The information in this program outline is provided by the program representative and edited by the CEBC staff. The Parent Partners - Iowa program has been reviewed by the CEBC in the area of: Parent Partner Programs for Families Involved in the Child Welfare System, but lacks the necessary research evidence to be given a Scientific Rating.

• Types of Maltreatment: Does not target any specific kind of maltreatment
• Target Population: Parents involved with Department of Human Services' Child Protective Services.

Parent Partners – Iowa uses an approach that not only celebrates individuals that have overcome obstacles through change, recovery, and accountability, but also uses their skills to mentor families who are currently navigating through the Department of Human Services as their children are in foster or kinship care. These Parent Partners demonstrate advocacy and effective communication, while holding families accountable.

The essential components of Parent Partners – Iowa consist of:

• Having Parent Partners who are parents who have previous involvement / life experience with Department of Human Services’ Child Protective Services and have had their children removed from their home.
• Having a Parent Partner [mentor] work with families involved in the child welfare system is a key strategy to improving practice with families, but it cannot stand alone. Parent Partners also network within communities and partner directly with the:
• Department of Human Services (DHS)
• Child welfare staff
• Child welfare systems
• Child welfare agencies.
• Having Parent Partners collaborate with social workers and providers to:
• Meet the needs of families
• Assist in policy and program development
• Change perceptions in communities
• Facilitate trainings and learning opportunities.
• Assess progress
• Help professional empathetically and productively interpret patterns, behaviors, and needs of families.
• Validating parents’ experiences and opinions to make changes in child welfare that will assist families in reunification and keeping children safe.
• Including not only Parent Partners, but also those in training, aides, and allies.
• Committing to multiple joint-learning opportunities with DHS. Examples include but are not limited to Parent Partners, allies, and aides:
• Attending meetings, workgroups, and trainings within DHS offices to foster cultural change and build relationships.
• Assisting DHS in meetings, committees, task teams, presentations, conferences, etc., to incorporate parent perspective.
• Instilling the Community Partnerships’ four strategies and mission.

Parent Partners - Iowa was not designed with a child component.

Parent Partners - Iowa was designed with a parent/caregiver component that addresses the following presenting problems and symptoms:

• Having a child in the child welfare system; lack of information/education/awareness of the Public Agency (DHS); lack of communication skills especially with systems and involuntary services; and lack of basic self advocacy skills, including skills to prepare for meetings, court hearings, etc. that parents may be required to attend due to Juvenile Court and DHS involvement.

Parent Partners - Iowa was designed to be conducted in a group setting; but has not been tested for use in a group setting.

Recommended group size:

8-12 participants.

Recommended Intensity:

For the mentoring, or one-on-one piece of the program it is recommended that Parent Partners spend 1-2 hours per parent per week of face-to-face contact.

Recommended Duration:

The length of the program varies as much as the resources, needs, and identified concerns of the parent/family varies. It is recommended to receive at least 6 months of mentoring.

This program is typically conducted in a(n):

• Birth Family Home
• Departments of Social Service

This program does not include a homework component.

Parent Partners - Iowa does not have materials available in a language other than English.

The typical resources for implementing the program are:

• One FT Program Coordinator and FT/PT program assistant
• Space for Program Coordinator and any Parent Partners who will spend a significant time in the office
• Space for Parent Partners who choose to meet with clients in the office
• Space for monthly group meetings
• Mental Health Clinician to co-facilitate group clinical support to Parent Partners on a monthly basis
• Computer for coordinator and program assistant / ability to project
• Agency policies in place to employ, contract, or recruit volunteers with child abuse records and possible criminal history backgrounds
• Copier – paper – files (not only for files, but for group work)
• Large post-its & markers for training and meetings
• Trainers for supplemental trainings – training supplies such as food, toys for the tables (adult learners)
• Funding to support Parent Partners mentors without exploitation

For staff other than Parent Partners:

• Knowledge of Disease of Addiction, local recovery supports and of life-long recovery of Addiction
• Knowledge of Domestic Violence and local DV supports and resources
• Knowledge of Mental Health diagnoses and local resources/supports for Mental Health
• Clear understanding of State Agency's Child Protective Services and how other state agencies affect the target population
• Knowledge of Poverty and the affects of Poverty on parents and children, and the barriers to breaking the cycle of poverty (if generational)
• Understanding of adult learning styles how mental health, addiction, domestic violence, and poverty affects the work ethic/styles of parents who will be mentors
• Clear understanding of Family Team Decision Making philosophy and practice
• Excellent relationship and social skills
• Ability and willingness to partner with State Child Protective Agency and their contract employees
  
• Understanding of Juvenile Court procedures
• Some education in the Human Services/Social Work field - Bachelors Degree in Social Work is preferred
• Understanding of Logic Models and Outcomes achievable by implementing the Approach
• Excellent communication skills
• Willingness to learn from and be lead by Parent Partners
  

For Parent Partners:

• Parents who have previous involvement / life experience with Department of Human Services' Child Protective Services and have had their children removed from their home

There is a manual that describes how to implement this program, and there is training available for this program.

Training Contacts:

• Dave Loy, Director
  Partnership for Safe Families
  dloy@psfcr.com
  phone: (319) 286-0773
• RaeAnn Barnhart, Program Coordinator and Master Trainer
  Partnership for Safe Families
  rbarnhart@psfcr.com
  phone: (319) 286-0773

Training is obtained:

The training is conducted in the locality where it will be implemented.

Number of days/hours:

3 days (21 hours).

This program has been reviewed and it was determined that this program lacks the type of published, peer-reviewed research that meets the CEBC criteria for a scientific rating of 1 – 5. Therefore, the program has been given the classification of "NR - Not able to be Rated." It was reviewed because it was identified by the topic expert as a program being used in the field, or it is being marketed and/or used in California with children receiving services from child welfare or related systems and their parents/caregivers. Some programs that are not rated may have published, peer-reviewed research that does not meet the above stated criteria or may have eligible studies that have not yet been published in the peer-reviewed literature. For more information on the "NR - Not able to be Rated" classification, please see the Scientific Rating Scale.

Child Welfare Outcomes: Not Specified

Currently, there are no published, peer-reviewed research studies for Parent Partners - Iowa.

No reference materials are currently available for Parent Partners - Iowa.