Agency Self-Assessment Tool
Integrating the Kentucky Strengthening Families Approach
Into Early Childhood System Development
INTRODUCTION
What is Kentucky Strengthening Families? Kentucky Strengthening Families is a statewide initiative to improve outcomes for young children and families. The goal is for all organizations to incorporate protective factors, which are the opposite of risk factors, into how they work with families. Research suggests that families in all walks of life improve their chance for success and their ability to cope with stress when protective factors are present. Kentucky Strengthening Families is simply being intentional about what many families instinctively do.
Based on previous work by the Center for the Study of Social Policy, Kentucky Strengthening Families has adopted a six protective factor framework. They are:
• Parental Resilience
• Social Connections
• Knowledge of Parenting and Child Development
• Concrete Support in Times of Need
• Social and Emotional Development of Children
• Nurturing and Attachment
While key to reducing child abuse and neglect, these same factors also are vital to improving child health and social development, child and family mental health, family health and development, and child educational success.
USING THE KENTUCKY STRENGTHENING FAMILIES AGENCY SELF-ASSESSMENT TOOL
About the Tool: The Kentucky Strengthening Families Agency Self-Assessment Tool was adapted from the BUILD Tool * and is meant to help state, regional, and local early childhood agencies to identify where they are in implementing the Kentucky Strengthening Families Initiative into their agency programs, services and practices. It also offers a brief assessment of how Kentucky Strengthening Families is being implemented in their state, regional or local community through a community collaborative effort. Finally, this tool offers some general ways to incorporate the Kentucky Strengthening Families protective factors as an integral part of early childhood agencies and can be used as a roadmap or suggested ways to implement into an agency and community.
How to use:
· Organize a broad group of stakeholders (staff, parents/consumers, board members, directors) and complete the assessment in a facilitated meeting
Or
· As a survey that people can complete individually and then compile the results and review the results in a meeting
With either approach, agencies should ask people knowledgeable about and involved in the many different areas of the agency so that they can contribute specific information about how the agency could incorporate the protective factors. Once the assessment has been completed, it should be used to help identify next action steps and create an action plan.
Implementation of Kentucky Strengthening Families should be targeted to all agency staff especially anyone who interacts with families, youth, or children the agency serves. Agency staff includes board members, executive leadership, supervisors, coaches, human resource staff, trainers, support staff, agency subcontractors, peer support staff, and agency volunteers. Ideally, agency staff at all these levels along with consumers both as parent/guardians and youth who have received services birth through age five should be involved in Kentucky Strengthening Families implementation process and in the meeting format mentioned above.
ASSESSMENT TOOL DEFINITIONS & DIRECTIONS
The word “system” is used to define the local, regional, or state human service agencies, both public, private, and non-profit that serves children, youth and families.
The word “family” is defined by the Kentucky Strengthening Families Initiative as an all-inclusive term. For example, families include but are not limited to biological, foster, adoptive, relative, and grandparent. Families have a primary decision making role in the care of their own children as well as providing input for agencies that care for children in their community. Input includes:
· choosing culturally and linguistically competent supports, services, and providers
· setting goals
· designing, implementing and evaluating programs
· monitoring outcomes
· partnering in funding decisions.
The word “agency” defines an inclusive term for the organization, business, program, or system partner represented.
Please review each item under category and rate your “agency” using the following scale:
• No Action
• Under Discussion
• In Planning
• In Progress
• Implemented
These “ratings” provide a sense of where the agency is on a continuum. One end indicates that this is an area that needs thought and work; the other end of the continuum indicates that you are already doing this well and it is a strength.
DEMOGRAPHICS
Agency Name: ______
Program Name: ______
Team members completing the tool: ______
Professional Development/In Service/Staff Training is needed to build the capacity and expertise in the Kentucky Strengthening Families approach. Professional development includes a wide variety of activities that help to build skills and shift practice among all service agencies.
Please answer the following statements, based on your experience with the Kentucky Strengthening Families Initiative / No Action / Under Discussion / In Planning / In Progress / Imple-mented / Comments1. Strengthening families/protective factors training are integrated in professional development curriculum within all agency services.
2. Staff recognizes that families have a primary decision-making role in the care of their own children.
3. Training and professional development opportunities include a strength-based approach to working with families.
4. Professional development opportunities are created through a process that involves family members and includes persons from different cultural and language backgrounds to ensure the opportunities are culturally competent.
Outcome: Agency supports and promotes strength-based and culturally competent training. / 1-5: 1= No effort, 2= Some effort, 3= Average effort, 4= Good effort, 5 = Outstanding effort
1 2 3 4 5 / Comments:
COMMENTS: Please note specific areas of strength such as a focus on family strengths during employee orientation, incorporation of strength-based coaching of staff, etc.
Early Childhood Agency Connectedness (Systems Integration) includes a family strengthening approach that is needed within and agency and across all systems serving young children and their families. Most agencies and systems serving young children have reform elements that are strength-based, treat parents and family members as participants rather than consumers of service, and engage families in peer support and mutual assistance activities – but these approaches often are not part of routine practice nor are they embedded in organizational or agency culture. This approach can only be supported through collaboration, training, improved working relationships, the development of efforts to prevent child abuse and neglect, and promotion of healthy social and emotional development.
