Disproportionate Minority Confinement Conference.ppt

Disproportionate Minority Confinement Conference Des Moines, Iowa Dec.2, 2004 National Resource Center for?Family Centered Practice,University of Iowa, School of Social Work Presenter: Lynn McDonald, MSW, PhD, University of Wisconsin-Madison Goals of Presentation Overview of the Families and Schools Together FAST Program: an evidence based prevention model (SAMHSA, OJJDP) History of successful engagement of low-income, minority parents into multi-family groups to build protective factors Recommended principles of cultural adaptation of an evidence-based model Multi-Family Groups: FAST Community based, school based, family based, prevention process 8 weekly MFG sessions 5-25 whole families attend Team led activities, no didactics 2 years of monthly MFG 10-150 whole families attend Parent led activities Non traditional strategies engage minority parents Cultural representation of parents at every level of the process: planning, training, multi-family groups, evaluation, Outreach to invite voluntary involvement Shift of power to ongoing parent run MFG for two year, including a budget for parents Experiential learning: adult education Family stress reduced, social capital built Relationship Based vs. Curriculum Based Program Each child needs a caring, long-term relationship to learn, love and be resilient Parents need support from adults to parent A community needs trusting, respectful, reciprocal relationships: social capital ties FAST offers a structure with opportunities to build relationships with respect, laughter, time, and interaction, through repetitive, weekly, participatory, fun, activities Based on Theory of Social Ecology of Child Development (Bronfenbrenner, 1979) Family Support, Family Systems and Family Stress Hill’s Family Stress Theory: stress is buffered by support and perception; family support Minuchin’s Family systems: increase hierarchy, cohesion, reduce unresolved conflict Family assets and strengths enhanced Whole families included to bui