October 20021 Recruitment & Retention of Resource Families Lorrie Lutz

October 2002October 2002 11

Recruitment & Retention of Resource Families

Lorrie Lutz

Lorrie L. Lutz, MPP Lorrie L. Lutz, MPP Consultant Consultant

RecruitmentRecruitment ANDAND RETENTIONRETENTION of of Resource FamiliesResource Families

This learning was supported by the National Resource Center for Foster Care and Permanency Planning

And the

Casey National Center for Resource Family Support


Presentation Overview Presentation Overview Characteristics of Successful Resource

Families

Attending to the Details in Your Shop Recruitment Nuances

State Community/Neighborhood Child Specific

Performance-Based Partnerships with Private Community-Based Agencies

Policy Development –making lasting systemic changes

They Are Recruiting Smart! They Are Recruiting Smart!


Characteristics of Effective Characteristics of Effective

Resource FamiliesResource Families From the research that has been completed From the research that has been completed over the past 5-10 years as part of over the past 5-10 years as part of understanding the evolving best practices of understanding the evolving best practices of Concurrent Planning, Dual Licensure and Concurrent Planning, Dual Licensure and more recently Recruitment and Retention—more recently Recruitment and Retention—we have learned something about what is we have learned something about what is required of successful foster/resource required of successful foster/resource families. families.


Resource Families See Themselves Resource Families See Themselves as a Support to the Birth Family.as a Support to the Birth Family.Resource Families Support and Resource Families Support and Encourage Frequent and Consistent Encourage Frequent and Consistent Visitation Between the Child and Visitation Between the Child and his/her Birth Family.his/her Birth Family.Resource Families are willing to live Resource Families are willing to live in the ambiguity of not knowing what in the ambiguity of not knowing what might occur next.might occur next.

These Characteristics Include:


Characteristics (cont) Characteristics (cont)

Resource parents have acquired a basic satisfaction with where they are in life, with no significant, driving unmet needs.Resource parents demonstrate a willingness to share relationships with a child.Resource parents evidence resiliency when earlier losses were experienced.Resource parents demonstrate resourcefulness when confronted with challenges. Resource parents maintain positive connections with the community.

Linda Zosche-Jefferson County Colorado


Link Between …. Characteristics Link Between …. Characteristics

… Retention… and Recruitment… Retention… and Recruitment Building a link between resource family characteristics and recruitment is based on the hypothesis that if foster/resource families have a well-developed understanding of their own capacities and they can relate those capacities to the needs of the children and families in the system, it will result in more satisfied, less conflicted resource/foster families.

This could result in greater retention---one of the mainstays of a strong recruitment program.


Mary Ford’s Work at NACAC Mary Ford’s Work at NACAC As part of NACAC’s work in Minnesota, Mary Ford of NACAC is developing a training guide that will be published by the Department of Human Services. She strives in this guidebook to helping resource families understand their own philosophy and spiritual foundation and how this foundation or lack thereof will impact their role as a resource family. Further, during the training Ford asks prospective resource families a series of sensitive and thoughtful questions that go to the heart of the role of a resource family. These well-crafted self-assessment questions expose vulnerabilities and assets in ways that assist prospective resource families in coming to their own conclusions about their ability to be successful in this role.


Some of the Questions Some of the Questions Include:Include:

Would you like to share a little bit about your philosophical, spiritual or religious belief system and how it helps you?

What would you say to birth parents who said they were sorry for abusing or neglecting their child?

How do you imagine sharing your foster child with other important people in this or her life?

Is it important to you to be certain about the outcome of your placement? Why or Why not?

Please describe how you’ve recovered when you experienced losses in your life.

Mary Ford NACAC

They are Attending to the They are Attending to the Details!Details!


Attending To the Details—Attending To the Details—Kentucky’s Model Kentucky’s Model

Kentucky began its efforts by flow-charting the details of the recruitment process.

This provides an opportunity you to identify those points in the process when the prospective family can get lost …..

Can it be streamlined? More Responsive? More Timely?

For example, the initial phone call—how many of you have ever called your own system?

