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