Children and Parents Together – Dual Generation Strategies

Presenters:K’Sandra EarleEarly Learning Neighborhood Collaborative and

Ann Kalass, Starfish Family Services

Moderator:Wendy Lewis Jackson, The Kresge Foundation

An Introduction to

Two-Generation Work at

Starfish Family Services

CMF Annual Conference

November 10, 2015

Roadmap

• Two Generation – the Basics

• Starfish - Who We Are

• Our Two Generation Journey

• Proof of Concept – It’s Working

• Challenges & Opportunities

3

Two-Generation – The Basics

4

Ascend Two-Generation Framework

Two-generation practitioners, policymakers, funders and

researchers act on the understanding that if you want to make

tomorrow better for children, you have to make it better for their

parents, and vice versa.

Starfish - Who We Are

• Based in Inkster,

Michigan

• Serve 10,000 families

and children annually

in metro-Detroit

– 2,000 children in 0-5

services daily

• Impact areas:

– Kindergarten readiness

– Healthy youth

– Empowered parents

– Supportive community

Values

Believe in the potential of

every individual

Respect the dignity of all

people

Caring & familial

Collaboration

Excellence

5

Our Two Generation Journey

Approach

20 years

Mission:

Strengthening families to create brighter futures for children

Strategy

5 years

Early Childhood Theory of Change:

Achieving school readiness outcomes for all Inkster children requires interventions at multiple levels -children, parents, caregivers, and community

Program Level

Looking ahead…

Strengthen programmatic approach and measurement

Clinical Programs (0-6 yrs)

(Child) Improved cognitive performance + (Adult) Decreased maternal

depression

Early Childhood

(Child) Meets developmental milestones + (Adult)

Improved parenting skills

6

Two Generation Continuum

7

Michigan

Preschool

Program

(GSRP)

Early

Learning

Community

Head Start

(one of

the

original

Two-Gen

platforms)

Community

Finance

Center

EPIC

(Empowering

Parents

Invested in

Children)

Two-

Gen!

*Partnering

with Parents

*Family

Success

Source: Ascend

Our Two Gen Strategy is Working!

8

Source: Child Observation Record

Non-Inkster

Inkster

93%

Kindergarten

- Ready!

Two Gen Challenges & Opportunities

• Challenges– Government funding and

programs largely targeted at

One Gen

– Fragmented services and

service systems within and

between organizations

– Outcome measurement &

reporting

• Complexity

• Information systems

fragmentation

– Limited evidence-based Two

Gen programs to replicate

• Opportunities– Provision of holistic and seamless

support to families

– Clarity of Two-Gen framework

– Linking services & systems

• Early Childhood + Mental Health

• Early Childhood + Higher Ed

• Early Childhood + Workforce

– National models of excellence for

benchmarking

– Philanthropy critical to help

strategies and programs move to

Two Gen / Family Focus

9

THANK YOU!

10

Empowering Parents Impacting Children

(EPIC Model)

Resilient Communities. Great Opportunities for All.

43rd Annual Conference

November 10, 2015

The Early Learning Neighborhood

Collaborative was created to provide targeted

neighborhood collaborative partners with

technical, developmental and educational

support, in order to increase the accessibility

of early educational resources for vulnerable

children.

EARLY LEARNING NEIGHBORHOOD COLLABORATIVE

BAXTER COMMUNITY

CENTER

HISPANIC CENTER OF WESTERN

MICHIGAN

NEW HOPE BAPTIST

CHURCH

SOUTH END COMMUNITY OUTREACH MINISTRIES

STEEPLETOWN NEIGHBORHOO

D SERVICES

THE OTHER WAY MINISTRIES

UNITED METHODIST

COMMUNITY HOUSE

COLLABORATIVE PARTNERS

Empowering Parents Impacting Children

(EPIC Model)

Resilient Communities. Great Opportunities for All.

43rd Annual Conference

November 10, 2015

THE MODEL

CORE STRATEGY

To provide support, through the services of a Family

Coach, to families as they identify and address barriers

preventing them from meeting their basic needs and

developing a Family Centered Social Capital building

plan, relying heavily on existing community resources.

ROLE OF EPIC FAMILY COACH

FAMILY COACH

Engage and build trust

ASSESSMENT

PLANNING

REFERRAL AND LINKAGE

MONITORING AND

COORDINATION

COACHING

According to the International Coach Federation:

Partnership with clients in a thought-provoking and creative

process

Inspiration to maximize personal and professional potential

A powerful alliance designed to forward and enhance the

lifelong process of learning, effectiveness, and fulfillment

THE PROCESS

TRACKING, TRACKING AND MORE

TRACKING

FAMILY BASIC NEEDS ASSESSMENT

FAMILY CENTERED BASIC NEEDS PLAN

FAMILY CENTERED BASIC NEEDS PLAN MONITORING

FAMILY SOCIAL CAPITAL INVENTORY

FAMILY CENTERED SOCIAL CAPITAL PLAN

FAMILY CENTERED SOCIAL CAPITAL PLAN MONITORING

FAMILY COACH MONTHLY REPORT TEMPLATE

Based on Feedback from

Steepletown Preschool…

classroom teachers were able to make better use of their time.

attendance increased and the number of tardy/absent students decreased.

parent engagement attendance and conference rates were reported at 100% in Lilac Room and 90% in the Sunflower Room).

80% of families that reported loss of income or difficulty with employment were able to find and maintain placement in a job or secure stable

income resources.

58.3% of reporting families received general support services and referrals to community resources that led to resolution of their specific housing issue.