Visitation can be an important and meaningful experience for incarcerated parents and their children, but it can also bea source of stress and anxiety when parents’ or children’s expectations do not align with what ends up happening. Many aspects of visitation are outside of the control of an incarcerated parent, but there are things you can do to anticipate problems and reduce stress to make visitation a positive and beneficial experience for everyone involved. Below are things to consider when planning for a visit from your child. If you do not know the answer to a question, think about who…
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This article discusses reasons for the lack of father involvement in child rearing, the benefits of father involvement for children's well-being, and the benefits of father engagement that are specific to child protective services and foster care. Strategies for engaging fathers are discussed in the areas of agency commitment, locating and recruiting fathers, the initial contact, and on-going contact. Characteristics of successful father engagement programs are also noted.
Other, Fact Sheet
The five protective factors at the foundation of Strengthening Families are characteristics that have been shown to make positive outcomes more likely for young children and their families, and to reduce the likelihood of child abuse and neglect. The five factors are: 1. Parental Resilience 2. Social Connections 3. Concrete Supports 4. Knowledge of Parenting and Child Development 5. Social and Emotional Competence of Children. Learn more about the research-based Protective Factors Framework on this webpage. (Author abstract modified)
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This resource was developed under an Innovation and Improvement Project grant from the Office of Head Start with the goal to encourage and support positive relationships of families with infants, toddlers, and preschool-aged children of incarcerated fathers or fathers on probation or parole. Head Start programs may find this resource useful. (Author abstract)
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This topic was selected for a teleconference because, according to the CFSR, across the nation, child welfare agencies still struggle with locating fathers and engaging and involving them in their children's lives and in the case planning process. Fathers play unique and important roles in their children's lives; therefore, maintaining contact and strengthening the father-child bond should be a priority. The objectives of this session were: To introduce ways to use the "voice of fathers" within the child welfare system to understand their experiences, needs, and desire to be part of their…
Many social service programs share common goals although they may vary widely by funding stream, service delivery strategy and/or target population. The marriage and relationship education (MRE) field and the child welfare system both strive to strengthen families and improve child outcomes. MRE practitioners may want to consider building partnerships with child protective services (CPS) to offer MRE as part of an intervention for families whose children may be at risk for abuse and/or neglect. This tip sheet provides advice on how to engage CPS in providing MRE to families. (Author abstract…
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The pamphlet presents strategies that can be used to prepare children for a visit with an incarcerated parent. Strategies include having the parent write a letter to the child before the visit and providing the child with specific information about the visit. Additional tips are provided for the caregiver on the day of the visit and during the visit. Caregivers are cautioned to not force a child to express his feelings about the visit.
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This Resource Guide was written to support service providers in their work with parents, caregivers, and their children to strengthen families and prevent child abuse and neglect. The guide includes information about protective factors that help reduce the risk of child maltreatment, strategies for changing how communities support families, and evidence-informed practices. It also offers suggestions for enhancing protective factors in families, tools to build awareness and develop community partnerships, information about child abuse and neglect, a directory of national organizations that…
Other, Fact Sheet
In the U.S., 1 in 68 children is diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). In fact, almost every school and university in the country has students with autism. While the diagnosis is common, public understanding of autism is not. The lack of understanding around the condition contributes to discrimination, verbal abuse, even physical violence. A recent study reveals that children with autism are five times more likely to be bullied than their peers—treatment no child should endure. While the differences between people with autism and their peers may seem significant, children share…
Other, Book
This guide explores a range of opportunities and challenges faced by kinship caregivers in Oregon. It starts with common issues faced by family members caring for relative children and moves on to provide resources for those families. The guide begins with information on the number of children living in households headed by grandparents or other relatives and the challenges kinship caregivers face. A checklist is then provided of important things caregivers should do right away when they begin to care for children. Following sections review information on meeting the emotional and behavioral…
