Skip to content

Parent Partner Programs for Families Involved in the Child Welfare System

Scientific Ratings in this Topic
  • 1 Well-Supported by Research Evidence
  • 2 Supported by Research Evidence
  • 3 Promising Research Evidence
  • 4 Evidence Fails to Demonstrate Effect
  • 5 Concerning Practice
  • NR Not able to be Rated

Topic Areas

Topic Areas

Definition

Parent Partner Programs for Families Involved in the Child Welfare System are defined by the CEBC as programs that include parents with experience in the child welfare system (who may be called veterans, alumni, or other similar titles) as mentors, advocates, and/or peer support to parents currently involved with the child welfare system. The goals of parent partner programs may vary, but are typically to engage parents more fully in the child welfare case planning and services process; provide information to parents about the child welfare system and their right and responsibilities; and provide support, modeling, and linkages to assist families in meeting their safety, permanency, and well-being goals.

Although not a part of formal parent partner programs as defined above, parents may also partner with the child welfare system by being advisory members to child welfare system committees and providing a parent's perspective on programmatic and policy development.

  • Target population: Parents involved with the child welfare system
  • Services/types that fit: Typically outpatient services in an individual or group format that include assessment, case planning, case management, education, and/or skill building
  • Delivered by: Trained paraprofessionals
  • In order to be included: Program must utilize parents with experience in the child welfare system as the primary delivery agent for services
  • In order to be rated: There must be research evidence (as specified by the Scientific Rating Scale) that examines outcomes for families, such as decreased occurrence of maltreatment, reduced out-of-home placement, increased engagement in services, or improvements in knowledge and satisfaction

Definition

Parent Partner Programs for Families Involved in the Child Welfare System are defined by the CEBC as programs that include parents with experience in the child welfare system (who may be called veterans, alumni, or other similar titles) as mentors, advocates, and/or peer support to parents currently involved with the child welfare system. The goals of parent partner programs may vary, but are typically to engage parents more fully in the child welfare case planning and services process; provide information to parents about the child welfare system and their right and responsibilities; and provide support, modeling, and linkages to assist families in meeting their safety, permanency, and well-being goals.

Although not a part of formal parent partner programs as defined above, parents may also partner with the child welfare system by being advisory members to child welfare system committees and providing a parent's perspective on programmatic and policy development.

  • Target population: Parents involved with the child welfare system
  • Services/types that fit: Typically outpatient services in an individual or group format that include assessment, case planning, case management, education, and/or skill building
  • Delivered by: Trained paraprofessionals
  • In order to be included: Program must utilize parents with experience in the child welfare system as the primary delivery agent for services
  • In order to be rated: There must be research evidence (as specified by the Scientific Rating Scale) that examines outcomes for families, such as decreased occurrence of maltreatment, reduced out-of-home placement, increased engagement in services, or improvements in knowledge and satisfaction

Why was this topic chosen by the Advisory Committee?

The Parent Partner Programs for Families Involved in the Child Welfare System topic area is relevant to child welfare because the child welfare field has embraced the value of including recipients of child welfare services as an effective strategy for meeting new clients "where they are," and having these individuals provide guidance to parents as parent partners. Parent partners are individuals who have successfully overcome the challenges that brought them to the attention of Child Welfare Services. It is believed that because of their experiences in successfully navigating the child welfare system, they are able to provide positive motivation to other parents who have had their children removed due to parental abuse or neglect, or have had the possibility of them being removed. The child welfare field has also followed other fields, such as mental health and AOD, where parents' input on policy/ program development and staff training has been effective in helping to achieve agency goals.

Because Parent Partner Programs for Families Involved in the Child Welfare System have been expanding throughout California, it is important to determine whether there is evidence of their effectiveness. By reviewing current research on this practice, it is hoped that there are programs being supported by research, and that by including this on the CEBC, future research will be encouraged.

Danna Fabella
Director, Federal Linkages
Child & Family Policy Institute of California
Sacramento, CA

Why was this topic chosen by the Advisory Committee?

The Parent Partner Programs for Families Involved in the Child Welfare System topic area is relevant to child welfare because the child welfare field has embraced the value of including recipients of child welfare services as an effective strategy for meeting new clients "where they are," and having these individuals provide guidance to parents as parent partners. Parent partners are individuals who have successfully overcome the challenges that brought them to the attention of Child Welfare Services. It is believed that because of their experiences in successfully navigating the child welfare system, they are able to provide positive motivation to other parents who have had their children removed due to parental abuse or neglect, or have had the possibility of them being removed. The child welfare field has also followed other fields, such as mental health and AOD, where parents' input on policy/ program development and staff training has been effective in helping to achieve agency goals.

