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In This Issue

• Teens Connect, Get Support at Parent Cafe
• In Rockford, New Learning Network Taps Pre-K for All Dollars
• SFI Workgroup Keeps Parents Voices at the Forefront
• Professional Development Day Meets Demand for SFI Training
• IDCFS Budget Presentation Built Around Strengthening Families
• Training Gets Child Welfare and Early Care Staff Working Together
• Two New Strengthening Families Web Sites
• Conference Corner
• Goodbye To
• Welcome To
• Thanks to
• Calendar

Teens Connect, Get Support at Parent Cafe

Teen parents have their work cut out for them, as they deal with the challenges all parents face while working on becoming an adult. On February 21, 27 teen mothers gathered in Riverdale at a Parent Café to explore what it means to take care of themselves and their children—from the kind of support that helps them, to the strategies they use to stay strong. What did they take away from the conversation? “Our similarities,” said one teen mom, Jasmine. “I liked listening to what other people had to say—we laughed a lot.”

“Pregnant and parenting teens need to know they are not alone and be able to develop a support system for themselves,” said Lynda Swan-McLendon, IDCFS Pregnant and Parenting Teen Coordinator for Cook County and the Collar Counties. She attended the café along with Nacole Milbrook, Director of Clinical Services at Teen Parenting Service Network(TPSN), who, added that the teens they work with—IDCFS wards—“respond much better to non-threatening, less formal, more natural ways of communicating.” That’s why TPSN plans to work with SFI and Illinois Family Partnership Network to provide more Parent Cafés.

Teen Parent Cafés have also taken place in Peoria. To hear and watch two parents describe their experience at the Parent Café click in the view box below. Having trouble viewing? Click here or click here to download.

To find out about Parent Cafés happening across Illinois, click here.

In Rockford, New Learning Network Taps Pre-K for All Dollars

On February 28, early childhood educators in the Rockford Public Schools got training in the Protective Factors—and joined together for the first time as a Learning Network! Rockford’s new Strengthening Families Learning Network is exciting for several reasons:

• It’s the first network to be launched beyond the six pilot networks—proving that other communities can join any time.
• Like the South Cook Learning Network, it works through a public school system: Rockford is home to Illinois’ second-largest school district, with 220 early childhood staff. This includes 70 teachers in more than 17 centers who serve more than 2,500 children each year.
• It uses dollars from the state’s Pre-K for All Prevention Initiative Program, available to early childhood programs statewide.

“Initiating this Learning Network seemed the most effective and efficient way of ensuring that our teachers and other staff receive the training and support that they need to help keep children safe and make families stronger,” says Alex Brewington, Coordinator of the Rockford Strengthening Families Learning Network, who is the social worker for the Rockford Public Schools Early Childhood Programs. Network leadership and vision are also provided by Marcia Blascoe, the programs’ director.

Staff from 17 early childhood programs, plus 13 other leaders, took part in the Protective Factors training. They met at the network hub, Dennis Early Childhood Center, which houses the office of Rockford Public Schools Early Childhood Programs.

A formal launch for the Rockford Learning Network will take place later this year.

SFI Workgroup Keeps Parents Voices at the Forefront

Parents are crucial in shaping Strengthening Families Illinois, from leading local Parent Cafés to guiding the creation of a statewide public awareness campaign, Love Is Not Enough to Keep Your Family Strong. Now, the SFI Leadership Team is forming a Parent Engagement Workgroup to make sure parents voices continue to be heard. Two parents from each SFI Learning Network will take part in the group, and parents from Illinois Family Partnership Network (IFPN) and the Illinois Department of Human Services’ All Our Kids Early Childhood Networks will also join in.

The Parent Engagement Workgroup is chaired by Renee Jackson, Director of Training for the Illinois Family Partnership Network, and Xochitl Martirosyan, Statewide AOK Network Coordinator, Department of Human Services, Office of Community Health and Prevention. It is staffed by Letechia Williams, Parent Engagement Coordinator for SFI.

After developing a strategic plan and scope of work, the group will:

• Be a forum where parents discuss and provide direction for SFI
• Review and provide input on SFI materials and activities
• Advise on the continued implementation of Parent Cafés

The workgroup will kick off with an orientation and Parent Leadership training coinciding with an annual meeting of Hub Coordinators in May. After completing the orientation, which will include two additional days of Parent Leadership and Protective Factors training, the workgroup will meet about every six weeks. To learn more, contact us.

Professional Development Day Meets Demand For Strengthening Families

For Learning Network members across Illinois, SFI training has been a huge boon to their ability to help strengthen families. But it can be hard for networks to keep developing those skills with advanced training while meeting the demand for new members’ training.

The Southern Illinois Learning Network is solving that problem by offering three tracks of training at its annual Strengthening Families Professional Development Day. This year’s event was held February 9 in Carterville. Early childhood staff from across the 11-county region gathered in three “learning networks ” totaling 100 people. The third network, mostly SFI newcomers, were trained in the Protective Factors; they also got an introduction and help completing the Strengthening Families Self-Assessment. Those who had already taken part in Protective Factors training made up a second network; they were trained in Recognizing and Responding to Signs of Family Stress as well as Communicating with Families. The first network completed the SFI training series with Developing Collaborative Relationships (Early Childhood–Child Welfare). Training was provided by the Midwest Learning Center for Family Support and the John A. Logan College Resource and Referral Agency, which is the Hub for the Learning Network.

“We’ve had a great response from our network members who want to train more staff, and it’s helped in meeting demand of other interested providers in the region,” said Southern Region Hub Coordinator Lisa McCuan. “It’s been a great way to include additional programs, staff, and family child care providers in Strengthening Families.”

