Prudent Parent Standard

Prudent Parent Standard

For Supervisors and Managers

2006

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The material in this module was written by

Irene Becker, LCSW for CalSWEC.

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California Social Work Education Center (CalSWEC)

University of California, Berkeley

School of Social Welfare

120 Haviland Hall

Berkeley, CA 94720-7400

Phone: 510-642-9272 Fax: 510-642-8573

http://calswec.berkeley.edu

PRUDENT PARENT STANDARD

TRAINING MODULE FOR SUPERVISORS AND MANAGERS

-DRAFT-

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

Knowledge:

K1.      The trainee will be able to identify current organizational barriers and solutions to the barriers in implementing the prudent parent standard for the youth in out of home placements.

Skills:

S1.       The trainee will be able to articulate the prudent parent standard for out-of-home caregivers and provide two examples for training workers on the prudent parent standard.

S2.       The trainee will be able to develop two organizational strategies to implement the prudent parent standard for child welfare workers and out-of-home caregivers.

Values:

V1.      The trainee will value involvement and collaboration with out- of- home caregivers in determining how the prudent parent standard will be applied uniquely for each youth in out-of-home care.

TITLE IV-E CURRICULUM COMPETENCIES

The Title IV-E MSW competencies were developed for the M.S.W. specialization in public child welfare in California, a two-year full time graduate program.  The MSW competencies may overlap with the common core competencies, but are primarily designed for a full MSW program.  Learning objectives and competencies in the common core support the MSW Title IV-E competencies, but not all of the IV-E material can be delivered during an in-service training session.  MSW Title IV-E competencies may therefore be linked to multiple topic areas of the common core.

Student works collaboratively with biological families, foster families, and kin networks, involving them in assessment and planning and supporting them in coping with special stresses and difficulties. (6.6)

Student is able to identify agency and legislative policies and procedures that create barriers to the growth and development of children and families. (7.4)

Student understands how political activities and regulatory, legislative and judicial processes at local, state, and national levels influence agency policies, procedures and programs. (8.2)

Student understands how leader/managers use the collaborative process for the purpose of planning, formulating policy and implementing services. (8.3)

CONTEXT

As part of the reform efforts in child welfare in California, the legislature and California Department of Social Services (CDSS) have spearheaded legislative and regulatory changes that are designed to enhance one of  the Adoptions and Safe Families Act goal, that of child well being. These changes seek to provide the caregivers with more latitude in decision making, and align the state through law and regulations with child welfare best practices.

This training module is designed for managers and supervisors to:

·         Define the prudent parent standard as defined in All County Letters

·         Identify current practice and organizational barriers that impact the implementation of the prudent parent standard for youth in out of home care

·         Develop at least two organizational strategies to implement the prudent parent standard with child welfare workers and out of home caregivers.

This module is designed to be completed within one hour and can be done in a “unit” meeting.  The activities can be used to further explore the identification of benefits and barriers to implementing the prudent parent standard with child welfare workers and out of home care providers.

PRUDENT PARENT STANDARD

TRAINING MODULE FOR SUPERVISORS AND MANAGERS

-DRAFT-

LESSON PLAN

SEGMENT 1

TRAINING ACTIVITY 1A

DEFINING THE PRUDENT PARENT STANDARD

Approximate time:    20 minutes

Materials:

·         Handout: The What and Why of the Prudent Parent Standard

Training Activity:

·         Explain the purpose of the training.

·         Provide trainees with the above listed handout.

·         The handout can be used as a basis for discussion on the prudent parent standard.

·         Ask participants about their current knowledge level of the prudent parent standard and if this standard has been communicated to 1) foster and relative caregivers, group home and other foster/residential care providers, social workers, the courts, attorneys, and other stakeholders. 

·         The leader can develop a beginning baseline of who is aware of the prudent parent standard and sets the stage for the next activity.

·         The ACL’s and ACIN that are cited in this handout should also be available for further clarification.

Processing this Activity:

·         This is an opportunity to discuss with supervisors any of the current conditions with various stakeholders.

·         Some potential subjects include:

o   Foster parents and their role as a team member

o   Group homes and their involvement  in overall case planning

o   Attorneys and their role with families

·         Some potential questions include:

o   Are various stakeholders “on board” with best practices in child welfare?

o   What are some examples of these best practices?

o   What are some of the barriers that remain in involving stakeholders in best practices?

End of Activity

SEGMENT 2

TRAINING ACTIVITY 2A

CURRENT AGENCY PRACTICE

Approximate time:    30 minutes

Materials:

·         Handout: Action Plan for Changing Practice

Training Activity:

·         Provide copies of the above listed handout to all participants.

·         Put the day’s date at the top of the handout.

·         Initiate a discussion identifying all stakeholders who need to know the information and how stakeholders will get the information. Also have group brainstorm potential problems.

·         An option may be to prioritize who needs to know what by when, or focus on how to handle problems/ concerns as the application of the prudent parent standard is implemented.

·         When the action plan is complete, put at the bottom of the page a date that is six weeks out from the day of training.  An option would be to review the action plan in six weeks and evaluate how the practice of the prudent parent standard is going among various stakeholders. 

·         Additional action planning may be warranted.

End of Activity

SEGMENT 3

TRAINING ACTIVITY 3A

REVIEW OF TRAINING MODULE FOR CHILD WELFARE WORKERS

Approximate time:    10 minutes

Materials:

·         Handout: The What and Why of the Prudent Parent Standard

·         Handout: Caregiver Information Sheet: Extracurricular, Enrichment and Social Activities, and the Reasonable and Prudent Parent Standard

·         Handout: Caregiver Information Sheet: Use of Occasional Short Term Babysitters and the Reasonable and Prudent Parent Standard

·         Training Module:Prudent Parent Standard Training Module for Child Welfare Workers

Training Activity:

·         The trainer/facilitator should give handouts and module to the participants.

·         Briefly review materials and ask supervisors to schedule the training module for workers.

·         Assign a review date with supervisors for the completion of the training module for workers and for issues that have arisen during these training sessions.

End of Activity