Because Parent Partner Programs for Families Involved in the Child Welfare System have been expanding throughout California, it is important to determine whether there is evidence of their effectiveness. By reviewing current research on this practice, it is hoped that there are programs being supported by research, and that by including this on the CEBC, future research will be encouraged.

Danna Fabella
Director, Federal Linkages
Child & Family Policy Institute of California
Sacramento, CA

Topic Expert

The Parent Partner Programs for Families Involved in the Child Welfare System topic area was added in 2010. Kimberly Hoagwood, PhD was the topic expert and was involved in identifying and rating any of the programs with an original load date in 2010 (as found on the bottom of the program's page on the CEBC) or others loaded earlier and added to this topic area when it launched. The topic area has grown over the years and any programs added since 2010 were identified by CEBC staff, the Scientific Panel, and/or the Advisory Committee. For these programs, Dr. Hoagwood was not involved in identifying or rating them.

Topic Expert

The Parent Partner Programs for Families Involved in the Child Welfare System topic area was added in 2010. Kimberly Hoagwood, PhD was the topic expert and was involved in identifying and rating any of the programs with an original load date in 2010 (as found on the bottom of the program's page on the CEBC) or others loaded earlier and added to this topic area when it launched. The topic area has grown over the years and any programs added since 2010 were identified by CEBC staff, the Scientific Panel, and/or the Advisory Committee. For these programs, Dr. Hoagwood was not involved in identifying or rating them.

Programs

Iowa Parent Partner Approach

Iowa Parent Partner Approach is an approach designed to provide better outcomes around re-abuse and reunification. The Iowa Parent Partner Approach celebrates parents who have been in the child welfare system and achieved reunification or resolved issues around termination of parental rights as individuals that have overcome obstacles through change, recovery, and accountability. This approach utilizes their skills, once they are trained as Parent Partners, to mentor families whose children are in foster or kinship care as they navigate through the Department of Human Services (DHS) system. Parent Partners, who are independent contractors of Children & Families of Iowa, receive training on a variety of topics including Domestic Violence, Mandatory Reporting, Boundaries and Safety Issues, Building a Better Future, Substance Abuse, DHS 101, Mental Health Overview, and Confidentiality and Cultural Competency. Once trained, they provide one-on-one mentoring by providing advice, support, and encouragement to families whose children are currently involved with DHS in efforts to enhance their capacity to provide for and guide their children's healthy development. Parent Partners meet with families face-to-face as well as contact by phone. Parent Partners offer to be present as a support at Family Team Decision Making Meetings, staffings, and court appearances. All activities and contacts the Parent Partner has with the family are documented on a monthly activity form.

Parent Partners receive oversight by local Coordinators to discuss ongoing issues and case concerns. Coordinators also offer growth opportunities in professional interaction skills, as this may be a Parent Partner's first professional role. Mental health support sessions are provided to Parent Partners by a licensed master's-level clinician skilled in trauma/attachment and substance abuse. These support sessions are utilized to discuss issues and challenges that result from mentoring parents with similar mental health problems and recovery triggers.

Scientific Rating 3

Parents Anonymous®

Parents Anonymous® is designed to be both a prevention and treatment program that strengthens families that are at risk of becoming (or already are) involved in the child welfare system, have behavioral health challenges, substance use disorders or face other family issues. It is open to any parent or caregiver in a parenting role who is seeking emotional support, personal growth and change, and to improve parent, child and youth well-being regardless of the age or special challenges of their children or youth including severe emotional concerns. Services include weekly support groups, peer parent partner services (such as advocacy, kinship navigator services, in-home parenting, and supportive services including linkages to community resources), and helpline services. The Parents Anonymous® program aims to mitigate the impact of Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) for parents/caregivers and prevent the occurrence of ACEs for their children and teens. The program also aims to build on the strengths of all family members and enhance family well-being by increasing protective factors through trauma-informed practices and decreasing risks, substance abuse, and domestic violence.

Scientific Rating 3

Circle of Parents®

Circle of Parents is a mutual self-help support group model that is designed to prevent child abuse and neglect and strengthen families. Weekly Circle of Parents support group meetings are attended by parents who want to exchange ideas, share information, develop and practice new parenting skills, learn about community resources, and give and receive support. This may include biological parents, adoptive parents, foster parents, grandparents, kinship caregivers, etc. Circle of Parents groups are:

  • Parent-led with the support of a trained group facilitator
  • Conducted in a confidential and nonjudgmental manner
  • Free of charge
  • Held concurrently with developmentally appropriate children's programs or child care

Developing leadership on the individual, family, community, and societal levels, as desired by parent participants, is a cornerstone of the Circle of Parents model. Circle of Parents groups can also be used with specific groups such as fathers, parents of children with disabilities, parents with disabilities, immigrant and refugee families, incarcerated parents, teen parents, parents in substance addiction recovery, and other parenting challenges. While the Circle of Parents Model Training includes the same basic information, each Program Director ensures that there is additional information/knowledge available to the group's staff to successfully support the group's specialty area.

