E-Update from Strengthening Families Illinois

April 2006
E-Update
Highlights for Leaders and Partners of Strengthening Families Illinois
Welcome to SFI News! Thanks to your hard work, collaboration, and leadership, Strengthening Families Illinois is making progress across the state. This monthly newsletter will keep you up to date on SFI developments. If you have comments or suggestions, please send us an email. In This Issue NAEYC Welcomes New Leaders New SFI Partners Learning Networks: 3,2,1 - Liftoff First Annual Statewide Cross Site Meeting Training Update Helpful Tools Other Updates Thanks to Calendar NAEYC Board Welcomes Two SFI Leaders Evaluation work group chair Jamilah Jor’dan and Southern Illinois Learning Network director Lori Longueville were recently elected vice president and secretary of the NAEYC Board of Directors. Congratulations! Jamilah Jor'dan, Vice President New SFI Partners Erikson Institute: Linda Gilkerson Family Support America: Virginia L. Mason University of Illinois Extension: Ancilla Parducci, Al Zwilling John J. Egan Urban Center, Depaul University: Michael Bennett, John Zeigler Chapin Hall Center for Children, University of Chicago: Deborah Daro
Calendar April 10, Child Care Nurse Consultants Protective Factors training of trainers April 11, Chicago, 10:00-11:30 am Building Resiliency Workgroup Meeting April 17, 1:00–2:30pm Professional Development and Training Workgroup Meeting April 21, 12:00–2:00 pm: SFI Leadership Team meeting. Topic: embedding and sustaining Strengthening Families Illinois after year two May 8: Governors Early Learning Council meeting May 11: Hub Coordinator monthly call May 11–13: Leadership Connections conference June 8: Hub Coordinator monthly call June 20, Chicago/Lawndale: Learning Network monthly meeting Where missing, times and locations are TBD Stronger Together Upcoming Training Southern IL Counties: 8:30 am-4:30 pm, March 18 & April 1, May 5 & 6 and June 9 & 10 Kane County: 9:00 am–4:00 pm, April 5 & 26 and May 24 & 31 Chicago / Lawndale: 8:30 am–4:30 pm, May 16 & 17 Peoria: 9:00 am–4:00 pm, May 18 & 19 To receive an updated SFI calendar by email every month send us an email.	Learning Networks: 3, 2, 1 … Liftoff On February 22, the South Cook County Learning Network was launched at the Community Mennonite Early Learning Center in Markham. Now, all five pilot learning networks have launched across the state! The 55 childcare centers participating serve more than 6,400 children from 5,581 families annually with approximately 285 open child welfare cases. The networks consist of 23 for profit centers, 16 Head Start, 6 Early Head Start , 24 Pre-K (9 collaborative programs), and 3 home based provider networks. Beyond these 'official' pilot SFI networks, communities have started to form networks on their own in Stephenson County and Rock Island. To get connected to a learning network or learn more, email us. First Annual Statewide Cross Site Meeting The first cross-site meeting of SFI learning networks welcomed more than 100 childcare professionals on March 27. The Peoria and Southern Illinois networks arrived the evening before and were treated to workshops and a dinner keynote on “Laughing Your Way to Good Health”, from the University of Kentucky’s Carol Whipple. DCFS Director, Bryan Samuels, kicked off the following morning, which also featured a keynote from Erikson Institute’s Linda Gilkerson on the importance of strengthening families in child care settings. The rest of the day included several networking opportunities, a panel of nationally recognized exemplary childcare programs, updates from the national initiative, and workshops for caregivers focused on nurturing the spirit. Read next month’s E-Update for a full report on the day’s events! Training Update Welcome to Beth Knight, who joins co-chair Leonnette Coates in leading SFI’s Professional Development and Training work group. And many, many thanks to outgoing co-chair Gail Conway! Stronger Together: In January, a group of 25 trainers, pilot site coordinators, and DCFS licensing staff participated in a 3-day training of trainers on this nationally respected curriculum. Stronger Together provides concrete strategies for building strong relationships with families in early childhood centers. Each Learning Network will participate in 6 days of Stronger Together training. All training is being coordinated by INCCRRA and funded through the Illinois Department of Human Services. Protective Factors: Each Learning Network has received a half-day of training on the Protective Factors from the Midwest Learning Center for Family Support. The training deepened the network members’ understanding of the protective factors, and explored strategies for building them in their programs. The training has received rave reviews: “Lots of concrete ideas to use at my center”… “very informative” … “caring, concerned presenters who had fun doing what they do” … “makes you really think about the services you give parents.” Recognizing and Responding to Signs of Family Stress: This ½ day training will be offered this summer. It is in the final stages of development by the DCFS Training Office and Midwest Learning Center for Family Support.
Helpful Tools SFI is excited to announce several new tools to help support the work of early childhood staff and caseworkers: 10 Reasons to Partner with Preschool Staff handout: 2 pages, for child welfare caseworkers, shows how preschool programs can make their jobs easier 101 Ways to Nurture Your Spirit poster: A colorful, inspiring reminder for caregivers Protective Factors brochure: In English or Spanish Request free copies by sending us an email. The handout and brochure can also be downloaded at www.strengtheningfamiliesillinois.org. Other Updates Evaluating SFI: SFI has created a framework for evaluating its ongoing work. Metro Chicago Information Center will gather and track data on the centers participating in SFI Learning Networks and will provide analysis of the data over the next year and a half. Guidance for Caseworkers: Through the Head Start Collaboration work group, childcare providers, the state board of education, and DCFS are developing guidance for caseworkers on selecting appropriate early childhood education environments for wards and children of wards. Many thanks to Gina Ruther and the DHS Collaboration Office for bringing these partners together. Policy to Provide Quality Preschool for All Wards: A work group in DCFS is changing policy to ensure that all 3–5-year-old wards are enrolled in a quality preschool program. The policy should be in place at the start of the next school year. Thanks to … Action for Children, Chicago Metro AEYC, Family Support America, and Illinois Head Start Association for including SFI presentations as part of this year’s program …Caryn Brauweiler, Michael Byrd, Sujata Bhat, Greg Cheatham, Debbie Conley,Tim Gawron, Judy Stevens,Margie Perzynksi, Amanda Quesenberry, Cynthia Stringfellow, and Letechia Williams for helping us make those presentations … and many other people who worked hard to strengthen Illinois children! Know someone involved with SFI who deserves thanks? Send us an email. Lina Cramer and Letechia Williams presented on 'Building Community Within Your Childcare Center' SFI Speakers Available To have an SFI representative speak at your next event, email us.
www.strengtheningfamiliesillinois.org.