OBJECTIVES:
- When one child “moves” to spending time in a residential program, it affects the entire family⎯but the loss to siblings is particularly impactful.
- Residential programs can benefit from raising awareness regarding how a residential intervention impacts siblings, how to maintain and strengthen sibling bonds, and/or how to work to repair these relationships.
- A program can become a welcoming environment for siblings when staff prioritize getting to know siblings as an important part of the family engagement process.
- Offering sibling-specific supports and educational opportunities increases the likelihood of successful reunification. Programs can consider providing or facilitating access to sibling support groups and other services.
The Basics for Engaging Families Resources
BBI RESOURCES:
A Building Bridges Initiative Guide: Implementing Effective Short-Term Residential Interventions. (2017, July). Building Bridges Initiative.
Building Bridges Initiative Informational Document: Permanency Practices Collaboration Strategies for Child Welfare and Residential Programs. (2019, Fall). Building Bridges Initiative.
A Building Bridges Initiative Tip Sheet: Supporting Siblings When a Brother or Sister is Receiving Residential Interventions: Key Issues and Tips for Providers and Families. (2014). Building Bridges Initiative.
Building Bridges Self-Assessment Tool [Also Available in Spanish]. (2020, September). Building Bridges Initiative.
Engage Us: A Guide Written by Families for Residential Providers. (2012, April). Building Bridges Initiative.
Family Tip Sheet (Expanded Version): Tip Sheet for Families Considering a Residential Program: Information for Families and Caregivers. [Also available in Spanish.] (Not dated). Building Bridges Initiative.
Hust, J., Kuppinger, A. (2014). Moving toward family-driven care in residential. In G.M. Blau, B. Caldwell, & R.E. Lieberman (Eds.), Residential Interventions for Children, Adolescents, and Families: A Best Practice Guide (pp. 15–33). Routledge.
Kuppinger, A., Hust, J.A., Hunt, P. Mosby, P., Hammack, S., & Caldwell, B. (2020). Putting families first: Strategies to transform and advance family engagement and partnership. In B. Caldwell, R. Lieberman, J. LeBel, & G. M. Blau (Eds.), Transforming Residential Interventions: Practical Strategies and Future Directions (pp. 8–30). Routledge.
Sexton, T.L., Rios, O.G., Johnson, K.A., & Plante, B.R. (2014). Clinical strategies for engaging families. In G.M. Blau, B. Caldwell, & R.E. Lieberman (Eds.), Residential Interventions for Children, Adolescents, and Families: A Best Practice Guide (pp. 34–45). Routledge.
A Tip Sheet for Families Considering a Residential Program [Brief Version, also available in Spanish.] (Not dated). Building Bridges Initiative. https://www.buildingbridges4youth.org/sites/default/files/pdf/BB-Family-Tip-Sheet-brief.pdf
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES:
Examples of Clinical Practice Models to Engage Families as cited by Kuppinger et al., 2020:
- Multisystemic Therapy: www.mstservices.com
- Functional Family Therapy: www.fftllc.com
- Motivational Interviewing: Network of Trainers: https://motivationalinterviewing.org
- Structural Family Therapy: http://familybasedtraining.com/treatment-philosophy and https://www.minuchincenter.org/
ACRC Redefining Residential Position Papers: Becoming Family-driven (2006)
https://togetherthevoice.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/Paper-2.pdf