1 / 17

Cynthia Vincent, Shaye Moffat, Marie-Pierre Paquet, & Robert Flynn

Asset-building and the Ontario Looking After Children (OnLAC) Project: Promoting resilient outcomes in young people in care. Cynthia Vincent, Shaye Moffat, Marie-Pierre Paquet, & Robert Flynn Centre for Research on Educational & Community Services University of Ottawa ( cvincent@uottawa.ca ).

cynara
Download Presentation

Cynthia Vincent, Shaye Moffat, Marie-Pierre Paquet, & Robert Flynn

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript

  1. Asset-building and the Ontario Looking After Children (OnLAC) Project:Promoting resilient outcomes in young people in care Cynthia Vincent, Shaye Moffat, Marie-Pierre Paquet, & Robert Flynn Centre for Research on Educational & Community Services University of Ottawa (cvincent@uottawa.ca)

  2. OUTLINE • Background • Developmental Assets • OnLAC Project • The present OnLAC study • Method • Results • Implications for practice • Discussion with audience

  3. DEVELOPMENTAL ASSETS • Search Institute (www.search-institute.org) • 40 Developmental Assets • Developed from “the best lessons from prevention, risk reduction, and resiliency research” (Scales, 1999, p. 113) • Adapted for AAR-C2

  4. External Assets: Support Empowerment Boundaries and expectations Constructive use of time Internal Assets: Commitment to learning Positive values Social competencies Positive identity DEVELOPMENTAL ASSETS External assets + Internal Assets = Protectionand/or resilient strategies

  5. The Ontario Looking After Children Project (OnLAC) • Longitudinal study • Mandated in all 53 local CAS’s since 2006 • Goal: • to improve the quality of out-of-home care • to promote positive parenting to improve outcomes • Strengths-based • Supported by resiliency research • Outcome focused

  6. OnLAC Project • LAC developed in the UK in 1987 • Adapted for use in Canada (Flynn, Ghazal, & Legault, 2006) • OnLAC + SAFE + PRIDE = Ontario Practice Model • Uses the Second Canadian Adaptation of the Assessment and Action Record (AAR-C2) • (website www.oarty.org/.../documents/1172502643-SAFE_PRIDE_OnLAC_Ontario_Practice_Model_ Description_May_29_2006.pdf)

  7. METHOD • Participants: (N = 713, in OnLAC yr 5) • 10 - 17 years old • 56% male, 44% female • Mean age 14 years • 85% in foster care (including kinship care) • 15% in group homes • 87% Crown wards

  8. METHOD (continued) • Measures from OnLAC AAR-C2 (and sources): • Assets profile (CWW) • SDQ (caregiver) • Self-esteem (young person in care) • Relationship with female caregiver (young person) • Placement satisfaction (young person) • Academic achievement (caregiver) • Adverse life experiences since birth (young person)

  9. RESULTSPercentage of sample with varying levels of developmental assets (N = 713)

  10. RESULTSMean number of developmental assets,by gender 28.6 26.0 GENDER

  11. RESULTS • significant + positive correlations: • Assets + SDQ • Assets + Self-esteem • Assets + Relationship with female caregiver • Assets + Placement satisfaction • Assets + Academic achievement • Assets + Adverse life experiences

  12. RESULTSNet association (Betas) of predictors with SDQ Total Prosocial Score (N = 636)

  13. RESULTSNet association (Betas) of predictors with SDQ Total Difficulties score (N = 636)

  14. DISCUSSION • Present study consistent with research: • Females = slightly higher assets (mean of 29 assets) • Males (mean of 26 assets) • More assets = better mental health + more prosocial behaviour + academic achievement • Assets offset risks • 31 assets = maximum protection • Asset-building + risk reduction = especially effective

  15. IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE • Intervention strategies to offset risk factors: • Resources to support academic achievement • Enhance positive relationships and social networks • Enable opportunities to participate in extracurricular activities and community involvement • Encourage positive self-esteem and self-identity

  16. IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE • Home + school + community working together for maximum Asset-building • Service interventions: • Reduce risk • Build on the strengths of children and youth • Nurture the acquisition of developmental assets = positive outcomes in physical and mental health, academic achievement and overall well-being

  17. REFERENCES • Flynn, R. J., Ghazal, H., Legault, L. (2004). Looking After Children: Good Parenting, Good Outcomes, Assessment and Action Records. (Second Canadian adaptation, AAR-C2). Ottawa, ON, & London, UK: Centre for Research on community Services, University of Ottawa & Her Majesty’s Stationary Office (HMSO). • Masten, A. (2006). Promoting Resilience in development: A general framework for systems of care. In R. J. Flynn, P. M. Dudding & J. G. Barber (Eds.). Promoting resilience in child welfare (pp. 3-17). Ottawa: University of Ottawa Press. • Scales, P. C. (1999). Reducing risks and building developmental assets: Essential actions for promoting adolescent health. Journal of School Health. 69, 113-119. • Scales, P. C., Benson, P. L., Leffert, N., & Blyth, D. A. (2000). Contribution of developmental assets to the prediction of thriving among adolescents. Applied Developmental Science. 4, (1), 27-46.

More Related