Presented by Ben Tanzer, Prevent Child Abuse America

June 2010

  It’s a cognitive failure - they don’t understand what their responsibility could be…

  Which is a communications failure - we haven’t successfully shown them what their responsibility could be.

  When communications is inadequate, people default to the “pictures in their heads.”

  When communications is effective, people can see an issue from a different perspective.

  Developing Community Connections: Qualitative Research Regarding Framing Policies (2003) A report of findings from focus groups designed to test the impact of four frames about child abuse and neglect: Child Abuse, Parenting, Child Development, and Community.

  Two Cognitive Obstacles to Preventing Child Abuse: The 'Other Mind' Mistake and the 'Family Bubble' (2003) A report on a series of cognitive interviews that identifies two common mistakes in thinking that the public makes about child abuse prevention, and recommendations on how to overcome them.

  How the News Frames Child Maltreatment: Unintended Consequences (2003) A report summarizing some of the major patterns in news coverage of child maltreatment – the key narratives, frames and causal stories that are conveyed to the public on the issue.

  Discipline and Development: A Meta-Analysis of Public Perceptions of Parents, Parenting, Child Development and Child Abuse (2003) A report reviewing PCA America’s research on child abuse, as well as existing, publicly available opinion research regarding parenting, child development, child abuse and discipline, and the political landscape for child abuse prevention policies.

  Breaking the Resistance: Creating a Movement for Prevention (2008) A report by Dig Communications looking at research results and analysis on Pinwheels for Prevention,

Prevent Child Abuse America’s signature campaign.   Framing Child Abuse and Neglect: Effects of Early Childhood Development Experimental

Research (2009) A report summarizing results from the latest iteration of FrameWorks experimental research focusing specifically on outcomes related to policies and programs associated with prevention and treatment of child abuse and neglect as well as additional policies associated with improving children’s healthy development, family assets, education and mental health.

( c ) FrameWorks Institute This presentation was developed for individual use and cannot be

represented, adapted or distributed without the express written permission of the FrameWorks Institute.

All images in this presentation are licensed for the purpose of this presentation only and may not be reproduced elsewhere.

www.frameworksinstitute.org

MessageFramingforChildAbuseandNeglectPrevention

Framing101

•  Ordermattersinframing:– Levelone‐bigideas(prosperity,ingenuity)– Leveltwo‐issuetypes(childabuse,health)– Levelthree‐specificpolicies/solutions(mentalhealthservices,respitecare,expansionofSCHIP)

•  Usecausalchainstoexplainthelinkbetweencauseandsolution‐don’tassumethepubliccanconnectthedots.

ElementsoftheFrame

•  Corestoryelements:

– Values– Issues– Metaphorsandmodels

– Solutions

FramingandCANInitialResearch

•  WeknowtherearethreeCANrelatedframesthepublicdivertstowhentheyhearaboutCAN– Horriblecriminalatrocity– FailureofCPS– Prevalenceofsexualpredatorsinourmidst

•  WeknowweneedtoavoidtheuseofCANstatisticsandnegativegraphicimagery

FramingandCAN:InitialResearch

• Wetendtostartatlevelthree•  Thepublicstruggleswiththe“familybubble”

•  Therearefourpotentialreframes– Familystrengthening– Prevention– Earlychilddevelopment– Community

Whatpeoplethink

– Parentsaresolelyresponsible/familyautonomy/thefamilybubble

– Safetyisthemainconcern–protectingkidsfromharmanddisease

– Ifkidsdon’tdowell,lackofparentaldisciplineisthereason

– Solution?Parenteducation,notpolicy

ReframingandtheCoreStoryofChildDevelopment

1.  Childdevelopmentisafoundationforcommunitydevelopmentandeconomicdevelopment,ascapablechildrenbecomehefoundationofaprosperousandsustainablesociety(Prosperity).

2.  Thebasicarchitectureofthebrainisconstructedthroughanongoingprocessthatbeginsbeforebirthandcontinuesintoadulthood(BrainArchitecture).

3.  Brainsarebuiltfromthebottomup(SkillBegetsSkill).

4.  InteractionofgenesandexperienceshapesthedevelopingbrainandrelationshipsaretheactiveingredientinthisServeandReturnprocess(ServeandReturn).

ReframingandtheCoreStoryofChildDevelopment

5.  Cognitive,emotional,andsocialcapacitiesareinextricablyintertwined,andlearning,behaviorandphysicalandmentalhealthareinter‐relatedoverthelifecourse(Can’tDoOneWithoutTheOther).

6.  Toxicstressdamagesthedevelopingbrainandleadstoproblemsinlearning,behavior,andincreasedsusceptibilitytophysicalandmentalillnessovertime(ToxicStress).

7.  Brainplasticityandtheabilitytochangebehaviordecreaseovertimeandgettingitrightearlyislesscostly,tosocietyandindividuals,thantryingtofixitlater(PayNoworPayLater).

TestedValues•  Prosperity:Aswelookforwaystokeepourcountryprosperous,weneed

tothinkoftheconnectionbetweenchilddevelopmentandeconomicdevelopment.

•  Ingenuity:Whenweinventandreplicatehighqualityprogramsforyoungchildren,wecansolveproblemsinearlychildhooddevelopmentandshownsignificantlong‐termimprovementsforchildren.

•  Stewardship/Reciprocity:Itisourresponsibilityasadultstostewardthenextgeneration.Thefutureofoursocietytomorrowdependstheopportunitiesweprovidekidstoday.

•  Responsiblemanager:Addressingproblemsbeforetheygetworseistheresponsiblewaytomanageoursociety’sfuture.Takingadvantageofopportunitiesthatariseasweunderstandsciencebetterallowsustoinnovate.

