FACILITATOR TOOLS FOR CHILD AND FAMILY TEAMING

Developed by Ellen Morrison – Training Consultant

Introductions: Shared Visioning Opening remarks from leadership –

Vision for Child Family Teaming (CFT) in Alameda County

Group Introductions – Ice Breaker &

Inquiry Introduce yourself Representing yourself and families

voice, what’s to be added to this vision for the CFT?

Introductions Training Process

1 day workshop Monthly follow-up booster sessions (Feb – June) to reinforce the model, answer practice questions & provide consultation

Community Agreements Collectively support time management -

attention signal Participate in small group activities. Your

table is your team for the day (ICC with experience in each group)

Track the wisdom and questions that comes from conversation in your groups

If there is tension in dialogue, do what you can to support mutual understanding

Share support of a cross-cultural lens

Training Purpose – How we get thereChildren, youth, families, professionals and community supports collaborate to address issues impacting families and support treatment and care planning. 

Intensive Care Coordinators are given a standard set of team facilitation skills to facilitate a consistent, high quality experience for all participants.

What Research Tells Us Works Teams embrace collaboration in shared

decision making All team members participate in the

development and implementation of the plan. The team meeting process is

standardized. A clearly defined purpose, goal and agenda for

each meeting; Agreed-upon decision-making process Identification of family strengths and needs A brainstorming and option-generating process Specific action steps to be carried out by team

membersCore Practice Model

Today’s Learning Objectives Learn facilitation skills that support full

participation, mutual understanding, inclusive solutions and shared responsibility.

Learn a structured approach for teams to do their best thinking and include the diverse needs, options, and opinions of the team in a plan of action

Understand how cultural humility practices are important to creating and maintaining a child, youth and family centered environment.

Participate in a learning forum where facilitation skills are both taught and modeled.

ICC Facilitator Activities

From Core Practice Model

Assessing Identify important persons to participate Identify needs and strengths and resources

Service Planning & Implementation Articulate the goals of the child/youth and

family, as well as those of the system partners

Develop a shared plan(s) to address risks and meet the needs of the child/youth and their family

ICC Facilitator Activities

From Core Practice Model

Monitoring and Adapting Routinely evaluate and refine the

intervention strategies plan Transitioning

Plan for the transition of formal services as goals are met and symptoms and problem behaviors are improved

Voices of Family Group Decision Making

Overview of (the rest of) TodayCultural HumilityFacilitative Listening SkillsTeam Decision Making Process

Lunch Meeting StructureAction PlanningApplication Core Practice Model

Tool #1:Cultural Humility

The Opportunity

“A justice oriented frame does not assume that a

professionally sanctioned plan is preferable to one created

by the family.”

From No Love Without Justice, Cindy L. Myers; Summer 2008 ACResolution

The Opportunity

“The fundamental premise of restorative practices is that people are happier, more cooperative and productive, and more likely to make positive changes when those in positions of authority do things with them, rather than to them or for them.”

-International Institute for Restorative Practices

Facilitator As Process Advocate

Trust the group Listen and respectfully inquire in order to

determine how to best meet team members where they are

Help the group listen and talk to each other while getting through their agenda in the time they have allotted

Intervene in the interest of making the meeting process work well within agreed upon goals

Ensure the plan is agreed to by everyone Be mindful of your languageAdapted From No Love Without Justice, Cindy L. Myers; Summer 2008

ACResolution

Equalize power differentials and mitigate inequities:

Adapted From No Love Without Justice, Cindy L. Myers; Summer 2008 ACResolution

Facilitator As Process Advocate

Types of Power

Personal (individual)

Collective (shared – power with)

Dominant (power over)

Power ScanConsider examples of possible power

imbalances? Position/professional differential Life experience; world view; beliefs and

values Impact of systemic oppression (e.g. gender,

race, age, ability) Language Literacy Right people are in the room Others?

Equalize power differentials and mitigate inequities:

Make power explicit Respect family’s expertise on their

own experience Make information accessible Make transparent facilitator process Share decision making

Adapted From No Love Without Justice, Cindy L. Myers; Summer 2008 ACResolution

Facilitator As Process Advocate

Know your own identity and ways you are bringing your identity, power and privilege to your facilitation.

Adapted From No Love Without Justice, Cindy L. Myers; Summer 2008 ACResolution

Facilitator As Process Advocate

Identity Exercise Religion Ethnicity Nationality Race Appearance Body structure Physical ability Sexual identity Class

Education Gender Age Primary Language Immigration Status Family of Origin Occupation Sexual Orientation …Other identities important to you

Pair with another person which ones are a bold part of your

identity? Ones you identify with strongly, think about frequently?

which ones are small print part of your identity? Ones you identify with less, don’t think about frequently?

How might this inquiry relate to your role as a facilitator?

Small Group Facilitation

Tool # 2:Facilitator Listening Skills

What would it look like to you to truly feel heard?

Facilitator Listening Skills

Expanding our capacity to listen to diverse perspectives

From Facilitators Guide to Participatory Decision Making; Kaner 2007

What are acceptable communication styles?

What are unacceptable communication styles?

