Love Is Not Enough Parent Cafes A Big Part of Child Abuse Prevention Month
Love Is Not Enough (LINE) Parent Cafes are a major part of the statewide calendar of activities compiled by Prevent Child Abuse Illinois as part of their Child Abuse Prevention Month public awareness campaign. Throughout April and May more than 40 Love Is Not Enough Parent Cafes are being delivered and SFI’s parent leadership capacity is continuing to grow as more parents are getting trained on the Love Is Not Enough Parent Café process. SFI has already convened four Parent Cafe Training Institutes preparing parent leaders and community providers to bring LINE cafes to their own neighborhoods, school districts, and communities. The Institute prepares participants for the entire cafe process from pre-planning and preparing cafe tables to practicing cafe roles. SFI is currently planning additional institutes before the end of June and will be offering additional opportunities in the next fiscal year. Contact us, if you are interested in learning more about pricing and registration availability.
(Above) Recent attendees of a Parent Cafe Training Institute
Every April, Illinois and the rest of the country focus on raising awareness of the importance of keeping families strong and preventing child abuse and neglect. In addition to identifying statewide activities and providing resources that support the work of community groups Prevent Child Abuse Illinois, in partnership with the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services and other statewide partners coordinate Child Abuse Prevention Month launch events in Chicago, Springfield and in the Southern Region of the state.
Click here to access the Prevent Child Abuse Illinois Community Resource Packet and statewide Calendar of Activities in April.
Click here to access SFI’s Love Is Not Enough Parent Café calendar.
SFI Professional Development Day and Cross-Site Meeting Draws Record Crowd
The fourth annual SFI Professional Development Day and Cross-Site Meeting was held on March 8-9, 2009 in Lisle, IL. More than 150 people participated over the two days consisting primarily of early childhood providers from SFI Learning Networks. Child welfare staff and parent leaders were in attendance as well.
For the first time ever, training opportunities were provided to network members on the first day. Anne Parry, from Chicago Safe Start provided a training session on Psychological First Aid and Margie Perzynski and Pat Brady from the Midwest Learning Center for Family Support provided their Recognizing and Responding to Signs of Family Stress training. The training was followed by an evening dinner and keynote from the Reverend Carolyn Vessel, CEO of Family Academy and the I AM ABLE Family Development Center in North Lawndale who stressed the critical role providers play in the lives of families in a speech titled “When Passion Meets Purpose, Destiny is Fulfilled".
(Below) Director Erwin McEwen addresses cross-site attendees, click here to watch video
On March 9, DCFS Director Erwin McEwen welcomed attendees and expressed the agency’s commitment to embedding protective factors in families, communities and within DCFS as a key strategy in reducing child abuse and neglect. He also spoke of the national significance of Strengthening Families Illinois in its comprehensive approach to system-wide child welfare reform and collaboration with early childhood education. Click play below. Don't see video below? Click here.
In addition, Arthur Bishop, Deputy Director of Field Operations for DCFS, explained the role of the new Family Advocacy Centers opening across the state in providing immediate assistance to families under stress and needing support. SFI was also able to honor Karen Selman, a former Vice-President at Children’s Home + Aid who recently retired. Karen was a catalyst in helping bring Strengthening Families Illinois and a pioneer in the early education field for more then 30 years.
After a presentation on Building Strong Parenting alliances, attendees also did hands on work by breaking into small groups to identify strategies for building stronger alliances with parents in their programs and also broke into small groups by center type to identify the areas of Strengthening Families that have made a difference in their program and how collaboration with child welfare has been progressing.
Child welfare staff, provider staff and parent leaders discussing strategies towards building stronger parenting alliances in programs
Participant evaluations of the Professional Development Day were extremely positive with one participant saying: “I’ve been to four of these cross-site meetings so far and they just keep getting better!” Be on the lookout for a full meeting report summarizing the output from the event in May.
