Yi-Fen Tseng, Ph.D., L.S.W. Assistant Professor

1. Mandated intervention for parents involved in the child welfare system: Personal failure, lack of education, or both? Yi-Fen Tseng, Ph.D., L.S.W. Assistant Professor National Pingtung University of Science and Technology 10, 31, 2013

2. Presenter's Practice Experience • Primary investigator of the “Mandated Parent-child Education Services Program” contracted with Pingtung County • External supervisor of Children’s Home, At-risk Youth Program, Early Intervention Center, and Single-Mother and their dependent children’s Housing Services • Social worker of women’s welfare, Taipei City Government, Taipei, Taiwan • Executive Secretary, Taipei Association for the Promotion of Women’s Rights

3. Outline Background Legislation Subjects Working models Challenges Recommendation

4. Location of Taiwan • The nearest political neighbor • China to the west • Korea to the north • Japan to the northeast • Philippines to the south • Pintung is the most southern county of Taiwan

5. Characteristics of Pingtung County • A total of 33 city and townships • geographically long and narrow with one island region • ethical variety: Hakka, Taiwanese, aborigine, mainlanders, and new immigrants • Among 22 counties • Emigrants: top 5 • Inter-racial marriages: ranked 8th • Percentage of population older than 65 years old: ranked 8th

6. Background of child abuse and neglect in Taiwan Mandatory child protection report Handled child protect cases Parent-child education

7. Models Background Legislation Subjects Challenges Recommendation Mandatory child protection report The improvement of child protection system • 1989 – the child protection report hotline was first established at one metropolitan level • 1997 – 113 was implemented at the national level • 2003 – children and youths were protected under one legislation More children were reported for child protection today • 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007 – 8, 494 (<10,000), 10,722, 13, 986, 19,247 • 2008, 2009 – 21,443 (>20,000), 21,449 • 2010, 2011, 2012 – 30,791, 28,955, 35,823 (record high)

8. Models Background Legislation Subjects Challenges Recommendation Handled child protect cases • Types of abuse in 2012 • Physical abuse (5,220, 37%) others (3,266, 23%)  Neglect (n=2,593, 18%)  emotional abuse (n=1,382, 10%)  sexual abuse (n=1,255, 9%)  abandon (n=420, 3%) • Protection and placement services in 2012 • At-home care (n=11,893, 85%) institutional care (n=719, 5%) foster families (n=588, 4%)  others (n=461, 3%)  kinship care (n=292, 2%)  death (n=47, 0.1%)

9. Models Background Legislation Subjects Challenges Recommendation Prevalence of Parent-child education • In 2012, parents are subject to attend mandated Parent-child Education classes ranging from 8-50 hours • all cases n=270, sum hours of lessons n=5,687 • Pingtung cases n=42 (16%), hours of lessons n=392 (7%)

10. Relevant Legislation Legal status of mandated parent-child education Mandated parenting education in the current law

11. Models Background Legislation Subjects Challenges Recommendation Legal status of mandated parent-child education Before 1993 the passage of child welfare Law, parent-child education is voluntarily based. Child Welfare Law of 1993 • At least 4 hours of mandated parent-child education classes Child and Juvenile Welfare Law of 2003 • 8-50 hours of mandated parent-child education classes Purposes of mandated parent-child education… • child’s best interest, family-oriented, parental functioning • recurrence prevention

12. Models Background Legislation Subjects Challenges Recommendation Mandated parenting education in the current law • “the Protection of Children and Youths Welfare and Rights Act” • Violation of Article 43-1.2, 49-1~11, 49-15~17, 56-1, 95-1, 96-1, 99 • Based on Article 91-1, 97, 101 or 102

13. Characteristics of Subjects attending mandated parenting education Demographics of parents Types and # of hours of violation Heterogeneity of parents Diversity of children

14. Models Background Legislation Subjects Challenges Recommendation Demographics & info of violation • Parents’ demographics • 2013. 1-2013.6 , among 32 activeparent cases, half were mothers, with a mean age of 37.63 (F=41.19>M=34.06) • Types & # of hours of violation • On reason of entering the mandated classes, 40.6% parents involved in neglect, followed by harsh parenting (31.3%), others（n=8, 25 %）, and sexual assault（n=1, 3.1%） • Hours of mandated classes ranged from 8-50; the mode is 32, the median is 24, and the mean is 25.28 . Parents’ mandated hours was not differed by gender (M=25.81≈F=24.75).