Are those that answer the phone friendly? Are they informed? How many times are families transferred? Are materials sent in an expedient manner? Are the materials compelling?


Recruitmentwhile some is

child specific --most is general

recruitmentefforts

Family Calls

Direclty referred toan intake staff

member

Sent to an intakeworker who must

call FF back.

Data Collection onpotential foster

family

Packet is sent toFamily

The recruitmentinformationneeds to be

standardized--based on agency

recruitmentmessages

Flow Chart Your

Processes


Informational Meeting

Not interested

Need to get theinformation to the

FP network. Theremay be some

agency follow up--Network will follow

up. Standardsurvey.

Lorrie will assist indevelopment.

Yes

Wait time for TRAINING is 30-90 days--however:

1) Face sheet--and follow up contact within2 weeks.

2) We will send a standard "welcome letter"3) We will initiate contact by the FP Network

and when possible students contact theprospective family and a letter.SPREAD CONTACT OUT!!!

4) In addition we might look at a statecalendar and group regional trainings

together and families make choices. SNAPwill champion the conversation.

Paper workdisseminated at firstTRAINING session.

Need it back bysession three.

Class continues for10 weeks

StandardHome StudyInitiated by

session four.Including allPCC homes.

Withdrawal

Due tobackgroundcheck, etc.

Self-Select Out or weencourage selection out

due to additionalinformation I.e.

unmanaged psychiatricissues

Assignmentto worker


Home StudyCompleted

Sent to R&CSup except inextenuating

circumstances

Clarification and Explorationof issues as required

Placement

Foster ParentPeer Mentor

assignedthrough the

Foster ParentNetwork

Not Approved --we meet with families to

communicatethis denial.

PartnershipDevelopment

Corrective ActionPlan

Letter of welcometo FP and to

Network

Home Study and Completion of the Process


Then Set Goals Based on What You Then Set Goals Based on What You LearnLearn

Creation of a conversion goal that __% of Creation of a conversion goal that __% of families that call attend the initial training. families that call attend the initial training.

Creation of a conversion goal that __% of Creation of a conversion goal that __% of families who attend the initial training go families who attend the initial training go on to complete the licensure process.on to complete the licensure process.

Creation of a goal that ___% of families Creation of a goal that ___% of families who complete the licensure process are who complete the licensure process are still serving children and families 18 still serving children and families 18 months later.months later.

They Are Effectively Using They Are Effectively Using Performanced Based Performanced Based

Contracting Contracting

A Partnership Model With the A Partnership Model With the Private Community Based Private Community Based

Organization Organization


Elements of Effective Performance Elements of Effective Performance Based ContractingBased Contracting

Statewide recruitment goals that are Statewide recruitment goals that are data driven.data driven.

Regional/community/neighborhood Regional/community/neighborhood recruitment—with very specific recruitment—with very specific recruitment targets—again these recruitment targets—again these targets are data driven.targets are data driven.

Tight Reporting ControlsTight Reporting Controls


Statewide Goals linked to regional Statewide Goals linked to regional

recruitmentrecruitment Based on statewide analysis of data gain consensus on Based on statewide analysis of data gain consensus on priorities.priorities.

While the goals are statewide— how they are achieved While the goals are statewide— how they are achieved is through the local counties, regions and communitiesis through the local counties, regions and communities In the state of Minnesota, NACAC has the contract to develop

in partnership with the counties—region specific recruitment and retention action plans that list the projected number and types of parents to be recruited.

Plans include detailed recruitment strategies, locations for distributing materials, where and when presentations will be made including places of worship. PTAs, union gatherings, county fairs, etc.

Video has been created to support the recruitment efforts New recruitment materials have been developed that are varied for

audience. Regional specific retention activities


Data-Driven Recruitment in Data-Driven Recruitment in MissouriMissouri

Contracts Specify the numbers and types of Contracts Specify the numbers and types of homes required. (adolescents, sibling homes required. (adolescents, sibling groups).groups). Shelia Kitchen, was enthusiastic about the contracting model. Shelia Kitchen, was enthusiastic about the contracting model. She was clear that the greater the specificity in the regional plans, the more She was clear that the greater the specificity in the regional plans, the more effective we are in recruitment of the kinds of families needed. effective we are in recruitment of the kinds of families needed.