SFI Cross-Site Meeting Attendees Describe the Strengthening Families Difference
At the recent Professional Development and Cross-Site meeting in Lisle, IL, meeting attendees had a chance to talk about how Strengthening Families has been making a difference in their programs and the families they are serving.
Click on the screen to your right or click here to watch the video to see a collection of those interviews.
Calendar
April 21: Chicago Learning Network Meeting, Chicago
April 22: Early Childhood Family Advocacy Day, Springfield
April 29: Kane County Learning Network Training on Trauma & Children Exposed to Violence, Carpentersville / Professional Development Workgroup Meeting, Chicago
May 6: Trauma Awareness Orientation, Chicago
May 7: Trauma Awareness Orientation, Springfield
May 8: Early Childhood Family Involvement Workgroup, Chicago
May 14: Evanston Learning Network Meeting, Evanston; Evaluation Workgroup Meeting, Chicago
May 19: Chicago Learning Network Meeting, Chicago
May 21: Building Resiliency Workgroup Meeting, Chicago
June 4: Professional Development Workgroup Meeting, Chicago
June 11: Evanston Learning Network Meeting, Evanston
June 25: Building Resiliency Workgroup Meeting, Chicago
July 10: SFI Leadership Team Meeting, Chicago/Springfield
Click here to find out more detail about Love Is Not Enough Parent Cafes scheduled below
April 21: SFI LINE Parent Cafe 2, Chicago
April 22: SFI LINE Parent Cafe 1, Chicago Heights
April 23, SFI LINE Partner Cafe at DCFS AAAC Conference, St. Charles / SFI LINE Parent Cafe 2, Chicago
April 24, SFI LINE Partner Cafe at DCFS AAAC Conference, St. Charles
April 25, Parent Cafe 2, Bloomington
April 28: SFI LINE Parent Cafe 3, Chicago / SFI LINE Parent Cafe 2, Chicago
April 29: SFI LINE Parent Cafe 1, Evanston / SFI LINE Parent Cafe 2, Elgin
April 30: LINE Parent Cafe 1, Springfield
May 4: LINE Parent Cafe 2, Chicago
May 5: LINE Parent Cafe 1, Elgin
May 6: SFI LINE Parent Cafe 2, Chicago Heights
May 7: SFI LINE Parent Cafe 3, Bloomington
May 9: SFI LINE Parent Cafe 1, Carbondale
May 12: SFI LINE Parent Cafe 3, Chicago
May 14: SFI LINE Parent Cafe 3, Carpentersville
May 19: SFI LINE Parent Cafe 3, Elgin
May 20: SFI LINE Parent Cafe 3, Chicago / SFI LINE Parent Cafe 3, Chicago Heights
May 21: SFI LINE Parent Cafe 2, Springfield
May 27: LINE Parent Cafe 2, Evanston
May 28: LINE Parent Cafe 3, Chicago
May 30: LINE Parent Cafe 2, Carbondale
June 1: LINE Parent Cafe 3, Chicago
June 2: SFI LINE Parent Cafe 2, Elgin
June 6: SFI LINE Parent Cafe 3, Carbondale
You can subscribe to SFI's Calendar on Google by clicking button below:
DCFS School Readiness Team Reports 99% of Young Children in Care in Early Education Programs
In testament to the ability of agencies serving children to create real change, the effort of DCFS under Rule 314 to ensure that all children ages 3-5 in the foster care system are enrolled in early education programs has been extremely successful. Since the revised rule went into effect a year and a half ago, DCFS has devoted additional resources to support the effort. The Statewide Provider Database geo-maps programs for children and families. This allows caseworkers to easily locate appropriate licensed early education programs close to the foster family. The DCFS School Readiness Team, with coordinators in each DCFS region, tracks data from both DCFS and POS agencies. The team recently reported that 99% of all children in DCFS care ages 2.5 to 5 years old are enrolled in Early Head Start, Head Start, Pre-K, Preschool for All or other child care program.
