural and human diversity
4. Involves and empowers youth

46
YOUTH DEVELOPMENT WORKER COMPETENCIES

1. Cares for, involves and works with families and
   community
2. Works as part of a team and shows professionalism
3. Relates to youth in ways that support asset
   building
4. Serves as a positive role model

47
SUPERVISION WITHIN A POSITIVE YOUTH DEVELOPMENT
FRAMEWORK

• Challenge problem thinking
• Encourage self-awareness
• Model appropriate behavior
• Ensure and require youth participation

• Closely review service plans and monthly
  narratives
• Utilize group/shared supervision
• Maximize unit meetings
• Ask youth conduct a survey of youth assigned to
  your unit

48
COLLABORATION
49
COLLABORATION

• Existent Internal
• Child Welfare Board Meetings
• Unit Meetings
• Multiple Unit/Program Meetings
• Circles of Support

• Existent External
• Community Resource Coordination Groups
• Foster Parent Association Meetings
• County Commissioner Meetings
• IEP Meetings

50
Youth in Collaboration with Community

• What types of community organization and
  individuals are your youth already involved in?
• What additional organizations could be
  considered?
• How does supporting youth involvement within the
  community benefit youth?
• How does it benefit the caseworker?

51
Leading Toward Collaboration

• Focus on what is best for youth
• Circle of influence doing what you can
• Empower others to participate
• Educate others about the needs and potential
  contributions of youth
• Set the example in working jointly on behalf of
  youth

Modeling may not only be the best way to teach,
it may be the only way to teach. -Albert
Schweitzer
52
CULTURAL RESPONSIVENESS
53
FOSTER YOUTH CULTURE

• Displacement all foster youth have experienced
  and know what it is like to live separate from
  ones birth family
• Loneliness and Stigmatization youth often do
  not feel they fit in with the model of real
  family.

54
CROSS-CULTURAL COMPENTENCY

• Fact-Centered Approach
• acquisition of factual knowledge
• sociopolitical history
• historical oppression
• distribution of power and resources
• socialization process
• access to resources

55
CROSS-CULTURAL COMPENTENCY

• Attitude-Centered Approach
• willingness and opening to embrace diversity
• commitment to working with diverse clients
• evaluate ones own beliefs, attitudes and
  behaviors and how they impact clients

56
ESSENTIAL ELEMENTS

1. Treatment of clients with dignity and respect,
   reflecting their awareness of diversity within
   their caseload.
2. Acknowledgement of the clients perspective and
   varying acceptable behaviors, beliefs, and values
   in assessing and treating a clients problems.
3. Possession of ATTITUDE, knowledge, and skill to
   work with the value system of the client and the
   reality of their conditions.

57
DEVELOPING CULTURAL KNOWLEDGE

• Encourage staff to be open and honest in sharing
  issues related to their culture
• Read additional sources
• Explore different parts of your town/city
• Join a multicultural organization - volunteer

• Expand friendship networks
• Learn another language
• Participate in cultural traditions or community
  activities
• Seek out additional training and education
  resources

58
SUPERVISOR ROLE IN PRACTICE

• The supervisor is key to the development and
  implementation of culturally responsive services.
  The supervisor is the one who must respond to
  both the norms of the profession and the
  day-to-day reality of service delivery.
  Supervisors are adept at wearing many hats, one
  of which is Diversity Manager.

59
PERMANENT CONNECTIONS
60
WHAT IS PERMANENCY?

• Permanency is an enduring family relationship
  that
• is safe and meant to last a lifetime,
• offers the legal rights and social status of full
  family membership,
• provides for physical, emotional, social,
  cognitive and spiritual well-being, and
• assures lifelong connections to extended family,
  siblings, other significant adults, family
  history and traditions, race and ethnic heritage,
  culture, religion and language.

61
WHAT PERMANENCE MEANS TO YOUTH

• youth want to feel connected with those whose
  support is genuine and unconditional
• relational/emotional permanence is the most
  important
• physical permanence is crucial to
  self-development and future life success

• legal permanence for some youth brings legal
  recognition and responsibilities that shape the
  relationship
• some youth do not trust the legal system to
  establish personal relationships
• cultural permanency is an ongoing connection to
  family, tradition, religion, language, etc.