15. Models Background Legislation Subjects Challenges Recommendation Stereotype of abusive parents？ Fathers Aggressive, moody, threatening attitudes Obedient or punishment Lack of self-esteem, use of parental authority, corporal punishment for good Weak self-control and frustration tolerance No close friends, overly dependent on family & spouse Mental disorder, alcohol/drug abuse

16. Models Background Legislation Subjects Challenges Recommendation Stereotype of abused children？ • Young • Girls • Minority • Difficulty in social skills • Cognitive problems • Emotional and behavioral problems • Developmental problems

17. Parents and children we serve

21. Models Background Legislation Subjects Challenges Recommendation Heterogeneity of parents Vulnerability Invulnerability Mothers: being inspired by pregnancy or new romantic relationship, pursuit of career goals, problem-solving skills Fathers: anger management, attached w/partner and children Couples: intimate relationship, respectful, oneness Gender neutral: hard-working, quality sleep, decent occupation, optimism, social support, parental responsibility • Mothers: mental disturbance, repeated pregnancies with cohabiters, alcoholic abuse, dysfunctioning, stubborn, dependent • Fathers: deprived custody by divorce, authoritarian • Couples: spousal boundary is confused with parent-child relationship • Gender neutral: low education, job skills, poverty, poor health, court charge, many young kids

22. Models Background Legislation Subjects Challenges Recommendation Diversity of children • Children cared by foster parents • Experience gap in caring quality, living condition, and school environment between foster family and family of origin • Parent was yet ready to reunite • Adjustment to changes • Young children • Developmental delay • Weak self-protection • Poor role model • lack of stimulation • Older children • Delinquent peer group • Gender identity issue • Conflict with caregiver • Low academic achievement

23. Working models Strategies to work with involuntary clients Targets of mandated parent-child education Content of mandated education Three service alternatives

24. Models Background Legislation Subjects Challenges Recommendation Strategies to work with involuntary clients Social Worker Counseling Psychologist Psychologists or counselors with a master’s level Trained to work with voluntary clients Appropriate to work with clients with mental disorder or psychological problem Inform case manager of events such as pregnancy, suicide etc. Face-to-face interview • Social workers with a master’s level or direct experiences • Trained to deal with clients’ involuntary issues • Appropriate to work on activating clients’ ecological system and strengths • Intensive contact with other helping members • Field visits (family, jail, etc.)

25. Models Background Legislation Subjects Challenges Recommendation Targets of mandated parenting services Treatment models • Counseling • Parent-child education • Case management • 1. + 2. + 3. + 4. Protective factors Allied cooperation Change in parenting methods Family-oriented involvement Working relationship Involuntary clients in nature Flexibility Link to formal resources Essential contents Child development Effective parenting Family functioning Laws and regulations

26. Models Background Legislation Subjects Challenges Recommendation Content of mandated education Mandated parent-child education material • Child development (2 topics) • Effective parenting (4 topics) • Family functioning (9 topics) • Relevant laws and regulations (6 topics) counselors or social workers are guided by a standardized material developed by the federal child’s bureau gender topics added by service team: clarification and management of intimate relationships, domestic violence and custody, avoidance of repeated pregnancy, and when my child is a gay/lesbian

27. Models Background Legislation Subjects Challenges Recommendation Three service alternatives

28. Models Background Legislation Subjects Challenges Recommendation Comments 0n three alternatives

29. Challenges Strengths and feedback Challenges in attendance

30. Models Background Legislation Subjects Challenges Recommendation Strengths • Affirm parental capabilities: improving self-appreciation/self-care, having surrogate caregivers, being open to new intimate relationships,and taking care of family members • Introduce flexibility in use of service alternatives based on resilience, attendance, and incidence of new events • Being sensitive in parent-worker match and exercise compliant mechanism • Document, implement research and evaluate

31. Models Background Legislation Subjects Challenges Recommendation Feedback from our parents

32. Models Background Legislation Subjects Challenges Recommendation Challenges in attendance • Child care need • Transportation issues • Poor self-management and low motivation • Abnormal available time • Emergent, new event

33. Recommendations Limitations and recommendations

34. Models Background Legislation Subjects Challenges Recommendation Limitations and recommendations • Too much to call “abusers”,too narrow to use “individual treatment” • Drop-out risks:stable employment, pregnancy, health issues, court order • Inconsistency in hours assigned by government and our service team • Internal communications between social work and psychologist

35. END Thank you！ jennyfen@mail.npust.edu.tw 08-7703202#7739