DCFS is also working to encourage intact and reunified families to keep children enrolled in an early care and education program as this benefits both the family and the child. The School Readiness Team will track this effort as well.
Illinois State Board Of Education Early Childhood Request For Proposals, Programs Can Use Funds For Strengthening Families
Preschool for All and Pre-K applicants (3-5) can use SFI professional development, parent involvement and leadership programs (Parent Cafes, Parent Leadership Training and Parent Cafe Training Institutes) to fulfill RFP requirements. As Part of the Early Childhood Block Grant, the Preschool for All Children and Pre-K programs emphasize the relationship among early childhood education, parenting education and involvement, and future success in school. According to the ISBE website, “Applicants submitting proposals for Preschool for All and Pre-K programs are encouraged to think strategically about the use of early childhood funds so that each element of the effort reinforces and supports the others.” Activities that can be included in RFP’s include those found on the SFI website, professional development trainings and parent leadership programs. The deadline for Preschool for All and Pre-K proposals is April 21st.
Prevention Initiative applicants (0-3) choose among four program models: Healthy Families, Parents as Teachers, Baby TALK, and Early Head Start. Among the purposes of the Prevention Initiative programs is to assist families to build protective factors within the child and family. RFPs can include any of the Strengthening Families activities, trainings and parent involvement programs as a supplemental component. The deadline for Prevention Initiative proposals is May 19th.
In six regions across Illinois, SFI Learning networks are committed to embedding the Protective Factors throughout their programs, increasing parent engagement through training and professional development opportunities, and collaborating in their regional networks to share their own learning. The Evanston Learning Network has been intensely focused on just these endeavors over the past seven months
Chris Baer, Learning Network Hub Coordinator for Northern Cook County/Evanston and Director of the Childcare Network of Evanston (CNE), is an enthusiastic proponent of the Strengthening Families approach. According to Chris, “Knowing that the Strengthening Families is research-based and really works provides a solid basis for being more intentional in what we do.” When University of Chicago intern Ariel Schwartz came on board at the CNE in September, Chris and Ariel set the task. How can the Strengthening Families approach and the protective factors be embedded in busy child care center environments where staff are attending to urgent needs, contact with parents occurs in two-minute interactions, and professional development occurs outside the classroom setting?
Chris and Ariel rose to the challenge, setting out to devise simple, easy to remember and use interactions and materials that make the protective factors part of everyday life. The result is the Strengthening Families Illinois Curriculum, with modules for each of the six protective factors. Each module contains material for teachers, for classrooms, for parents, and for center executive directors. Three modules have been developed thus far on on Being Strong and Flexible (Parental Resilience), Being a Great Parent is Part Natural and Part Learned (Knowledge of Parenting and Child Development), and Parents Need Friends (Social Connections). A fourth on We All Need Help Sometimes (Concrete Support in Times of Need) is currently in process.
Each module translates a protective factor into quick and easy actions. Materials for teachers include professional development pieces (e.g., Seven Ways to Promote Parental Resilience, Developmental Milestone Chart, etc.) and fliers with quotes from SFI materials for staff bulletin boards. Classroom materials range from activities that embed the protective factors to concrete information describing the educational function in child development of each area of the classroom (e.g., table toys, art, dramatic play, etc) which can be posted in the classroom and mailed home to parents. In addition, they developed a companion piece titled, “How to Make a Two Minute Interaction with Parents Meaningful” which provides quick concrete tips to increase interaction with family members at programs to help strengthen the relationships between parents and staff.
Chris has shared their work as it progresses with other SFI Learning Networks. She noted that each network has their own unique approach to developing Strengthening Families materials that can spark a cross-fertilization of ideas, activities, and insights throughout SFI Learning Networks.
Download the modules developed thus far by clicking below.
