Taking charge of change

1
CRP As Change Agents

• Taking charge of change

Presenters Phyllis B. Fulton Charisse S.
Johnson
2
Workshop Objective

• At the conclusion of this workshop participants
  will understand the conceptual framework of
  citizen involvement in the child welfare system,
  recognize how child well being affects all social
  systems, how to be effective as a panel member
  and how to facilitate change.

3
Citizen Review Panels Premises

• Insuring the safety and wellbeing of children is
  everyones responsibility
• Families must have services and resources to care
  for children
• Social services agencies are charged by the
  community to determine what children are
  maltreated and the factors within the family that
  impact maltreatment
• The community needs to know what works and
  doesnt work for families in relation to child
  safety and wellbeing
• It is the communitys responsibility to insure
  that gaps and deficiencies are addressed

4
Knowing When a Family Needs Help

• Families must feel at liberty to ask for
  assistance as needed, without stigmas or duress
• Citizens must have knowledge about conditions or
  situations that put children at risk of harm
• Each citizen must be on alert for child
  protection needs at all times
• Citizens must know how to alert officials about
  children that appear in need of protective
  services

5
Before the Knock on the Door

• Communities must have services and
• resources needed by families to care for
  children.

6

Point Counterpoint
Engaging families in child protective services
when there are gaps or deficiencies in services
or resources has a negative affect on families as
well as child protective professionals. This
practice opens the door for cynicism on the part
of the family and burnout for the child
protection professional. More importantly, the
actuality of change in the circumstance or
condition that causes a child to be at risk of
harm is unlikely. Panels may alleviate this
concern by thoroughly assessing resources and
determining gaps in services. Panels must then
develop a means of addressing the deficiencies.
7
Panels Capacity to Protect

• Panels must provide honest, unbiased assessment
  and
• effective steps for advocacy

• Laws must strengthen families as well as protect
  children
• Administrators must clearly understand the
  interconnectedness of the child protection
  system with other systems
• It is crucial that the social work force is fully
  trained and committed to thoroughly assessing
  families, identifying conditions that must be
  changes so that children can be protected and has
  skills to facilitate change
• Panels must generate diligent activity within the
  community to develop resources that are needed to
  protect children
• The community must be kept abreast of issues and
  conditions that impact the well being of children

8
Panels Execute Their Responsibility
Establish trust within the panel
Collaborate on what compromises a childs well
being within the community
Develop strategies to address child protective
conditions or concerns, (change in laws,
policies, practices, etc.).
Follow through with strategies and assess
outcomes routinely

9
Executing Panel Responsibility
Panel members must have a clear understanding of
child risk factors

• Panels must make the community aware of the the
  panels presence
• Panels purpose
• How the community can access the panel
• Keep the community abreast of panel activity

Panels must develop supportive relationships
within the panel and within the community
10
Change Up Down
(Families)

• Parents and families must be flooded with the
  message of the importance of child well being
• What does it mean
• How child well being can be achieved within the
  family
• How to support your childs well being away from
  home
• How to demonstrate behavior that promotes child
  optimal well being
• How to get help when needed

11
Change Up Down
(Your Community)

• All citizens must be alert for conditions that
  put children at risk of harm
• Panels must partner with community power brokers
• All citizens must accept ownership for conditions
  that must change and participate in engineering
  change
• Advocacy steps must be taken as needed to insure
  child well being

12
Change Up Down
(Advocates)

• Individuals that have child well being as a
  profession and or passion must pose child well
  being related questions to elected officials and
  candidates for public offices. If the questions
  are never asked
• The public does not know the individuals
  position and
• The elected official is not obligated to endorse
  initiatives or programs that support children and
  families.