The information in this program outline is provided by the program representative and edited by the CEBC staff. The Partnering for Safety and Permanence - Model Approach to Partnerships in Parenting (PS-MAPP) program has been reviewed by the CEBC in the areas of: Placement Stabilization and Resource Parent Recruitment and Training, but lacks the necessary research evidence to be given a Scientific Rating.

• Types of Maltreatment: Physical Abuse, Sexual Abuse, Physical Neglect, Emotional Abuse, Exposure to Domestic Violence
• Target Population: Prospective foster and adoptive families in both public and private agencies.

PS-MAPP is a 30-hour preparation and selection program for prospective foster and adoptive parents. PS-MAPP was the first comprehensive preparation and selection program for foster and/or adoptive parents to be developed since the passage of the Adoption and Safe Families Act in 1997. PS-MAPP was created out of consultations with the National Foster Parent Association Board of Directors and out of years of experience with the MAPP (Model Approach to Partnerships in Parenting) family of programs.

Assessment and Development Tools of PS-MAPP:

Because PS-MAPP is both a preparation and selection program, it includes the following family and individual assessment and development tools. Descriptions of the PS-Mapp Family Profile, EcoMap, Family Map, and Strengths Approach-Strength/Needs Assessment tools are in the Homework section of this program entry. A description of the PS-MAPP components follows:

• PS-MAPP Meetings: The ten PS-MAPP meetings are designed to mutually prepare, assess, and make selection decisions with prospective resource families based upon the family's willingness, ability, and commitment to develop and use five core abilities. Each individual learns specific critical skills, which are practiced during the development process. The focus on skills building assures that preparation/selection workers can see the skills in action in order to document the skills in the home-study. More importantly, the preparation/selection workers are trained to provide developmental feedback to prospective resource parents, so that the parents can actually learn new skills or determine for themselves that they are unable or unwilling to perform the essential required skills.
• PS-MAPP Family Consultations: The PS-MAPP Family Consultations between the PS-MAPP Leader and members of the prospective resource family offer private time for the prospective foster family and PS-MAPP Leader to discuss strengths, progress and family needs and plan ways to meet identified needs.
• Professional Development Plan: The Professional Development Plan is a document, as well as a process, where a family opting to defer fostering and/or adopting can develop a plan for growth while becoming a resource family or child welfare advocate.
  
• Summary and Recommendation: Although this document summarizes the PS-MAPP process of a prospective resource family, it is also a development tool in that the family and the PS-MAPP Leader mutually negotiate its content. This document is designed to mutually create a summary of the family's behavioral strengths and needs at the completion of the PS-MAPP program and to clearly state next steps for professional development.

Partnering for Safety and Permanence - Model Approach to Partnerships in Parenting (PS-MAPP) was not designed with a child component.

Partnering for Safety and Permanence - Model Approach to Partnerships in Parenting (PS-MAPP) was not designed with a parent/caregiver component.

Partnering for Safety and Permanence - Model Approach to Partnerships in Parenting (PS-MAPP) was designed to be conducted in a group setting; but has not been tested for use in a group setting.

Recommended group size:

No more than 20 participants.

Recommended Intensity:

The program is optimally conducted in weekly 3-hour training meetings. Additionally, a minimum of two family consultations are conducted with each prospective family. Family consultations are generally conducted in 2 to 3 hours, depending upon the size and needs of the family, as well as state and local policies and regulations.

Recommended Duration:

During the 10 sequential weeks of the program, leaders have direct contact through group sessions and family consultations at least 12 times.

This program is typically conducted in a(n):

• Community Agency
• Community Daily Living Settings

Partnering for Safety and Permanence - Model Approach to Partnerships in Parenting (PS-MAPP) includes a homework component:

PS-MAPP Family Profile: Completed by the members of a prospective resource family, the PS-MAPP Family Profile describes and assesses the prospective family's strengths and needs in the family's own words.

Eco Map: The Eco Map, which was created by Ann Hartman, describes and assesses the family's sources and expenditures of energy. Each family completes an Eco Map. The Eco Map, also called a sociogram, which was created by Ann Hartman, is a visual assessment tool depicting the relationships between a family and its social network. As the name signifies, therapist and client together map out connections between the family and its ecological environment.

Family Map: The Family Map, which was created by John Williams, describes and assesses the family's boundary, power, and authority systems.

Strengths Approach - Strengths/Needs Assessments: The program utilizes the Strengths Approach to family assessment and development. The Strengths Approach helps the PS-MAPP Leader and the family to focus on strengths related to the critical skills required of foster parents and to frame problems or challenges, as professional development needs. Both PS-MAPP Leaders and prospective resource parents are responsible for assessing strengths and needs.

Partnering for Safety and Permanence - Model Approach to Partnerships in Parenting (PS-MAPP) does not have materials available in a language other than English.

The typical resources for implementing the program are:

• Room for up to 20 people sitting in a circle or U-shape
• Training requires: newsprints, newsprint stands, DVD player and monitor, as well as supplies outlined in the trainer and leader's guides.

Certification in the program.

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

Training Contact:

• Elizabeth Skidmore, MBA, Executive Vice President
  Kids Hope United/Child Welfare Institute
  dept.: Business and Leadership Development
  www.gocwi.org

Training is obtained:

Provided onsite.

Number of days/hours:

Eight 6-hour training days to certify leaders.

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

No reference materials are currently available for Partnering for Safety and Permanence - Model Approach to Partnerships in Parenting (PS-MAPP).