Family Advocacy Centers Working With SFI to Build Parent Leadership
Illinois DCFS has opened a number of Family Advocacy Centers (FACs) across Illinois in line with their commitment to “keep the focus on protecting children by strengthening and supporting families,” stated Arthur Bishop, Deputy Director of Field Operations for IDCFS. The Family Advocacy Centers are located in communities with a high percentage of children coming intoprotective custody. DCFS envisions a Department of Children and Family Services that can be approached to provide help and support to parents who are stressed and struggling to meet the needs of their children rather than a DCFS that “takes away your kids.” Family Advocacy Centers represent one step in the direction of a continuum of support that DCFS is aiming to provide to children and families.
(Above)IDCFS Deputy Director of Field Operations, Arthur Bishop
Family Advocacy Centers are currently open at Boys Town in Back of the Yards, Chicago, Building Strong Families in Champaign, IL, Family Community Resource Center in Bloomington, IL, Lifeline Family Services in Peoria, Healthy Families on the west side of Chicago, Family Advocacy House in East St. Louis, and Professional Advocacy Outreach in Springfield. Four additional FAC’s are in the process of opening in Chicago. FAC’s in Aurora, Rockford and Decatur are planned for the future, along with two more in the Chicago neighborhoods of Woodlawn and Bronzeville.
The purpose of the Family Advocacy Centers is to provide a place for families to go for resources and support to keep their families strong. SFI is working with each of these centers to develop and support parent leadership through parent cafes, parent leadership training and Parent Cafe Training Institutes to build capacity in each of these communities to continue growing parent leaders.
Illinois Violence Prevention Authority Partnering With SFI To Support Strategic Planning Efforts
Over the past year and a half, the Illinois Violence Prevention Authority (IVPA) has been engaging key stakeholders as they develop a new strategic plan. As a result of their efforts, four key violence prevention strategies have been determined: 1) educate parents and other caregivers about child development and building strong, healthy, non-violent families through schools and early childhood programs, 2) promote healthy relationships and community connectedness among youth through schools and community youth serving organizations, 3) provide intervention for children/youth exposed to violence/trauma, and 4) reduce attitudes favoring violence and promote intolerance for violence.
With the strategies identified, IVPA has been working with partner organizations to serve as leads in forming four task forces that will address each of the strategies. Task forces will recommend action priorities in each area as they work to complete their strategic plan. SFI will be the lead partner in convening The Peaceful Families Taskforce which is charged with overseeing the prevention strategy of educating parents and other caregivers about child development and building strong, healthy non-violent families through schools and early childhood programs. SFI and other partners are starting to convene the task forces in April and will be meeting approximately 4 to 6 times before making final recommendations to the IVPA Board of Directors in September.
Thanks to …
The SFI Parent Leadership Team for their support in hosting and facilitating Love Is Not Enough Parent Cafes ... Prevent Child Abuse Illinois and the Illinois Department of Children and Families Services for their support and coordination of Child Abuse Prevention Month ... Strengthening Families Illinois Learning Network members and partners across the state who attended the 4th Annual Professional Development Day and Cross-Site Meeting ... Director Erwin McEwen, Deputy Director Arthur Bishop, and Reverend Carolyn Vessel for their presentations at the Cross-Site Meeting ... Anne Parry for providing Psychological First Aid Training and Margie Perzynski and Pat Brady for providing Recognizing and Responding to Signs of Family Stress training ... The Illinois State Board of Education and Kay Henderson for including Strengthening Families in their RFP ... The DCFS School Readiness Team for their reports on early childhood enrollment ... Chris Baer and Ariel Schwartz for sharing their Protective Factor curriculum modules ... Barbara Shaw, Reshma Desai and IVPA for partnering with SFI as a lead partner and the many other people who contribute their time and support to strengthen Illinois children!
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After a presentation on Building Strong Parenting alliances, attendees also did hands on work by breaking into small groups to identify strategies for building stronger alliances with parents in their programs and also broke into small groups by center type to identify the areas of Strengthening Families that have made a difference in their program and how collaboration with child welfare has been progressing. 
