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  • CAB Connection - April 2022
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April Is National Child Abuse Prevention Month. This month and throughout the year, the CASA and ICFCRB volunteers of the Iowa Child Advocacy Board (ICAB) devote their time, resources and heart to the safety and well-being of children. They take on the difficult challenge to insert themselves into the lives of families in crisis and bravely take a stand for what is in the child ‘s best interests. They offer support to the child welfare system which provide the resources and help to identify long term connections for the child and family. And our volunteers support families in need with their compassion and understanding as they live out the reality of state intervention. We want to thank each volunteer for all they do on behalf of the children and families they serve.  They are the true testament of “Less Me, More We!”


FCRB

Dubuque County FCRB Spotlight
By Dawn Goerdt, Coordinator

The Foster Care Review Board has been active in Dubuque County since 1997.  The current Dubuque board is made up of six active members who have a combined 68 years FCRB experience serving the children in Dubuque County, with the shortest term being just short of 4 years.  The Dubuque FCRB navigated the challenges of virtual board meetings in compliance with Covid-19 guidelines in 2020 while still ensuring safety and permanency for youth, and spent 2021 rising to the challenges presented by the ever changing landscape of the child welfare world. Current members are: Marcia Young (1997), Barb Featherston and Kathy Stangeland (2010), Mary Jo O’Connell (2011), Jennifer Chambers and Danny Schomen (2018).  ICAB wishes to extend a huge THANK YOU and warm wishes to board member Marvin Ney, who retired from the board in October after serving since 2016 and to Dubuque Chairperson Joe Tollari, who retired in February after serving since 2007.   At this time, the Dubuque County FCRB is accepting applications to fill the vacancy on the board and applications can be submitted at https://childadvocacy.iowa.gov/fcrb.


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NCAPM

Press Release

March 14, 2022 

Contact: Crystal Engstrom, CASA Program Coordinator, 515-824-6001 

North Iowa CASA Welcomes Three New Advocates 

The North Iowa Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) program is pleased to welcome  three new volunteer advocates: Lisa Davis, Brett Heimbuch, and Jodi Hardy, all of Mason City. They were sworn in earlier this month by the Honorable Judge Adam Sauer. As CASA volunteers, they will advocate for children who have been abused and neglected in Cerro Gordo,  Floyd and surrounding counties. They will provide a consistent presence the lives of children involved in the child welfare system and advocate for healthy family connections.  

North Iowa CASA Program Coordinator Crystal Engstrom stated that the need for advocates is  greater now than ever and encouraged individuals who may be interested to reach out for more information. “Our volunteer training process is educational and flexible, and we’re pleased to  

offer both in-person and virtual training options.” According to Engstrom, volunteers must be at  least 21 years old, have some flexibility in their schedules and pass background checks. For  more information, call 515-824-6001, email crystal.engstrom@dia.iowa.gov, or visit  https://childadvocacy.iowa.gov for a volunteer application.

New CASAs

Photo:  Lisa Davis (left), Brett Heimbuch, Judge Adam Sauer, Jodi Hardy (right)


Hands

Welcome to Our New Volunteers!

Angela Andrews, CASA Gabrielle Andrews, CASA Michelle Ashline, CASA
Ryan Avis, CASA Lisa Cunningham, CASA Lisa Davis, CASA
Jennifer Delfs, CASA Megan Gleaves, CASA Jodi Hardy, CASA
Brett Heimbuch, CASA Camsley Hovey, CASA Kathy Hunley, CASA
Harleen Kaur, FCRB Elizabeth McDanel, CASA Veronica McEvoy, CASA
Brooklyn McMurray, CASA Katie Miller, CASA Melanie Miller, CASA
Rosalynn Patterson, CASA Chad Plowman, CASA Ellie-Michael Shane, CASA
Jessica Stout, CASA Betty Taylor, CASA Blake Tice-Taylor, CASA
Megan Volentine, CASA Jane Weathers, CASA Jennifer Weidemann, CASA
Rebecca Weilage, CASA Cassie Winkel, CASA Aimee Winter, CASA

 


Image

Among the most accomplished and fabled tribes of Africa, no tribe was considered to have warriors more fearsome or more intelligent than the mighty Masai. It is perhaps surprising then to learn that the traditional greeting between the Masai warriors...

Kasserian ingera means...And how are the children?

It is still the traditional greeting among the Masai, acknowledging the high value that the Masai always place on their children’s well-being. Even warriors with no children of their own would always give the traditional response...All the children are well. Meaning, of course, that peace and safety prevail, that priorities of protecting the young and powerless are in place, that Masai society has not forgotten its reason for being, its proper functions and responsibilities. All the children are well means that life is good. It means that the daily struggles of existence, even among poor people, do not preclude proper caring for its young people.

I wonder how it might affect our consciousness of our own children’s welfare if in our culture we took to greeting each other with this same daily question...And how are the children? I wonder if we heard that question and passed it along to each other a dozen times a day, if it would begin to make a difference in the reality of how children are thought of or cared for in the country?

I wonder if every adult among us, parent and nonparent alike, felt an equal weight for the daily care and protection of all the children in our town, in our state, in our country. I wonder if we could truly say without any hesitation...the children are well, yes, all the children are well.