The reality is that the more accurate and The reality is that the more accurate and detailed information that the private detailed information that the private providers have about the needs of the providers have about the needs of the county regarding specific needs for homes, county regarding specific needs for homes, the better they are at recruiting accordingly. the better they are at recruiting accordingly.


Data Data Driven Recruitment in Driven Recruitment in MissouriMissouri

Payments for very specific activities.Payments for very specific activities. Recruitment of a family who goes through the entire

process from the point of the in-home consultation, training and licensure.

In-home consultations Provision of the initial pre-service training session. Completed assessments where the foster/adoptive

family applicant is found to be skilled in all competencies listed in STARS and is recommended for licensure as foster parents or approval as adoptive parents.

Completed Adoption Assessments. In-service training provided to foster/adoptive families. Reassessment of foster/adoptive families.

Utah takes it from the Utah takes it from the Region to the Region to the

Neighborhood.Neighborhood.


Neighborhood Recruitment Neighborhood Recruitment

Contract awarded to a hybrid not-for-Contract awarded to a hybrid not-for-profit community organization profit community organization named in Utah code the “Utah Foster named in Utah code the “Utah Foster Care Foundation”Care Foundation” ““The turning point in our recruitment efforts was when the Board of The turning point in our recruitment efforts was when the Board of

Directors agreed that we should not conduct any major recruitment Directors agreed that we should not conduct any major recruitment efforts until we fully understood the needs of the various regions of the efforts until we fully understood the needs of the various regions of the state. We sought to understand the regional needs for homes for older state. We sought to understand the regional needs for homes for older children, sibling groups and children of diverse cultures. Then we had children, sibling groups and children of diverse cultures. Then we had a clear message for the community recruitment effortsa clear message for the community recruitment efforts


NeighborhoodNeighborhood Recruitment - Recruitment -UtahUtah

Neighborhood Specific Needs are identified:Neighborhood Specific Needs are identified:

Salt Lake Valley Metro NeighborhoodSalt Lake Valley Metro Neighborhood: :

There are placements for 28% of the children in care.There are placements for 28% of the children in care.

24 foster/adoptive homes, 43 placement capacity, 9 24 foster/adoptive homes, 43 placement capacity, 9 empty empty homes and 21 openings. homes and 21 openings.

152 children in care, 6 placements for any age child.152 children in care, 6 placements for any age child.


Age Group Status Infant Preschool There are placements for 32% of children (16

placements/50 children)

School age There are placements for 20% of children (10 placements/50 children)

Adolescent There are placements for 21% of children (11 placements/52 children)

Structured Adolescent There are placements for 13% of children (5 placements/31 children)

Asian There are placements for 21% of children (11 placements/52 children)

Utah Neighborhood Recruitment (cont)


These regional/neighborhood plans serve as the basis for the “swat team” approach used by Foundation staff.

Once they compile the neighborhood data, using zip codes which assist in data analysis, they decide on a neighborhood to target and focus two months of recruitment within that targeted community.

They contact newspapers where press releases and articles are published.

They contact foster parents who assist in hosting open houses where community members come to learn more about foster parenting.

One extremely effective recruitment strategy has been the partnerships that have been created with schools within the communities. The schools agree to distribute flyers announcing Open Houses and other community recruitment efforts.

According to Kelsi Lewis, Director of the Foundation “It is remarkable the number of families who attend the community gatherings with these flyers in hand. We are very grateful to the schools for their support of our recruitment efforts.”

Utah Neighborhood Recruitment (cont.)

