Module 5: Working with Families in their Homes and Communities
OBJECTIVES:
- Provide information about how to hire, train, and supervise staff that are able to transition between in-residential and a home and community environment and maintain safety for both families and staff when working in the homes and communities of the families served.
- Describe how to strengthen effective partnerships with oversight agencies and community-based providers when working with families at home and in their communities.
- Define strategies for partnering with communities and community resources to strengthen long-term success for every youth and family. Ensure that community resources include those that meet the specific needs of each family. This includes connecting youth with relevant prosocial activities that they enjoy, as well as making connections to formal and informal community supports for both youth and families.
Working with Families in their Homes and Communities Resources
BBI RESOURCES:
Ford, J., Manners, D., Wang, W., Lieberman, R.E., McMillan, J., & Caldwell, B. (2020). Establishing partnerships to improve aftercare and long-term outcomes for youth and families served through residential interventions. In B. Caldwell, R. Lieberman, J. LeBel, & G.M. Blau (Eds.), Transforming Residential Interventions: Practical Strategies and Future Directions (pp. 143–167). Routledge.
What Residential Leaders Need to Know about Effective Aftercare Practices for Youth Leaving Residential. (Forthcoming 2020, December). Building Bridges Initiative.
Working with Families in their Homes and Communities: A Building Bridges Initiative Tip Sheet for Residential Programs. (Forthcoming). Building Bridges Initiative.
Key Concepts & Definitions
Permanency for youth means “having an enduring family relationship that is safe and meant to last a lifetime.”
Family/Parent Partners have lived experience raising a child with emotional, behavioral, or mental-health needs. A Family/Parent Partner’s role is to support the family, help them engage and actively participate on the team, and make informed decisions that drive the process. They also connect families to resources, services, and supports that they need within the community.
Youth Partners/Peer Mentors are youth with lived experience of receiving services for a behavioral or mental health need. The Youth Partner/Peer Mentor’s role is to engage and empower youth to have voice and choice in the services and supports offered to them. They work with youth to develop self-advocacy skills needed for articulating what they want and need. Youth Partners/Peer Mentors actively participate throughout a residential organization, being the first to meet a youth prior to admission and welcoming youth and families to the program, offering feedback on program practices, providing input into hiring decisions, and leading youth advisory councils to provide feedback alongside other youth in the program.
A Child and Family Team is a collaborative team of residential and culturally relevant community providers, family members, the youth, Family/Parent Partners, Youth Partners/Peer Mentors, and natural supports (e.g., people in the family’s life who they choose to involve on the team, such as a family friend, coach, teacher, religious leader, etc.). This team meets regularly to define goals, discuss progress, and refine the service and support plan to best meet the needs of the child and family.