Used with permission: (I'm happy to see my words used by children's advocates and teachers anywhere. You have my permission to quote me. Blessings on your good work. Rev. Dr. Patrick T. O'Neill, Minister Emeritus First Parish Framingham, MA, 6/22/17)


Miles and Hours

Trainer's Corner

For FCRB Members & CASA Advocates:

April

Following Dr. Kempe’s 1962 publication of the blockbuster article, The Battered Child Syndrome, the 1960’s ushered in a decade of increased public awareness on the issue of child abuse. Medical professionals, the media, professional research and writings on child abuse captured the public’s attention and cry for justice. This generated increased emphasis on Congress to put into place new protection services for children and their needs for safety.

“The true character of a society is revealed in how it treats its children.” 

- Nelson Mandela

The first Federal child protection legislation, the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act (CAPTA), was passed in 1974 to meet the need to further define and outline how states will ensure the safety and welfare of children. While CAPTA has been amended many times over the years the purpose of the original legislation remains intact.  Since that time, other federal laws have been enacted to protect children and help families thrive and remain together if the child’s safety and wellbeing can be assured.

People

To find Iowa specific data on the numbers of abused and neglected children go to: https://dhs.iowa.gov/reports/child-abuse-statistics. To read more how Iowa children fare in multiple areas of well-being, go to:  Annie E. Casey Foundation 2021 Kids Count Data Book. 

One strategy to reduce or prevent child abuse and neglect is based on a body of research which has identified factors known to prevent and reduce child abuse and neglect. These factors—including parental resilience, nurturing and attachment, social connections, knowledge about parenting and child development, social and emotional competence of children, and concrete supports for parents— are protective and promotive factors improving lives, families, and our communities.

"A protective factors approach to the prevention of child maltreatment focuses on positive ways to engage families by emphasizing their strengths and what parents and caregivers are doing well. "

Click here to access:2021/2022 Prevention Resource Guide

What can Advocates and Board Members do within the scope of their individual role?  Every volunteer for the Iowa Child Advocacy Board can become more aware of the signs of abuse and neglect to be better equipped to advocate for intervention if it is occurring. To address known abuse or neglect within each program, volunteers advocate via recommendations to the court for services, programs, or exploration of creative avenues to build upon the protective and promotive factors of individuals and families. In essence, it’s advocating for resilience by calling attention to those protective and promotive factors that might be enhanced or put into place. 

Negative

The Center for the Developing Child at Harvard University distinctively explains that to understand the development of resilience one only needs to visualize a seesaw or balance scale.  “Protective experiences and coping skills on one side counterbalance significant adversity on the other.  Resilience is evident when a child’s health and development tips toward positive outcomes-even when a heavy load of factors is stacked on the negative outcome side.

Strong

The single most common factor for children who develop resilience is at least one stable and committed relationship with a supportive parent, caregiver, or other adult. These relationships provide the personalized responsiveness, scaffolding, and protection that buffer children from developmental disruption. They also build key capacities—such as the ability to plan, monitor, and regulate behavior—that enable children to respond adaptively to adversity and thrive. This combination of supportive relationships, adaptive skill-building, and positive experiences is the foundation of resilience.

To learn more and watch accompanying videos visit and explore:  https://developingchild.harvard.edu/science/key-concepts/resilience/

Some of the most effective and useful recommendations that a CASA Advocate or FCRB Member can make will include both veins of recommendations: Those that help build the child’s resilience, and those that improve the protective factors of the parents and family so that the family continues on without the need for protective services in place.

Boy

On a more individualized level, engaging with a caregiver in a personalized conversation about the protective factor can be a strength-based strategy for making a direct impact on reducing or preventing child abuse and neglect. A helpful resource rooted in protective factors research and the Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) approach that was developed with a broad-based partnership of national organizations, federal partners, and persons with lived experience is shared below.  After a brief introduction about one of the protective factors, caregivers can be encouraged to fill in the accompanied worksheet and relate the protective factor to their family's unique circumstances and goals.  As positive change in behaviors occurs and shared through these conversations, that information can be provided in reports as tangible examples of protective and promotive factors in the family. 

On a more individualized level, engaging with a caregiver in a personalized conversation about the protective factor can be a strength-based strategy for making a direct impact on reducing or preventing child abuse and neglect. A helpful resource rooted in protective factors research and the Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) approach that was developed with a broad-based partnership of national organizations, federal partners, and persons with lived experience. After a brief introduction about one of the protective factors, caregivers can be encouraged to fill in the accompanied worksheet and relate the protective factor to their family's unique circumstances and goals.  As positive change in behaviors occurs and shared through these conversations, that information can be provided in reports as tangible examples of protective and promotive factors in the family.

Continuing

Additional Resources:

The 2022 ICAB Speaker Series

In January 2022, the Iowa Child Advocacy Board State Office started offering a year-long speaker series to support your continuous learning journey within our organization and your advocacy efforts as a CASA or FCRB volunteer.

Join us as we gather together in these upcoming learning sessions!

Parent Partner Program Children and Families of Iowa Statewide Parent Partner Director, Sara Persons will present on April 14th Noon to 1 pm alongside a trained Parent Partner. As this session will be recorded, please only register to attend the live session. Click here to register!

Kinship Navigator Program Sara Buis, DHS Family Centered Services Program Manager will present on the Kinship Navigator Program across Iowa on April 28th from Noon to 1pm.  Learn about this resource available to families! As this session will be recorded, please only register to attend the live session. Click here to register!

Question

If you have questions, please contact the State Trainer at lesa.christianson@dia.iowa.gov.