Signs of Safety Overview PowerPoint - Scott County

Signs of Safety Around the World• Who is using the Signs of Safety framework?*Japan*Canada*United Kingdom*Sweden*Finland*New Zealand*The Netherlands*Australia

Signs of Safety in Minnesota• Olmsted County• Led the movement. Started their work in the early 1990’s• Carver County• Worked with Andrew Turnell over the past 5 years.• Scott County• Over the past 1 ½ years• Other counties at using the framework include:• Wright• Anoka• Hennepin• Stearns• St. Louis*there are many other counties that are in the early states of learning andimplementing this framework.

Signs of Safety3 Key Questions1. What are we worried about?(Harm and Danger statements)2. What is going well?(Search for strengths, best hopes)3. What needs to happen?(Next steps, safety plan)

Signs of Safety Framework4 Key ElementsI. Focus is on child safetyII. Partnership with ParentsIII. Identifying strengths that lead to safety(A list of services do not keep kids safe)IV. Safety planning and development of SafetyNetworks(“It takes a village to raise a child”)

Element I: Focus on Child SafetyWhat does safety mean?• Safety is defined as strengths demonstrated as protection over time.Clearly identifying and defining harm and danger:Harm Statement - 2 components:• What has happened to the child, and• The impact it had on the childDanger Statement -2 key issues:• Needs to capture the seriousness of the issue (i.e. what are weworried about)• Needs to be something a safety network can sign off on and be investedin*Danger statements must be simple so the youngest person in the familycan understand and in the family’s language as it serves as theframework for effective safety planning.

Element II: Building PartnershipsWhat does research tell us about the importance of buildingrelationships? It says:The best predictor of positive outcomes forchildren in child protection cases isrelationships.• Relationship between the worker and otherprofessionals (foster parents, therapists, etc) and thefamily.• Relationships between professionals.• Child safety is compromised when the variousprofessionals are not “on the same page”

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Element IV: Safety Planning andSafety NetworksKey Elements of Effective Safety Planning:• Openness with everyone including children about the harm anddanger.• Involves an extensive, informed friend and family network to plan forand achieve child safety (“ It takes a village to raise a child”. )*Developing a safety network is where you may come in• Together create a specific, in the home, in the car, at-the-park, everyday plan that demonstrates a child will be safe.• The safety plan should incorporate rules for “triggers/stressors”• A safety plan is a journey, created in relationship and demonstratedover time.

Element IV: Safety Planning andSafety NetworksSafety Network ExpectationsWould you be willing to:• Be briefed regarding the concerns of the parents and SocialServices?• Check in on the parents and children 1-3 times per week(maybe less, maybe more) to assure that a child is safe?• Attend occasional meetings with Social Services todetermine the effectiveness of the safety network/safetyplan?• Search for and share strengths that lead to safety?• Respond quickly, if a child is in danger?

Signs of Safety ToolsWays to solicit a child’s voice and give them their ownstory:Three HousesHouse of GoodThingsHouse of WorriesHouse ofDreams(What is going well) (What are you worried about) (What is your best hope)

Signs of Safety Tools• Three Houses Example - 11 Year Old BoyGood things•Football•Homework•School•Visits with my mom•“Good Jobs” fromparents•Boy Scouts with Dad•Rollerblading•ComputerWorries•Step-mom being meanmore often•Not paying attention tome•Always yelling at me

Signs of Safety ToolsThree Houses Example – 11 Year Old Boy ContinuedWishes• Dad & step-mom could recognize my “good things” & not yell at me forgetting an 82 instead of an 85 (got upset for getting yelled at)• Dad not on computer so much – more time for he and younger brotherto play with Dad• Wishes younger brother wouldn’t be such a know it all sometimes• Would like to see mom live closer & visit grandma/mom more often –would like to see mom during the week if it was possible (it was)• Would like to go to Camp Nickelodeon with family ($26 per wristband)• Wishes they had hot water – says he hasn’t has it for a month (familybehind on gas bill, but have internet/cable – “why do we still havethese?”)

Signs of Safety Tools• Wizards and Fairies

Signs of Safety ToolsWords and Pictures:Gives everyone working with the child, including the parent,foster parent and social worker common language to usewhen talking to the child about the concerns.• It is a story of the child’s life, both the good things as well as the concerns,written in the family’s language while still expressing the seriousness of theissue.• The end product is a book that is given to the child, child’s parents and networkparticipants, which becomes a resource for how to talk with a child aboutconcerns.• It gives a child something to hang on to and helps them to develop aclear understanding of what is going on around them.

Signs of Safety ToolsWords and PicturesBenefits for the child:• Better understanding of why they went into placement.• The child then doesn’t have to make up their own story aboutwhy they are in placement.Benefits for the parent:• Helps them understand the concerns from social services indeveloping a shared story to give to their child.• Allows them to see the strengths as well as the concerns.• Language they can use in sharing with family the reason forsocial services involvement or reason for placement

Signs of Safety ToolsWords and PicturesBenefits for the worker:• A tool that allows you to partner with the family to developstrengths and to come up with common language regarding theconcerns.• Relieves pressure in trying to find ways to talk with the child aboutpermanency (if applicable).Benefits for the foster parent:• Allows them to see the strengths of the family and can use some ofthe positives in the story to build their relationship with the childand family.• Gives them a clear picture of the reason for child’s placement and isa tool they can use when the child has questions.

Roles for Foster Parents• Foster Parent with child placed in your home• Developing relationship with bio-family through ongoing contact• Supervising Visits• Co-parenting the child with the bio-parents• Mentor• Child• Parent/family• Safety Network Participant• Safety Plan• Community Liaison/resource

Panel Discussion – Old Way Vs. New WayThe “Old” Way• Belief that CHIPS equals childsafety• Kids are only safe if in placementor sent home with CHIPS order• Worker was expected to be theexpert deciding what serviceswould “fix” the problems in thefamily• Families felt forced or coerced to“do services”• Responsibility for child safetywas on the worker• Anxiety – Stress – Burnout!The “New” Way• Services and CHIPS do not equalsafety but are sometimesnecessary• Kids are safe in their own homeswith safety networks• Family members are the expertson coming up with solutions tothe problems in their family• Family members are given choicesregarding how they will proceedto establish child safety• Responsibility for child safety ison the family• Anxiety is reduced – buildingHOPE is ENERGIZING!