September 2013
Module 6What have we learned?Informing child welfare
Module 6Learning Objectives
Participants will:• Summarize the key points of early brain
development
• Understand why it is vital to identify and address the needs of young children in child welfare
• Identify “opportunities” for applying concepts of early development throughout the key events in dependency
What have we learned?
• Brain and Body Development– Begins Early (prenatally),– Has Windows of Opportunity– Stress Can Harm– Relationships Can Buffer
• Intervening Early is Key
• Science Must Be Applied to Child Welfare Practice
Modified by Children’s Administration 5/2014
What does the science tell us?
The brain is not fully developed at birth
Modified by Children’s Administration 5/2014
… there are
windows of opportunity for development and
intervention
(optimal or sensitive periods)
Modified by Children’s Administration 5/2014
… and that
persistent stress, maltreatment or deprivation of experiences
can harm the developing brain
And that like Billy, many maltreated children have developmental problems
We know that primary caregivers are the center of baby's
emotional universe
… even those adults we might consider inadequate parents
We’ve learned …
How rapidly securely attached children can deteriorate when
separated from important relationships
Modified by Children’s Administration 5/2014
… and
nurturing relationships
can buffer stress and heal loss
Modified by Children’s Administration 5/2014
We’ve learned that, really, it’s all based in relationships ...
• Brain development
• Dealing with stress
• Learning to self-regulate
• Nurturing and attachment
• Development
• Repair and healing
Why the urgency? Adverse Childhood Experiences
What happens between infancy and adulthood can create a lifetime of addictions, abuse and mental health problems.
Early financial investment is critical
“Dollars spent on a child before age 5 produce a higher economic benefit than if the same amount were spent when the child is older.”
Heckman and Masterov, The Productivity Argument for Investing in Young Children, October 2004.
High quality environments that support healthy relationships and evidenced- based
interventions…
can significantly improve children’s outcomes
Modified by Children’s Administration 5/2014
How can the science of early childhoodbetter inform key events in dependency?
• Removal and placement• Case planning• Court appearances• Visitation and family time• Reunification, adoption or
termination
Removal and Placement
How can we reduce stress and increase security?
Modified by Children’s Administration 5/2014
Removal and PlacementPotential Opportunities
• Talk to families about their importance in promoting early childhood and brain development
• Unless unsafe, keep familiar objects/blankets/toys with the child
Modified by Children’s Administration 5/2014
How can we reduce stress and increase security?
Placement and Case Planning
Modified by Children’s Administration 5/2014
Case PlanningPotential Opportunities
• Identify relationship-based supports for caregivers and birth parents
• Ensure access to high-quality care and education opportunities
• Address caregiver mental health (including trauma histories for both resource and birth parents)
• Support regular family team meetings
Modified by Children’s Administration 5/2014
How can we reduce stress and increase security?
Hearings and Court Appearances
Modified by Children’s Administration 5/2014
Court AppearancesPotential Opportunities
• Engage judicial leaders as catalysts for change
• Encourage a child/baby friendly court environment
• Support more frequent permanency hearings – 6 months is half of an infant’s life and during this time, 16 million synapses are formed
Modified by Children’s Administration 5/2014
How can we reduce stress and increase security?
Visitation and Family Time
Modified by Children’s Administration 5/2014
Visitation and Family TimePotential Opportunities
• First visits within 48 hours of removal when possible
• Prepare resource and birth parents for visits and provide supports after visits
• Visitation and parenting coaches
Modified by Children’s Administration 5/2014
Reunification, Termination or adoption
How can we reduce stress and increase security?
Modified by Children’s Administration 5/2014
Reunification, Termination or AdoptionPotential Opportunities
• Fully-supported, mindfully-paced transitions between caregivers
• Clear post-permanency plans to ensure that children continue to receive services to meet health, mental health and developmental needs
How can we do these 3 simple things:
• Reduce stress?
• Increase trust and security?
• Improve well-being?
Modified by Children’s Administration 5/2014
Who can help?
Activity
For the culminating activity, you will be assigned to one of the following groups. In your group, you will have 15-20 minutes to develop a set of recommendations that will help Carly’s family reduce stress, increase trust and security and improve well-being for each of these stages of the process:
Group 1: Removal and placement
Group 2: Case planning
Group 3: Court appearance
Group 4: Visitation and family time
Group 5: Reunification, adoption and termination
Modified by Children’s Administration 5/2014