Tight Reporting Tight Reporting Requirements Requirements


Effective Elements of Performance Effective Elements of Performance Based Contracting—Reporting Based Contracting—Reporting

Requirements Requirements

Tight Reporting Requirements—On a Tight Reporting Requirements—On a monthly basis the private providers must monthly basis the private providers must report on the following:report on the following: Number of inquiries from potential foster/adoptive familiesNumber of inquiries from potential foster/adoptive families Number of in-home consultationsNumber of in-home consultations Number and names of foster/adoptive family applicants Number and names of foster/adoptive family applicants

who withdrew or were selected out of the foster/adoptive who withdrew or were selected out of the foster/adoptive application process.application process.

Number and names of foster/adoptive family applicants Number and names of foster/adoptive family applicants beginning pre-service training.beginning pre-service training.

General description of the recruitment activities provided General description of the recruitment activities provided by the contractor during the month.by the contractor during the month.


Child Specific Recruitment --Child Specific Recruitment --MaineMaine

A critical aspect of Maine’s evolving A critical aspect of Maine’s evolving recruitment effort is to provide dollars recruitment effort is to provide dollars focused on child-specific recruitment. focused on child-specific recruitment. When children are coming out of the state When children are coming out of the state system as legal risk adoption, the state system as legal risk adoption, the state makes it a point to recruit and certify makes it a point to recruit and certify homes specifically for that child. homes specifically for that child. In hard to places cases, private agencies In hard to places cases, private agencies are provided information about the kind of are provided information about the kind of home needed for the specific child and the home needed for the specific child and the private agency focuses on recruitment.private agency focuses on recruitment.


When a child being placed in a home really When a child being placed in a home really needs a male role model—A seasoned foster needs a male role model—A seasoned foster

father in Maine takes action…father in Maine takes action… According to Stephan Duplessis of Maine ….“The foster father is often forgotten in the process of fostering…it is the foster mom who is the focus of recruitment messages and support efforts. My goal is to reach out to the potential foster father and help them understand the nature and importance of their role.” As a member of the Advisory Committee for FACT (Families and Children Together), a community-based organization that has a contract with the state for the recruitment of foster families in Maine, Steffan takes it upon himself to contact prospective foster fathers. In these conversations, he seeks to understand if the foster father is able to identify what they hope to both give and get out of the fostering experience. Steffan suggests “If the individual cannot talk about his desire for some kind of connection with the child, I worry that he is not fully understanding his role. The male role model is critical to these children, and often to their families. I try to help the prospective foster father find his place in the fostering process.”

Good Luck! Good Luck!

A Look At How Various Policy A Look At How Various Policy Initiatives Are Impacting Initiatives Are Impacting

Recruitment and RetentionRecruitment and Retention


Policy and its Impact on Policy and its Impact on Recruitment and Retention Recruitment and Retention

Dual Licensure Dual Licensure Full Disclosure Full Disclosure Treatment of Child Abuse and Treatment of Child Abuse and

Neglect Allegations Neglect Allegations


Background on Dual Background on Dual LicensureLicensure

Historical child welfare practice did not allow foster parents to adopt or they strongly discouraged them from doing so through written and unwritten rules.

As recently as the early 1970’s, most public adoption agencies had policies against practice of foster parent adoption.


Reasons Included:Reasons Included:

Fear of losing their valuable cadre of foster families.

Fear that foster families hoping to adopt, would undermine attempts to attain the primary goal of family reunification.

Historical licensure processes that were based on a foster families’ ability to provide temporary care, not a lifetime commitment.

Decisions to place a child in a particular foster home frequently were based on available space and not because a foster family was determined to be the best possible match for a particular child


For these reasons and others, a child who became freed for adoption and who was doing well living with a foster family, would have in the past been moved to another family – without allowing the foster parent to have any input into the process of selection of the adoptive family or even continued contact with the child, thus exacerbating the child’s experiences with loss, lack of continuity and permanent relationships.

The increasing reality is that The increasing reality is that foster parents, and not newly foster parents, and not newly recruited adoptive parents, recruited adoptive parents, have come to serve as the have come to serve as the most consistent and viable most consistent and viable option for permanence for option for permanence for

children in carechildren in care. .

Today, child welfare practice reflects a Today, child welfare practice reflects a very different picture. very different picture.