62
WHAT PERMANENCE MEANS TO YOUTH

• legal permanence for some youth brings legal
  recognition and responsibilities that shape the
  relationship
• some youth do not trust the legal system to
  establish personal relationships
• cultural permanency is an ongoing connection to
  family, tradition, religion, language, etc.

• Berishas Story

63
REFRAMING THE CONCEPT OF PERMANENCE

• Perspective or rather how we view and process
  information is vital to success.

64
THE BUSINESS OF FAMILY MAKING

1. Concurrent Planning for Youth Permanency
2. Preparing Youth for Permanency
3. Identifying Potential Family Connections Already
   Known to the Youth
4. Identifying New and/or Lost Connections

65
Concurrent Planning forYouth Permanency

• What it is NOT
• reunification
• vs.
• termination

• What it is
• shared parenting
• independent living AND permanent family
  relationships
• helping youth develop connections and build
  bridges that can be sustained in foster care or
  in their own home

66
Preparing Youth for Permanency

• Process of Preparation
• ask and then LISTEN to youth about hopes and
  fears for family life
• when youth say NO to adoption it is only the
  beginning of the conversation
• provide access to information

67
Preparing Youth for Permanency

• involve youth in individual and/or group therapy
  and education interventions to develop a greater
  understanding of their lives
• teach youth interpersonal and family life skills
• provide opportunities for youth to interact with
  other youth who have achieved permanence

68
Identify Connections AlreadyKnown to Youth

• When conversing with youth, LISTEN for the family
  connections they may already have.
• Involve significant and caring adults to help
  plan, WITH THE YOUTH, for the youths permanency.
• CASE RECORD REVIEW

69
Identify New and/or Lost Connections

• ask youth who they want involved in their future
  planning
• identify community organization in which the
  youth has been or is involved
• work with the youth and those who know the youth
  (multiple caregivers, placements, etc.)

70
CREATIVE NEXT STEPS IN SUPERVISION

• Successive Approximations
• An agency does not have to train everyone to
  implement anything. One person can try with one
  child and go from there.
• -Best Practices on Permanency for Older
  Youth. Workgroup Report from
• 2003 National Youth Permanence Convening.

71
CREATIVE NEXT STEPS IN SUPERVISION

• be willing to take the first step
• your belief and value that every youth deserves a
  permanent family relationship is critical
• promote a vision of shared responsibility within
  the unit

72
CREATIVE NEXT STEPS IN SUPERVISION

• maximize teachable moments
• identify youth mentors
• seek out community volunteer opportunities for
  youth
• utilize the media

73
WORKING WITH YOUTH
74
THE BASICS

• Youth respond well to caseworkers who
• spend time getting to know and interacting with
  them
• actively include them in case planning
• foster mutual respect
• genuinely enjoy youth and like working with them
• know how to establish and encourage positive and
  appropriate relationships with youth

75
CREATING YOUTH/ADULT PARTNERSHIPS

• Which belief and
• practice is best?
• Caseworkers are the decision makers?
• Caseworkers make decisions allowing for some
  youth involvement?
• A sense of shared control and youth are viewed as
  resources?

76
CREATING YOUTH/ADULT PARTNERSHIPS

• Opening the door to communication simple in
  theory but requires a commitment from both the
  caseworker and youth for reciprocal dialog.
• It is not enough to listen caseworkers must
  genuinely hear and respect the concerns and ideas
  of the youth.
• Clear expectations and commitments the meaning
  of youth involvement must be clarified for the
  caseworker and the youth.

77
COMPETENCIES FOR SUCCESS

• Teachable youth competencies
• Self-awareness
• Social awareness
• Self-management
• Relationship skills
• Responsible decision making

78
COMPETENCIES FOR SUCCESS

• Youth Caseworker Competencies
• Coach
• Networker
• Advocate

• Teach Them to Fish

79
SUPERVISOR TOOLKIT
80
TAKING THE FIRST STEP

• Successful transition for youth begins with you.
• What will your first step be?

81
THANK YOU!!