Welcome back to SFI News. School is out for the summer, but SFI's second year begins with new networks and training as well as evaluations of the year's accomplishments and continuing challenges. If you have comments or suggestions, please send us an email.
In This Issue
6th Pilot Launches in Evanston
Strengthening Families Illinois Learning Networks are now active in each DCFS region. The latest pilot network is being coordinated by The Childcare Network of Evanston (CNE), who have more than 35 years experience in the Evanston community. Over 40 individuals made up of local early learning providers, DCFS, SFI partners, and staff were in attendance and eager to begin the collaboration. After the launch, the learning network, as well as several staff from the DCFS Cook North Regional office, received their first training on the Protective Factors.
Evanston joins the five other pilots in Cook County/West Lawndale of Chicago; Kane County/Carpentersville; Peoria; Markham/South Cook County; and Southern Illinois. CNE executive director Martha Arntson is also excited about partnering with DCFS: “We are always looking for additional ways to support all families, including those children in the child welfare system and their caregivers. Partnering with DCFS on the Strengthening Families Illinois Initiative will increase our ability to do so." To learn more about the Childcare Network of Evanston, click here.
Parents Will Be Messengers of New Campaign
What’s the best way to raise awareness among parents of the 6 things they can do to help keep their families strong? SFI partners and parent leaders believe the answer is other families. This year SFI and its partners are collaborating on a public awareness campaign aimed at making the protective factors more accessible to families. SFI’s Communication Workgroup met in early July to inform the initial concepts and materials are in development for parents to use when connecting with other parents. Materials will include a website with information and resources specifically for families, brochures and posters highlighting the protective factors in family friendly language, and a presentation that parents can deliver themselves at parent meetings and other center events. SFI’s initial goal is to reach the more than 8,000 families being served by the six pilot learning networks.
Pilot Sites Reflect, Set Goals For Approaching Year
Staff and hub coordinators met in late June to plan for the coming year and to document successes, lessons learned, and continuing challenges in implementing the approach.
Among the priorities this year will be expanding the core curriculums, Stronger Together and Protective Factors, within the learning network as a way of deepening the practice throughout their organizations.
Training  and monthly learning network meetings were also identified as key in solidifying relationships among the networks and as a way of continually building momentum for the project. They also became opportunities to ease tensions among local providers. Click here to download the draft report.
(From Left) Devin Bily, Karen Selman, Cynthia Stringfellow, and Tanya Brown "build a network" with other hub coordinators in the closing activity
21 States Adopting Strengthening Families
In addition to the seven initial pilot states, the Center for the Study of Social Policy (CSSP) is getting requests from others interested in implementing Strengthening Families. Currently 21 states have formed leadership teams; many applying for seed grants through the National Alliance of Children’s Trust and Prevention Funds Early Childhood Initiative. The alliance has made Strengthening Families a priority for Trust and Prevention Funds in dealing with the prevention of child abuse and neglect. Although only nine states received funding through the seed grants (Arkansas, Georgia, Idaho, Kansas, Maine, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, and Washington), all of the applicants have been invited to join a national learning network to receive training and technical assistance.
The growing interest has prompted CSSP to explore structuring an expanded learning network that links all states and localities using the Strengthening Families model. The network would rely heavily on the knowledge, experience and leadership of the pilot states. To learn more about the Strengthening Families National Initiative, click here.
|