According to the Children’s Bureau Express, 64% of children adopted from the child welfare system are adopted by their foster parents (although not necessarily the families with whom they were first placed).

Not only are foster parents adopting children in their care, but according to the National Adoption Information Clearinghouse, these placements are very successful… with 94 percent of these adoptions remaining intact throughout the life of the child.


The Promise of The Promise of PermanencyPermanency

It appears that the promise of permanency for children in the child welfare system who are unable to return to their birth parents, lies in many instances with their foster parents – relatives or non-relatives.

Because of this, seasoned child welfare staff have been working to ensure that once a foster family has bonded with the child and made the commitment to adopt, the standards, rules and process of transitioning from a foster parent to an adoptive parent is as smooth and seamless as possible. In this vein, some child welfare agencies are beginning to explore the development of “dual licensure” policy and practice.

Dual licensureDual licensure means that foster parents and means that foster parents and adoptive parents walk through the same adoptive parents walk through the same screening and interview, home study, training screening and interview, home study, training and background check processes, and in the and background check processes, and in the end receive the same “approval” to provide end receive the same “approval” to provide foster and/or adoptive care. foster and/or adoptive care.

Dual licensureDual licensure allows for a foster parent, who allows for a foster parent, who has cared for a child for some length of time, to has cared for a child for some length of time, to naturally and easily change their role from that naturally and easily change their role from that of a foster parent to an adoptive parent, without of a foster parent to an adoptive parent, without having to go through an entirely new home having to go through an entirely new home study and training process. study and training process.


Scott Dixon, Foster Care Specialist from the State of Texas has an interesting perspective. “It used to be that when foster parents adopted children, they were perceived as seeking a ‘back door’ adoption. By opening the process up, it allows both adoptive parents and foster parents to be completely honest about their struggles and their motivations. While a foster family may be very clear that they do not want to adopt every child that comes into their home, if one comes who has no other place to go and the family bonds with that child…they have a choice—one that they can discuss openly while making an informed decision.” Kit Hansen, President of the Utah Foster Parent Association and foster mother agrees. “About eight years ago I remember vividly a circumstance where two children who had been in foster care for eight months, were abruptly pulled from the foster home and never saw the family again. These children were attached to the foster family and the foster family was devastated at the loss. This should never occur.”

[

Comments from State Representatives


Comment from the Comment from the Children’s BureauChildren’s Bureau

Patsy Buida, the Foster Care Specialist at the Children’s Bureau ACF/DHHS suggests “It (dual licensure) is a tool to maximize use of resource families in a flexible way that lets them decide how to interface with the system and what type of parenting fits their lifestyle—short-term foster care or long term adoption. If a family has committed to and bonded with a child, it makes no sense to search any longer. Social workers spend a considerable amount of time being anxious about the fact that we don’t always know enough during our first placement to make the best match between the child and the resource family. We want to move children because we learn more about the kind of family that would be the “best” match. We need to get more comfortable in doing the best we can with the information we have. Timely permanence is as important, if not more important as a “perfect match”.

PRACTICE PRACTICE IMPLICATIONSIMPLICATIONS


Practice Implication #1Practice Implication #1::Child and Family Matching Becomes an Earlier Child and Family Matching Becomes an Earlier

ConcernConcern.. Difficulty in finding/making the “right” placement match

between children and families, if the first placement is truly is to be the last/best.

Dual licensure encourages earlier placements with resource families who can support the reunification process and also serve as permanent resource if children cannot return to their parents.

It may mean that staff will need to make placements with resource families without the same amount of information about the child and the family-- as was common practice in adoptive or even pre-adoptive placements


Practice Implication #2Practice Implication #2 Family-Centered Practice and Reunification Family-Centered Practice and Reunification Continue to Be a Critically Important Focus.Continue to Be a Critically Important Focus.

The practice framework for dual licensure needs to be rooted in family-centered principles and strategies – a framework that seeks to preserve children’s ties to their families of origin by involving other related or non-related family resources to support that process and serve as backup permanent resource if needed.

