Implementing SFI: For States and Localities

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Implementing SFI For States and Localities

• Developed by the
• Center for the Study of Social Policy
• Funded by the
• Doris Duke Charitable Foundation

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In the beginning, we were seeking a strategic,
feasible approach to child abuse prevention that
was

• systematic,
• national,
• reached large numbers of
  very young children, and
• would have impact long
• before abuse or neglect occurred

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Our hypothesis was that early care and education
programs could be central because they offer

• Daily contact with parents
  and children
• Uniquely intimate relationship
  with families
• A universal approach of positive encouragement
  and education for families
• An early warning and response system at the first
  sign of trouble

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A new CAN Prevention Framework

• Suitable for universal, positive approach to
  families (no risk factors or deficit approach)
• Connected to what early childhood programs could
  really do
• Able to be communicated easily to all audiences
• Based on hard evidence

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Phase 1 ProcessStep 1 Search the evidence to
find out what factors really reduce child abuse
and neglectStep 2 Identify programs that
build the factors and learn how they do itStep
3 Develop implementation tools based on practice
of exemplary programs
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How Early Childhood programs contribute to
prevention of child abuse and neglect
Protective Factors
Quality Early Care Education
Parental Resilience
Program Strategies That

• Facilitate friendships and mutual support
• Strengthen parenting
• Respond to family crises
• Link families to services and opportunities
• Value and support parents
• Facilitate childrens social and emotional
  development
• Observe and respond to early warning signs of
  child abuse or neglect

Social Connections
Knowledge of Parenting Child Development
CAN Prevention
Concrete supports in times of need
Social and Emotional Competence of Children
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Parental Resilience

• Psychological health parents feel supported and
  able to solve problems can develop trusting
  relationships with others and reach out for help
• Parents who did not have positive childhood
  experiences or who are in troubling circumstances
  need extra support and trustworthy relationships

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Social Connections

• Relationships with extended family, friends,
  co-workers, other parents with children of
  similar ages
• Community norms
• Mutual assistance networks child care, emotional
  support,
• concrete help

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Knowledge of parenting and child development

• Basic information about how children develop
• Basic techniques of helping children develop,
  dealing with challenging behaviors
• Alternatives to parenting behaviors experienced
  as a child
• Help with challenging children

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Concrete Support

• Response to a crisis food, shelter, clothing
• Assistance with daily needs health care,
  education, job opportunities
• Services for parents depression and other mental
  health issues, domestic violence, substance
  abuse
• Specialized services for children

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Social Emotional Development

• Connection between normal development and
  positive parent child interaction
• Appropriate adult response to challenging
  behaviors, traumatic experiences or when
  development is not on track
• What classroom learning sends home to families

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Early care and education programs can serve
several critical roles for young parents 

• as a primary source of information and support
  for young families
• as a gateway to outside services or supports such
  as health or mental health services,
  transportation, and even education, housing and
  jobs. 
• as the key early warning system when families or
  children are in trouble.

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Expanded Process

• Research-based Conceptual Framework
• Investigate Exemplary Practices
• Develop tools for implementation

Phase 1

• State Pilots
• Technical assistance and training network
• Tools for Funders

Phase 2
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Phase 2 The Basic Idea

• Help many more EC programs implement small but
  significant changes in practice
• Create more effective links between child welfare
  and early childhood systems
• Marshal more evidence
• Promote child/family development approach to CAN
  prevention

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Creating national momentum

• National partners
• PCA
• Zero to Three
• NAEYC
• U of WI
• Alliance of Childrens Trust and Prevention Funds

• CSSP
• State pilots
• What does it take?
• What would help?
• Technical Assistance
• Work with funders
• NCSL

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A few persuasive States

• Alaska
• Arkansas
• Illinois
• Missouri
• New Hampshire
• Rhode Island
• Wisconsin

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Hallmarks for Success

• More programs use the protective factors
  framework
• Parent leadership is demonstrated at all levels
• Integration into other early care and education
  initiatives is evident
• Early care and education and child welfare
  services build stronger mutually beneficial
  relationships and
• Documentation, both statewide and in pilots,
  describes key decision points and provides
  evidence that the Hallmarks are being achieved.

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• Alaska
• Pilot programs with CAN tracking
• Develop EC/CW links
• Professional Development

• Arkansas
• 3-5 Pilot programs
• EC/CW links, including cross training
• Professional Development
• Media campaign
• Parent involvement

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• Missouri
• Pilot programs
• Develop evaluation tools
• Professional development, including cross
  training CW and EC workers
• CW/EC links, including policy and practice
  changes
• Funders group
• Mental health and special needs children links

• Illinois
• 4 Pilot programs with results tracking
• EC plan for state wards
• Professional development in CW and EC
• CW/EC links
• Communications plan
• Parent component

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• New Hampshire
• 10 pilot programs with evaluation by DYFS and UNH
• Create model MOAs to create multi agency links
• Professional development, including higher ed.
• Wisconsin
• EC/CW links and policy changes
• Pilot programs
• Professional development for EC providers
• Research-based Evaluation

• Rhode Island
• Community pilot
• Professional development
• Indicators and tracking
• Communications plan
• Mental Health consultation model
• Focus on families affected by domestic violence
  and substance abuse

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Other State Adopters

• Georgia
• Hawaii
• Idaho
• Ohio
• Texas

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EC leaders, CAN prevention Leaders, Advocates, Ch
ild Welfare, Policymakers, Funders
Linking ECE CW
Many more ECE Programs Building Protective Factor
s
CAN Prevention Via Normative Approach
Better ECE Practices
Technical Assistance
Policy Changes
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Technical Assistance

• Planning and implementation support
• Content specific technical assistance
• Peer based technical assistance

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Cross State Learning

• Curriculum development integration of concepts
  into existing training and TA systems
• CPS changes
• CW/EC linkages
• Evaluation and tracking methods
• Communications

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Future Plans

• Research-based Conceptual Framework
• Investigate Exemplary Practices
• Develop tools for implementation

Phase 1

• State Pilots for policy and implementation
• Technical assistance and training network
• Tools for Funders

Phase 2

• National implementation
• Federal support
• ????