Partnering with Families for MRS/SOC Success!

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Partnering with Families for MRS/SOC Success!
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North Carolinas Family Support and Child Welfare
System
Well-Being
Permanency
MRS
Safety

Self-Sufficiency
Foster Care
Work First
CPS
Adoption
Community Based Programs

• Family-centered practice and system of care
• principles are our foundation
• -

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MRS is System Reform

• The Multiple Response System in North
• Carolina is a reform of the entire Child
• Welfare System from intake to permanency.
• There are 3 key components to this reform
• Policy reform
• Philosophy reform
• Shift in Focus

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Key MRS Concepts

• Families are unique and distinctive
• One size still does not fit all
• Families are more likely to engage and carry out
  a plan that they have truly taken part in
  planning
• We wont be involved forever, we need to build a
  support network of extended family and community
  partners

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7 Strategies of MRS

• MRS in North Carolina encompasses all of
• the Child Welfare System with the following
• strategies
• Collaboration between TANF and Child Welfare
• Strengths based, structured intake process
• Choice of two approaches in responding to reports
  of abuse and neglect
• Collaboration with Law Enforcement on reports
  involving abuse.
• Redesign of CPS In-Home Services
• The use of Child and Family Team meetings
  throughout the life of the case
• The use of Shared Parenting meetings during
  foster care cases

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Needs, Not Deeds A New Philosophy

• This concept allows us to look at what lies
  beneath the child maltreatment rather than
  focusing on what is often only a symptom. We
  look at the underlying reasons for the Deed and
  what the family Needs to keep themselves and
  their children safe. This philosophy is followed
  throughout the life of the case.

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System of Care Supports MRS Implementation

• A proven framework for
• Organizing and coordinating services and
  resources into a comprehensive and interconnected
  network by
• developing PARTNERSHIPS between individuals,
  families, and agencies
• building on individual and community STRENGTHS
  and making the most of
• existing resources.
• Improving the skills, knowledge, and attitudes of
  frontline service providers toward more FAMILY-
  CENTERED practices.

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System of Care Guiding Principles/Values

• Interagency Collaboration
• Child and Family Partnership
• Individualized Strengths-based Care
• Cultural Competence
• Community-based Services supports
• Accountability to results

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Both MRS and SOC reflect family- centered
Principles of Partnership in action

• Everyone desires respect.
• Everyone needs to be heard.
• Everyone has strengths.
• Judgments can wait.
• Partners share power.
• Partnerships is process.

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Child and Family TeamsMRS/SOC Style
CFT meetings recognize and respect the family as
the experts of their own children. This is a
shift away from more traditional child welfare
service planning, which all too often focused on
parenting deficits, assumes the child welfare
professional is the expert on what is needed, and
often alienated the family.
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The team decision making approach is both a
philosophy and a practice.

• As a philosophy, it reflects the belief that
  families can solve their own problems. No one
  knows a familys strengths, needs and problems
  better than that family.
• As a practice, child and family teams bring the
  philosophy to life, in real world settings.

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Child Family Teams whos at the table?
Pastor
Housing Authority
MH /DD/SA Professional
Consumer Credit
Friends
DSS Professional
Child and Family Team Family is central with
facilitator organizing the meeting
Advocate
LEA Teacher
Parks/Rec
Job Coach
Courts JJ Professional
Neighbors
Primary Care Phy. Health Dept. Nurse
1 Family/1 Team/1 Plan
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Engaging youth and families systemically

• North Carolina Collaborative for Children, Youth
  and Families (co-chaired by a parent)
• Developing policy in partnership with youth and
  families
• Compensating family and youth for time spent in
  meetings

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North Carolina Collaborativefor Children, Youth
and Families

• A Forum
• for the discussion of System of Care development
  and issues regarding how agencies, community
  partners, and families can work together to
  better meet the needs of children and families
  which results in better outcomes.
• where recommendations are made to promote the
  coordination of services, funding, training, and
  local reporting requirements to eliminate
  duplication and make the system more child and
  family friendly.

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State Collaborative for Children, Youth, and
Families

• Cross system child and family
• team curriculum with blended funds
• Website
• Charter
• Cross agency Committees including technical
  assistance
• System of Care Conferences/Training Events
• Statewide SOC Conference December 3 and 4-Winston
  Salem

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Involving Families and Youth in the Statewide
Assessment

• Surveys completed with foster and adoptive
  parents and youth
• Focus groups held with youth
• Conscious, deliberate sharing of information with
  clarity regarding what changes can be made

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Involving Families and Youth in the on-site CFSR

• Solicit participation as on-site reviewers
• Continuous engagement with Strong Able Youth
  Speaking Out (SAYSO)
• Partnership with North Carolina Foster and
  Adoptive Parent Association

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Involving Youth and Families in the PIP

• One theme driving NCs PIP is Child, Youth and
  Family Involvement.
• Shared draft PIP with Strong Able Youth Speaking
  Out
• PIP action steps include annual surveys of
  foster and adoptive parents and foster youth,
  focus groups led by county director with foster
  youth

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MRS and SOCLike a hand in a glove

• The North Carolina Division of Social Services is
  committed to the values and principles of MRS and
  SOC
• Family centered practice training for all
  Division employees
• The timing is right to really focus on family
  and community partnerships

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Why Families as Partners?

• Families know what works for them
• Families know what their limitations are
• Families can keep track of services and change
• Families and youth comfort and buy in are
  necessary for success
• Families face the challenges all day and every
  day
• Families are passionate and will not give up
• Families have the most to lose and the most to
  gain
• Libby Jones-Family Advocate-NC Families United

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Only through partnering together can we make all
the pieces fit!