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Working with the St. Louis Neighborhood Network of the Community Partnership for Protecting Children, the Division of Family Services has developed a low-key response to situations that do not involve a specific incident of abuse or neglect (such as educational neglect). At the same time, to deal with some of the toughest issues presented by families reported to Child Protective Services, DFS created a number of specialist positions—staff members who provide case consultation, training, and hands-on help to families with specific problems such as substance abuse, sexual abuse, and medical needs. www.cssp.org/uploadFiles/Doing_
Business_Differently.pdf | |
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 | Community groups work with child welfare agencies to achieve a balance between preventive and deep-end services, recognizing that:
- All services and supports that strengthen families, respond to difficulties before they become crises, and generally improve children's life prospects also reduce the incidence of child abuse and neglect.
- Families at highest risk are likely to need specialized and intensive services and support.
Collaboratives create community "hubs" (centers for community activities) that include child protection in their missions and make close connections with providers of child protective services and with informal helpers.
Collaboratives work with child welfare agencies to establish a culture in which local residents see child protection staff as members of their community and support network, not as enemies. Collaboratives invite child welfare staff to:
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| Hope Street Family Center, housed on the grounds of the California Hospital Medical Center, is a public-private partnership that provides services and supports, including community-based child welfare services, to young children and families living in inner-city Los Angeles. Families affected by child abuse and neglect receive intensive services, including home visits by professional social workers and public health nurses from a widely known and respected community-based setting. | |
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- Participate in neighborhood interactions and planning for community activities and become part of deliberations on what strategies to undertake to achieve school readiness
- Participate in community discussions about children's safety and the best ways to support at-risk and isolated families
- Connect with the neighborhood by living where they work, and in other ways
Collaboratives forge community support agreements and community partnerships for protecting children. They build capacity among community organizations, institutions, funders, and other stakeholder groups to help families easily obtain the supports they need, including:
- Interventions that identify and provide follow-up services to children and families at high risk
- Diagnosis and full treatment services, at appropriate levels of intensity and in appropriate settings, for children with special needs and for families with problems such as maternal depression, substance abuse, impaired parent-child relationships, child abuse, and domestic violence
- Services and supports that reduce extreme social isolation, prevent and respond to abuse and neglect, and provide role models of high-quality parenting
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| Parents Anonymous is a community-based parent education and support program through which parents and professionals form partnerships to share responsibility, expertise, and leadership for strengthening families and improving services and communities. Adult group sessions focus on parenting issues and challenges, with parents setting their own goals and timelines. Parents can expand their networks of support, reduce stress and isolation, and learn about community resources. While parents are meeting, children and youth can participate in leadership and problem-solving activities. www.parentsanonymous.org | |
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