SimplifyingModels•  Brainarchitecture‐WHATdevelops

Theearlyyearsoflifematterbecauseearlyexperiencesaffectthearchitectureofthematuringbrain.

•  ServeandReturn‐HOWthatarchitecturegetsbuilt

Scientistsnowknowthattheinteractiveinfluencesofgenesandexperienceshapethedevelopingbrain.

•  TypesofStress‐theCONDITIONSthatcandisruptdevelopment

Scientistsnowknowthat“toxicstress”inearlychildhoodisassociatedwithsuchthingsasextremepoverty,abuse,orseverematernaldepressionanddamagesthedevelopingbrain.

The“What”

•  Theearlyyearsoflifematterbecauseearlyexperiencesaffectthearchitectureofthematuringbrain.Asitemerges,thequalityofthatarchitectureestablisheseitherasturdyorafragilefoundationforallofthedevelopmentandbehaviorthatfollows‐‐‐andgettingthingsrightthefirsttimeiseasierthantryingtofixthemlater.Wheninterpersonalexperiencesaredisruptive,neglectful,abusive,unstable,orotherwisestressful,theyincreasetheprobabilityofpooroutcomes.Whenayoungchildexperiencesexcessivestress,chemicalsarereleasedinthebrainthatdamageitsdevelopingarchitecture.

The“How”

•  Scientistsnowknowthattheinteractiveinfluencesofgenesandexperienceshapethedevelopingbrain.Theactiveingredientisthe“serveandreturn”relationshipswiththeirparentsandothercaregiversintheirfamilyorcommunity.Liketheprocessofserveandreturningamessuchastennisandvolleyball,youngchildrennaturallyreachoutforinteractionthroughbabblingandfacialexpressions.Ifadultsdonotrespondbygettinginsyncanddoingthesamekindofvocalizingandgesturingbackatthem,thechild’slearningprocessisincomplete.Thishasnegativeimplicationsforlaterlearning.

The“Conditions”

•  Scientistsnowknowthat“toxicstress”inearlychildhoodisassociatedwithsuchthingsasextremepoverty,abuse,orseverematernaldepressionanddamagesthedevelopingbrain.Itisimportanttodistinguishamongthreekindsofstress.Wedonotneedtoworryaboutpositivestress(whichisshort‐livedstress,likegettingimmunized).Tolerablestressismadetolerablebythepresenceofsupportiverelationships,likeastrongfamilywhenalovedonedies.Buttoxicstresslastslonger,lacksconsistentsupportiverelationshipsandleadstolifelongproblemsinlearning,behavior,andbothphysicalandmentalhealth.

Framing“Do’s”

–  Primethediscussionwithvalueslikestewardship,future,responsiblemanager

–  Usethelanguageofordinarypeople,speaklikeyoutypicallyspeaktoafriend

–  Talkaboutchildren’ssocialandemotionaldevelopmentaswell

–  Talkabouthowgettingpreventionrightearlyislesscostlytosociety,andtoindividuals,thantryingtofixthingslater

–  Talkaboutthesharedpleasuresofraisingchildren,foreveryone–  Positionpre‐school,orearlycare,asanopportunityforstimulation

thatallshouldhaveaccessto

–  Makecommunityactors,neighbors,policeofficers,teachers,etc.,visibleinchildren’sdevelopment

–  Whereverpossibleconnectchildrentothelargerenvironmentoutsidethehome,i.e.,school,church,temple,mosque,museums,libraries

Framing“Don’ts”

–  Begintheconversationwithschoolreadiness,brain,daycareordevelopment

–  Usethelanguageofexperts,e.g.,“multi‐track,ageappropriatedevelopmentcontexts

–  Focusonlyonobservablelearning,i.e.,testscores–  Useanextortionmodel:e.g.,Ifyoudon’tdoX,youthcrimewillgoup

downtheroad

–  Talkaboutparentsasincompetentorsuper‐competent

–  Makechildrearingsomethingyoumusthaveresourcesoreducationtodowell

–  Reinforcethefamily,safetyorindividualismframesverballyorvisually

  Elements of the core story   Talking points   FAQs   Sample editorial   Sample Letters to the Editor   Case studies

  Level of prior grassroots organizing   Kindling in small groups   Familiar members   A co-optable communications network   Capable leaders   Government facilitation

  Policymakers:   Define not just what the prevention of child abuse and

neglect is, but prevention itself and do so in simple language;

  Clearly delineate a policy agenda driven by policies focused on prevention;

  Articulate the impact of not preventing child abuse and neglect before it occurs, while simultaneously explaining the return on investment in doing so;

  Nurture champions; and   Show them the evidence, more and more research is

supporting that prevention works.

  Partners   Provide them with evidence about what we know works in terms of

messaging and strategy and then provide the tools to implement these things;

  Develop leaders, all collaborative efforts require leadership;   Offer guidance and support in the areas our partners are still

building their thinking and presence;   Determine the overarching values and story of prevention that we

can all implement in a consistent fashion;   Start small, and then stop assuming we know who our partners

are; and   Learn from the experiences of our partners in implementing similar

efforts.

  General public   Tell a new story, and define the problem, define

prevention and define the prevention of child abuse and neglect;

  Meet them where they’re at;   Start narrowly, activate messengers and expand;   Articulate the return on investment;   Build on their existing networks and help them

grow them; and   Let them know what they can do.

Ben Tanzer Senior Director of Strategic Communications

Prevent Child Abuse America btanzer@preventchildabuse.org

www.preventchildabuse.org http://preventchildabuseamerica.blogspot.com/