IDCFS Budget Presentation Built Around Strengthening Families

On February 20, Illinois Department of Children and Family Services Director Erwin McEwen turned a routine budgetary hearing into a chance to spread the word about Strengthening Families at the highest level of Illinois’ government. At his annual budget briefing before a committee of the state legislature, McEwen gave a presentation that explained how the activities in his proposed budget pursue five goals—starting with embedding the Protective Factors in all child welfare practices and initiatives—because these activities help prevent child abuse and neglect and promote well-being, safety, and permanency. To download Director McEwen’s presentation, click here.

Training Gets Child Welfare and Early Care Staff Working Together

What does it take for child welfare and early care and education to work together to strengthen families? “Understanding, respect, and appreciation for each other’s roles in the lives of the families they work with,” says Cynthia Stringfellow of the Midwest Learning Network for Family Support, an SFI partner. In February, Stringfellow provided a training called Developing Collaborative Relationships Between Early Childhood and Child Welfare Staff to 15 members of both groups at an Evanston Learning Network event.

The training is part of SFI’s ongoing work to foster child welfare–early childhood staff collaboration so that families receive early responses when there are signs of stress, abuse, or neglect. Evanston and other Learning Networks have been reaching out to child welfare staff to invite them to network meetings and family events at their programs. And recently, IDCFS has created a database that caseworkers use to place children in quality early care and education centers, filled positions for seven staff to drive local collaboration, and sponsored cross-training between local child welfare agencies and Head Start staff.

The Evanston training went a long way toward easing the tension that often prevents collaboration: “Myths were put on the table and discussed, which created a real sense of openness,” said IDCFS staff member Cherlynn Shelby. “Knowing what resources exist in the area is a huge benefit for our workers, who can then advise our families of where to go in the community.”

To take part in Developing Collaborative Relationships training, contact the Midwest Learning Center or click here to learn more about SFI Training.

Two New Strengthening Families Web Sites

SFI has a powerful new Web site that’s easy to use! You don’t have to wait for the e-update to find out about Strengthening Families Illinois conferences, Parent Cafés, training, and on-line tools. Our new Web site makes it easy for you see SFI’s calendar, find partners and access resources in your area to strengthen your practice. Check it out at: www.strengtheningfamiliesillinois.org.

Another new site helps you connect with Strengthening Families partners nationwide and trade tools, tips, and resources in an on-line community. The new Strengthening Families national web site is at www.strengtheningfamilies.net. Strengthening Families Illinois is a Partner Member in the Strengthening Families National Network, and we will soon have our own space on the site to give and get advice to others looking to keep families strong.

Conference Corner

National Conference on Strengthening Families: Trends and Practices
March 31–April 1, St. Louis, MO
Sponsors: Child Welfare Institute, MO Coalition of Children’s Agencies, MO Dept. of Social Services—Children’s Div.
At this national conference, IDCFS Director Erwin McEwen will speak in a panel on early childhood–child welfare linkages, and SFI Project Director Kathy Goetz Wolf will give a presentation with IDCFS Deputy Director of Service Intervention Cynthia Moreno.

Leadership Connections Conference
May 15–17, Chicago, IL
Sponsor: McCormick Tribune Center for Early Childhood Leadership
Especially for early childhood administrators, lead teachers and supervisors, trainers and consultants, technical assistance specialists, and family child care providers. Midwest Learning Center for Family Support will present on Strengthening Families. Also—visit the SFI exhibit booth!

National Association for Family Child Care Annual Conference
July 17–19, Schaumburg, IL
This national conference focuses on improving the quality of family child care, including NAFCC accreditation and ALI/PDI sessions. SFI will lead two workshops and give pre-conference demonstrations of Family Friend and Neighbor Cafés.

Goodbye To ...

Evanston Hub Coordinator Tanya Brown from the Childcare Network of Evanston. We wish her the best and are grateful for the contributions she has made to the initiative.

Welcome To ...

Chris Baer from the Childcare Network of Evanston who will be taking on the Hub Coordinator role on an interim basis for Evanston's Learning Network

Thanks to …

Cynthia Stringfellow and Margie Perzynski at the Midwest Learning Center for their tremendous efforts in taking SFI Training on the road ... Sharifa Townsend for her efforts in coordinating the Teen Parent Cafe ... Inez Ague, Anis Butler, John Hamblet, Michelle Smith, and Letechia Williams for hosting and faciliating the cafe ... Nacole Millbrook, Cherylnn Shelby, Cynthia Stringfellow, Lynda Swan-Mclendon, 'The Hot Boys', and the staff at Echo Family Enrichment Program for contributing to the cafe's success ... Penny Smith from Peoria County Bright Futures for sharing her video with us ... Alex Brewington and Marcia Blascoe for their efforts in coordinating the launch and training of the new SFI Learning Network in Rockford ... Xochitl Martirosyan and Renee Jackson for chairing and leading the SFI Parent Engagement Workgroup ... SFI's Workgroup Chairs and Participants for their expertise and leadership in helping guide the initiative in Illinois ...Kate Stepleton at the Center for the Study of Social Policy for her efforts in launching the new Strengthening Families National site ... Lisa McCuan, Lori Longueville, and all of the John A. Logan CCR&R staff who contributed to the success of the SFI Professional Development Day ... All of the SFI Learning Network participants and Hub Coordinators for their efforts in scheduling Parent Cafes and Learning Network Meetings and Cafes their continued support in implementing Strengthening Families statewide ... and the many other people who contribute their time and support to strengthen Illinois children!

Know someone involved with SFI who deserves thanks? Send us an email.