Small Group Facilitation

Facilitator Listening Skills

Facilitative Listening Skills: tools for inclusive, organized and productive thinking and discussion

From Facilitators Guide to Participatory Decision Making; Kaner 2007

Divide skills across groups Each group review and assess application of assigned skills Report to the large group

Small Group Facilitation

Facilitator Listening Skills

Charting: being the groups memory; recording the voices of the group

From Facilitators Guide to Participatory Decision Making; Kaner 2007

Tool # 3:Decision Making Process

Participatory Decision Making

Dynamics of Group Decision Making

Struggle for Integration

ConvergentThinking

Divergent Thinking

From Facilitators Guide to Participatory Decision Making; Kaner 2007

Full Participation

Mutual Understanding

Inclusive Solutions

Shared Responsibility

Diverse Perspectives

Competing Frames of Reference

Shared Framework of Understanding

Inclusive Alternatives

SynthesisRefinement

Transparency

Barriers to Facilitator Principles

Full Participation – Self Censorship Mutual Understanding – Fixed Positions

Inclusive Solutions – Either/Or Thinking

Shared Responsibility – Reliance on Authority

Transparency – Loss of Trust in Group Process

From Facilitators Guide to Participatory Decision Making; Kaner 2007

Gathering Diverse Points of View

•Surveying the Territory – identify components of the problem•Searching for Alternatives – creative activities to list unusual, innovative ideas•Raising Difficult Issues – discuss troubling, often threatening, subjects

From Facilitators Guide to Participatory Decision Making; Kaner 2007

Building a Shared Framework of Understanding

•Creating Shared Context – activities that advance mutual understanding•Strengthening Relationships – activities that support people to get to know each other

From Facilitators Guide to Participatory Decision Making; Kaner 2007

Developing Inclusive Solutions

• Applying Inclusive Principles – identify and discuss principles that promote creative problem solving

• Creative Reframing – alter one’s belief about the nature of the problem at hand

• Strengthening Good Ideas –evaluate, refine, grow and strengthen basic idea

From Facilitators Guide to Participatory Decision Making; Kaner 2007

Decision Rule Tool

Gradients of Agreement Tool

Yes! Vetoabstain

minorcontention

reservations

more discussion

serious disagreement

Pair – ShareDescribe the decision making process to someone else

What Listening Skills might you choose for each section?

Small Group Facilitation

Tool # 4:Meeting Structure

Meeting Structure – Process Guide

1. Check-in – the circle2. Guidelines for participation – create

together3. Confidentiality statement 4. Hope Statement – family’s desired meeting

outcome5. Identification of family strengths &

challenges6. Safety Plan7. Identification of family needs – domains8. Task Review & Action Planning9. Closure - evaluation Core Practice Model

Guidelines for Participation - Sample

Adapted from Edgewood’s Family Conferencing Manual

Principles Practices

We work together All voices are heard

It’s okay to have different opinions Facilitator will encourage a variety of ideas

We don’t blame or put-down. We are searching for solutions.

Use respectful language and goal-focused discussion

Listening is as important as talking Try first to understand each other, and then to agree

Family focused/family driven. (This is the Family’s meeting)

Family is first and last to be heard.

Meeting Structure and Decision Making Process

From Facilitators Guide to Participatory Decision Making; Kaner 2007

Full Participation Mutual Understanding Inclusive Solutions Shared Responsibility Process Transparency

OPTION GENERATION

PRIORITIZING NEEDS

ACTION PLAN

-Developing Guidelines-Hope statement-Strengths & challenges

-Safety Planning-Needs Identification

-Task Review-Action Planning

Gathering Diverse Points of View: Option Generation

Creating Shared Framework: Prioritizing Needs

Developing Inclusive Solutions: Action Planning

Tool # 5:(creating the agreed

upon)Action Plan

Client Family Action PlanArea of Need: domains such as social, education, mental health, family, living situationTasks: Items must be measurable & include signs of success. Include referrals as appropriate Who: A member of the teamWhen: Specific and ReasonableRelevant MH Goal (if applicable): supportive of integrated plans

ICC Service Activities Overview1. Assessing – Pre-Meeting Work;

Needs/Strengths/Challenges; Resources Identification

2. Service Planning & Implementation – Action Plan

3. Monitoring and Adapting – Task Review

4. Transition – Action PlanCore Practice Model

Small Group Facilitation: ApplicationChoose or create a tension scenario/situation

Identify the tools guiding your facilitation

Facilitate discussion about how tools will support challenge and new identify strategies

Role Play

Close – Next Steps

Unanswered questionsDate of consultationsWrap Up - Circling back to the Shared Vision

Evaluation

Resources Tervalon, Melanie (1998). "Cultural

Humility versus Cultural Competence: A Critical Distinction in Defining Physician Training Outcomes in Multicultural Education". Journal of Health Care for the Poor and Undeserved 9 (2): 117–125.

No Love Without Justice, Cindy L. Myers; Summer 2008 ACResolution

Resources American Humane Association’s

National Center on Family Group Decision Making at http://www.fgdm.org

www.restorativepractices.org http://www.iirp.edu http://communityatwork.com/ Ellen Morrison:

ellenfmorrison@gmail.com