The Circle of Parents model also includes a Children's Circle program. A structured Children's Program is highly recommended for children of ages birth to 12. If a local group is not able to provide a structured program, it is expected that some type of supervised childcare be provided.

Scientific Rating NR

Programs

Iowa Parent Partner Approach

Iowa Parent Partner Approach is an approach designed to provide better outcomes around re-abuse and reunification. The Iowa Parent Partner Approach celebrates parents who have been in the child welfare system and achieved reunification or resolved issues around termination of parental rights as individuals that have overcome obstacles through change, recovery, and accountability. This approach utilizes their skills, once they are trained as Parent Partners, to mentor families whose children are in foster or kinship care as they navigate through the Department of Human Services (DHS) system. Parent Partners, who are independent contractors of Children & Families of Iowa, receive training on a variety of topics including Domestic Violence, Mandatory Reporting, Boundaries and Safety Issues, Building a Better Future, Substance Abuse, DHS 101, Mental Health Overview, and Confidentiality and Cultural Competency. Once trained, they provide one-on-one mentoring by providing advice, support, and encouragement to families whose children are currently involved with DHS in efforts to enhance their capacity to provide for and guide their children's healthy development. Parent Partners meet with families face-to-face as well as contact by phone. Parent Partners offer to be present as a support at Family Team Decision Making Meetings, staffings, and court appearances. All activities and contacts the Parent Partner has with the family are documented on a monthly activity form.

Parent Partners receive oversight by local Coordinators to discuss ongoing issues and case concerns. Coordinators also offer growth opportunities in professional interaction skills, as this may be a Parent Partner's first professional role. Mental health support sessions are provided to Parent Partners by a licensed master's-level clinician skilled in trauma/attachment and substance abuse. These support sessions are utilized to discuss issues and challenges that result from mentoring parents with similar mental health problems and recovery triggers.

Scientific Rating 3

Parents Anonymous®

Parents Anonymous® is designed to be both a prevention and treatment program that strengthens families that are at risk of becoming (or already are) involved in the child welfare system, have behavioral health challenges, substance use disorders or face other family issues. It is open to any parent or caregiver in a parenting role who is seeking emotional support, personal growth and change, and to improve parent, child and youth well-being regardless of the age or special challenges of their children or youth including severe emotional concerns. Services include weekly support groups, peer parent partner services (such as advocacy, kinship navigator services, in-home parenting, and supportive services including linkages to community resources), and helpline services. The Parents Anonymous® program aims to mitigate the impact of Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) for parents/caregivers and prevent the occurrence of ACEs for their children and teens. The program also aims to build on the strengths of all family members and enhance family well-being by increasing protective factors through trauma-informed practices and decreasing risks, substance abuse, and domestic violence.

Scientific Rating 3

Circle of Parents®

Circle of Parents is a mutual self-help support group model that is designed to prevent child abuse and neglect and strengthen families. Weekly Circle of Parents support group meetings are attended by parents who want to exchange ideas, share information, develop and practice new parenting skills, learn about community resources, and give and receive support. This may include biological parents, adoptive parents, foster parents, grandparents, kinship caregivers, etc. Circle of Parents groups are:

  • Parent-led with the support of a trained group facilitator
  • Conducted in a confidential and nonjudgmental manner
  • Free of charge
  • Held concurrently with developmentally appropriate children's programs or child care

Developing leadership on the individual, family, community, and societal levels, as desired by parent participants, is a cornerstone of the Circle of Parents model. Circle of Parents groups can also be used with specific groups such as fathers, parents of children with disabilities, parents with disabilities, immigrant and refugee families, incarcerated parents, teen parents, parents in substance addiction recovery, and other parenting challenges. While the Circle of Parents Model Training includes the same basic information, each Program Director ensures that there is additional information/knowledge available to the group's staff to successfully support the group's specialty area.

The Circle of Parents model also includes a Children's Circle program. A structured Children's Program is highly recommended for children of ages birth to 12. If a local group is not able to provide a structured program, it is expected that some type of supervised childcare be provided.

Scientific Rating NR