Download - Talking With Youth Listening with your heart Bob Lewis Sue Badeau Permanent Family Connections
Talking With YouthTalking With YouthListening with your heartListening with your heart
Bob Lewis
Sue Badeau
Permanent Family Connections
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Workshop IntroductionWorkshop IntroductionThis is an interactive workshop• Youth development• Permanence Is …• Looking at the Issues• Thinking about a specific youth• Identifiable Tasks• Public media & other Recruitment• Practice Exercise• Wrap-up
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Youth Development for Youth Development for SuccessSuccess
Power
Competence
Usefulness
Belonging
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Permanence is everyone’s jobPermanence is everyone’s job 1. Permanence is for
All Youth2. Permanence
Can Be Created3. Permanence is for
Now 4. Permanence is for
The Future
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Permanence is for the futurePermanence is for the future
• Terry, 19, college
• JD, 20, grandchildren
• Peggy’s daughter, 34, jail
• Lu’s son, 16, RTC
THINK AHEAD 5,10,20 YEARSTHINK AHEAD 5,10,20 YEARS
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Permanence can be createdPermanence can be created
The highest level of physical, legal and emotional safety and security for each youth within a family relationship.
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Permanence Can Be CreatedPermanence Can Be Created• A parent or two – A parenting
relationship with at least one adult• Intent – a mutual understanding that
this relationship is intended to last forever
• Unconditional commitment on the part of the adult
• Participation of all parties in the relationship
• Lifelong and mutual support and involvement
• Intimacy & Belonging
ICBS
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Range of legal connectionsRange of legal connections• Adoption• Guardianship• Custody• Legal Name Change• Other Permanent
Living Arrangement• Adoption deferred to
adulthood
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Comparing legal permanenceComparing legal permanence
• Birth parents rights• Caregiver Rights• Legal Documentation • Decision Making for Child/ren • Relationship with the Birth Parent/s• Financial Assistance• Eligibility for Medicaid • Child’s Legal Name• Inheritance• Returning a Child
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Power
Competence
Usefulness
Belonging
Youth Development for Youth Development for SuccessSuccess
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Identify the Accessible Identify the Accessible Time/Place Time/Place
• The office?
• On the phone?
• Who’s there in the living space?
• Preparing the ground around
• Plant the seeds
• Make opportunities.
• All the time & everywhere
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Listen with RespectListen with Respect
• Listen beyond the words• Repeat actions and
messages of empowerment• Allow for disagreement
without triggering oppositional behavior
• Find areas of agreement• Don’t expect full buy-in• Keep at it
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Know Your Goal and FocusKnow Your Goal and Focus• Talk softly and often about
family connection.• Present thoughts and ideas
for them to consider in their media.
• Partialize the process to the point of acceptance.
• Imagine and help the youth imagine a family connection.
• Don’t expect them to take all the risks.
• Go over it again.
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Using the MediaUsing the Media
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And Your Teen’s View …And Your Teen’s View …What has been his/her experience of
removal and re-removal?
How has s/he experienced the system?
Does s/he have any fears of rejection?
What messages of “independent living” has s/he received?
What is his/her concept of family, and family relationships?
Keep thinking about it.
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Preparing for Family LivingPreparing for Family Living• Deinstitutionalization
• Mutual responsibilities in family living
• Teaching the art of asking questions
• PTSD
• Remembered relationships
• Fantasized relationships
• Hopes and dreams
• Fear of rejection
• Keep teaching about family experiences
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Identifying a Youth’s Identifying a Youth’s NetworkNetwork
• Record search• Asking the youth • Eco-map/Genogram• Remembered people• Asking around• Keep looking
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Preparing a Youth for PublicityPreparing a Youth for Publicity
And other youth-specific family recruitment
Describe the eventExplain your role & the
youth’sPrepare: role play,
practiceDebrief immediatelyStay in touch; continue
to follow up
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Engaging the Youth’s NetworkEngaging the Youth’s Network
• Youth involvement• Invitations• Meetings• Follow up and follow
up
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Mike
Rayleen & Ronald
JamalMarika
Juan
Maya & PJ
ExerciseExercise
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PersistPersist There is no reason to stop.
Weave it into the fabric of your work: whatever else you’re doing, you’re working on permanence.
Have a plan with each youth in your caseload.
Start with a broad plan and get specific in each case.
Return to the broadest focus when necessary.
Focus x Competence x Passion = Adherence