If a child is placed with a foster/adoptive family, overburdened child welfare staff may see a child as safe and ‘successfully’ placed in a home that can serve as a permanent option if needed, and therefore may not work as diligently towards reunification.

Staff will need to be provided a “toolbox of resources” to support this approach to practice such as: family-centered assessment instruments, consistent and frequent supervision, a pool of resource families who understand their role as mentor to the birth parents, and a practice model that supports open and inclusive case planning with parents and resource families.


Practice Implication #3Practice Implication #3Systems Re-organization Supports Dual Licensure Systems Re-organization Supports Dual Licensure

and Enhances Continuity of Relationships For and Enhances Continuity of Relationships For Children With Families and StaffChildren With Families and Staff

States and counties that have been successful in implementing a dual licensure model have reorganized their systems in ways that support earlier planning and decision-making around permanency for children. Rather than having separate foster care and adoptive units, many have combined these units and integrated practice. In these reorganized units, a single worker stays with the child regardless of the outcomes of the case, i.e. reunification, guardianship or adoption. With this continuity of relationship, the child and family do not have to tell their story more than once, and the worker who was with the child during the attempted reunification phase, supports the child in the transition to the goal of adoption, should that be necessary.


Practice Implication #4Practice Implication #4Keep the pool growing: Ongoing recruitment Keep the pool growing: Ongoing recruitment

is is urgently needed.urgently needed.

States were concerned that by encouraging foster parents to become adoptive parents they would substantively and dangerously diminish their pool of foster parents. While this is in fact a reality, most individuals surveyed believe that timely permanency for children is worth the extra demands it places on the system to continually recruit and train new foster parents as resources for children and families. Dual licensure requires intensive efforts on the part of public and private agencies to expand their recruitment efforts and often require a shift in the message about the role of a diverse pool of families who can meet the complex needs of children and families.


Practice Implication #5Practice Implication #5Resource Family Understanding and Support Resource Family Understanding and Support

of the Permanency Planning Process is of the Permanency Planning Process is CriticalCritical

Dual licensure is likely to be successfully Dual licensure is likely to be successfully implemented when resource families implemented when resource families understand and can support the process of understand and can support the process of Permanency Planning – a process which is Permanency Planning – a process which is grounded in the belief that whenever safely grounded in the belief that whenever safely possible, reasonable efforts should be made possible, reasonable efforts should be made to help children remain with or be returned to help children remain with or be returned to their birth families; and that parents, to their birth families; and that parents, foster parents and agencies must work foster parents and agencies must work together to achieve the range of together to achieve the range of permanency outcomes. permanency outcomes.

Full Disclosure As a Full Disclosure As a Practice Model Practice Model


It honors the integrity of the process and ensures that birth parents and resource parents have the same information, thereby allowing them to make informed decisions.

Full disclosure provides the birth parents with a “lay of the land” and a road map of what needs to occur and when, if their children are to be returned home.

Full Disclosure


Full Disclosure…Did You? Full Disclosure…Did You?

Explain permanency planning timeframes Explain permanency planning timeframes to the parents?to the parents?

Discuss the range of permanency planning Discuss the range of permanency planning options with the parents?options with the parents?

Discuss service plan and assessment Discuss service plan and assessment process with parents/family?process with parents/family?

Discuss and agree to a mutually Discuss and agree to a mutually satisfactory visitation plan?satisfactory visitation plan?

Discuss purpose, types and behavioral Discuss purpose, types and behavioral expectations of visitation.expectations of visitation.


Full Disclosure…Did You?Full Disclosure…Did You?

Talk with the birth parents/family Talk with the birth parents/family about your role as a representative about your role as a representative of the agency?of the agency?

Talk with the birth parents/family Talk with the birth parents/family about the role of the resource about the role of the resource family?family?

Treatment of Child Abuse Treatment of Child Abuse and Neglect Allegations and Neglect Allegations

How Does This Impact How Does This Impact Recruitment and Retention? Recruitment and Retention?


Documents

October 20021 Recruitment & Retention of Resource Families Lorrie Lutz