Please answer the following statements, based on your experience with the Kentucky Strengthening Families Initiative / No Action / Under Discussion / In Planning / In Progress / Imple-mented / Comments5. There is an intentional strategy for all children in the agency to receive social and emotional screening that can identify developmental, behavioral, and other concerns.
6. There is an effective referral process to ensure that children and families are referred to and receive the necessary community services and supports.
7. Agency staff is knowledgeable about developmental and mental health services available for young children and their families.
8. Agency staff helps families connect with others in the community by participating in and leading activities.
9. Regular cross-trainings or networking events ensure that providers in community agencies learn about each other’s goals, services, agency policies, regulatory requirements, and areas of expertise.
10. Agency staff invites families to participate in activities that support and or strengthen parents, families, or fathers
11. Agency staff recognizes and promotes the strength of the relationship between an adult caregiver and a young child.
12. Agency staff recognizes early signs of child abuse or neglect, adult abuse and neglect, and domestic violence.
Outcome: Agency supports and promotes early childhood system collaboration and integration. / Rate 1-5: 1= No effort, 2= Some effort, 3= Average effort, 4= Good effort, 5 = Outstanding effort
1 2 3 4 5 / Comments:
COMMENTS: Please note specific areas of strength such as offering or hosting family support groups, supporting family leadership and skill development opportunities, and linking families with referral and follow-up to other community services.
Child & Family Agency Practice includes the engagement of all staff in the agency that interacts with children and families, including but not limited to, frontline, supervisory, support, and administrative staff. The agency should develop a culture that builds upon the strengthening families/protective factors approach such as utilizing strength-based assessments, family team meetings/family group conferences, and family-centered case planning.
Please answer the following statements, based on your experience with the Kentucky Strengthening Families Initiative / No Action / Under Discussion / In Planning / In Progress / Imple- mented / Comments13. Staff takes time to get to know family members individually and by name.
14. All agency areas used by families and children are inviting.
15. Kentucky Strengthening Families is integrated into the agency system’s culture and process of working with families. For example, agency uses strength-based family assessments, family team meetings, family group conferences, etc.
16. The agency has strong relationships at the community level with other service providers and systems.
17. Families of young children are encouraged and supported in having their children receive a developmental screening and other social and emotional screenings, with follow-up services as needed.
18. Families who come into contact with the agency are provided sufficient information about the agencies services and supports that are available to them.
19. Agency informs families of their children’s rights, responsibilities, and the role of this agency in supporting families.
20. Agency system and agency staff don’t misuse their authority with families.
Outcome: Agency supports and promotes child serving agency practices that are strength-based and respectful. / Rate 1-5: 1= No effort, 2= Some effort, 3= Average effort, 4= Good effort, 5 = Outstanding effort
1 2 3 4 5 / Comments:
COMMENTS: Please note specific areas of strength such as keeping educational placements stable even as children change foster care placements and achieve permanency.
Family Leadership and Engagement includes families as partners in planning, advocacy, and implementation. Family partnerships are needed at all levels of the system. Opportunities must exist to support parents and family members in their leadership development.
Please answer the following statements, based on your experience with the Kentucky Strengthening Families Initiative- / No Action / Under Discussion / In Planning / In Progress / Imple-mented / Comments21. Families are involved on councils, boards, committees, and or planning groups within agency as true partners at the table, valued as both contributors and leaders. Give examples in the comment box.
22. Families’ advice is sought in designing and implementing new programs and services.
23. Family leadership is supported by facilitating a variety of family training opportunities and family educational resources.
24. Family engagement is facilitated through social opportunities for parents.
25. Families are represented from your community from different cultures, languages, and races.
26. Families are involved in reviewing and developing policies and practices.
Outcome: Agency supports and promotes family leadership and engagement / Rate 1-5: 1= No effort, 2= Some effort, 3= Average effort, 4= Good effort, 5 = Outstanding effort
1 2 3 4 5 / Comments:
COMMENTS: Please note specific areas of strength such as involving families in program implementation and quality improvement efforts, training and supporting families to serve on policy review committees, etc.
OVERALL COMMENTS:
CURRENT COMMITMENT OF RESOURCES: Note specific areas of strength such as the use of in-kind or funds like Child Care and Development Block Grant, Title V, TITLE IV-E, SAMSHA & HRSA grants, local foundation grants, etc. to support Strengthening Families education initiatives for families.
*Adapted from the BUILD Initiative document called An Assessment Tool: Integrating a Strengthening Families Approach into Early Childhood System Development
The Build Initiative Strengthening Families work is supported by a planning grant from the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation. The assessment tool was developed by consultant, Dr. Jamilah R. Jor’dan, with assistance from Build team members Charles Bruner of the Child and Family Policy Center and Susan Hibbard.
Adapted May 2016 by Kentucky Strengthening Families Leadership Team
References:
Center for Law and Social Policy (CLASP). Improving access to child care and early education for immigrant families: A state policy checklist. http://childcareandearlyed.clasp.org.
Center for the Study of Social Policy. Just the basics. Washington, DC: CSSP.
Center for the Study of Social Policy. Protecting children by strengthening families: A guidebook for early childhood programs. Strengthening families through early care and education. Washington, DC: CSSP.
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