Communication Among Reliable Allies

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Chapter 9

• Communication Among Reliable Allies

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Identifying and Respecting Family Preferences

• Connect with families in a natural and
  comfortable way
• Consider developing a family portfolio

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Identifying and Respecting Family Preferences

• Do you agree?
• Most families prefer informal communication to
  formal communication?
• Most families prefer to be treated more as friend
  than as an acquaintance?
• Which do you think is more likely to help
  families see professionals as reliable allies?
• Most parents do not care if their child is called
  a patient by team members, such as
  psychologists and social workers

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Written Strategies for Communication

• Parent Handbooks
• Handouts
• Newsletters --with horoscopes?
• Letters notes
• Dialogue journals
• Report cards/grades, progress reports
• Occasional messages

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Telephone Contacts

• Jot down in advance what you want to find out or
  tell the parent
• Ask if you have called at a convenient time
• Keep it brief
• Not to be used for criticism
• If necessary to inform parent of childs problem,
  find something positive to say about child first
  and last
• Plan future face to face meeting

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Technology Options

• Email
• Portable micro-cassette
• Videotape

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Face-to-Face Interactions

• Planned meetings
• Making action plans
• Unplanned meetings
• Group family meetings

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Planned Meetings

• Notify
• Plan agenda
• Arrange environment

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Meetings

• Build rapport
• Use ice breakers and door openers
• Obtain information
• Provide information
• Summarize and follow up

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Postmeeting

• Review the meeting with the student when
  appropriate
• Share the outcome of the meeting with other
  professionals on a need to know basis
• Maintain confidentiality with others
• Record the proceedings?
• Minutes/Note-taking
• Check school/district policy on tape recordings
• Evaluate your own satisfaction and identify
  future needs

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Unplanned Meetings

• Communicate your preference (i.e., phone calls
  at home?)
• Be aware of confidentiality issues when others
  are around
• Decide how you want to handle drop ins

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Types of Group/Family Meetings

• Home visits
• Orientation at beginning of school/year
• Open House
• Parent-Teacher Conferences
• PTA/PTO or Parent Advisory Board
• Festivals
• Incentives for family involvement at school
• Transportation
• Drop-in child care
• Food

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Chapter 10

• Meeting Families Basic Needs

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Meeting Basic Needs

• Greatest need is to meet the basics
• If their need is economic stability, may be
  difficult to leave job to attend conferences and
  other school events, etc.
• Can collaborate to connect with other parents and
  agencies
• Provide community resource packet

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Accessing Social Support

• Group support Peers and Professionals
• Individual support --Parent to Parent, Parent to
  Professional
• Online Email discussion groups and bulletin
  boards
• Anonymous Hot-Lines

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Acquiring Information

• Parent information programs
• Clearinghouses
• Family organizations
• Adults with exceptionalities
• Books and magazines
• Technology Online, TV, radio

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Disseminating Information

• Parent Information Center
• Bulletin Boards
• Fliers
• Newsletters
• Personal Communications
• Group Meetings

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Economic and Family Support Services

• Federal programs
• State programs
• Local programs

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Collaboration the Key to Helping Families Meet
Basic Needs

• Enable families to access social support
• Assist families in acquiring information,
  providing an array of viable options
• Link families to different economic and family
  support services
• Assist families who are on a pathway toward
  maltreatment

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Issues of Abuse and Neglect

• Types of Abuse and Neglect
• Outcomes
• Identification
• Reporting Mandated Status
• DCFS
• 1-800-25-ABUSE
• Prevention
• Parental Stress Hotline312-3-PARENTHot-line
  affiliated with CAPS, Child Abuse Prevention
  Services of Illinois

Center for Internal Change http//www.internalch
ange.com/psychotherapy/default.htm
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Dealing with Confrontations

• Sometimes its necessary to be direct about
  concerns When in doubt, check with supervisor
  regarding school policy
• Use diplomacy, be non-judgmental, and maintain
  professionalism
• Be factual
• Ask necessary questions (without creating an
  Inquisition)
• Explain course of action
• Identify resources
• Remember to display empathy
• Raising a child can be very stressful

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Activity

• Its time to meet again --and be more direct
  with
• The parent of the child who may have ADHD
• The parents of the child who may have an
  attachment disorder
• A parent who may have abused their child