Learning to Work with Orphans and Vulnerable Children

1. Learning to Work with Orphans and Vulnerable Children A Project of the Social Work HIV/AIDS Partnership for Orphans and Vulnerable Children in Tanzania Day 9 Parenting, Supporting Families, Community Re-entry

2. ParentingSupporting FamiliesCommunity Re-entry Sources: Henggeler, Scott W. et all (1998). Multi-systemic treatment of antisocial behavior in children and adolescents. New York: Guildford Press. Mattaini, Mark. (1999). Clinical Intervention with families. Washington, DC: NASW Press.

3. Objectives At the end of this day, Para Social Workers will be able to: Demonstrate necessary skills and information for parenting Demonstrate different parenting styles and ways to support caregivers and families with Most Vulnerable Children Outline different activities as stipulated in the work guide Explain how to work with other community resources to advocate for Most Vulnerable Children interventions and services

4. Parenting

5. Parenting We have seen that the growth and development of children is best promoted within a family setting Providing family settings for Orphans and Vulnerable Children often means that care-giving families must be supported in their new roles If these families are to be successful, they need information and support in effective parenting strategies, especially in parenting children not born to them

6. Parenting Therefore, we are going to address parenting skills This information applies to parenting all children – those born to the parent as well as children coming into the home after the loss of a parent The information is especially useful in parenting children not born to the caregiver

7. Two Dimensions of Parenting:finding the right balance WarmthControl

8. Warmth Warmth refers to verbal and nonverbal behaviors that are emotional in tone This includes expressions of affection, acceptance, approval of the child The emotional tone a parent communicates to a child may range from warmth to rejection Warm parents are: Relatively accepting Nurturing Use frequent positive reinforcement

9. Absence of Warmth Children who experience low levels of positive affection and high levels of negative affection are at risk for: Interpersonal and behavioral difficulties Difficulty trusting Difficulty responding positively Difficulty developing empathy for others

10. Control Control refers to actions the parent takes to provide guidance, structure, discipline to the child Teaches frustration tolerance Teaches socially acceptable norms of behavior Cooperation with others Avoidance of aggression Respect for authority

11. Absence of Appropriate Control Children who experience harsh control strategies, inconsistent discipline, and/or lack of monitoring are at high risk for: behavior problems delinquency drug use

12. Types of Parenting

13. Parenting Styles Research has shown that the parenting style that achieves the best results in terms of outcomes for children is the authoritative style Authoritative parents maintain: high levels of warmth in their relationships with their children (affection, acceptance, approval) high levels of appropriate control (guidance, structure, monitoring of the child’s behavior)

14. Authoritative Parenting Practices Communication: listening to your child communicating clearly with your child Pro-social Involvement: play with your child engage the child in positive activities with peers, etc.

15. Authoritative Parenting Practices Clarity of instructions and consequences Expected behavior defined clearly Stated in terms of positive behaviors Privilege given or withheld when rule is broken or kept stated with rule Posted in public place in home

16. Authoritative Parenting Practices Consequences: rewards and punishments Privilege must be highly desirable by child Younger the child – the more frequently the desired behavior must be rewarded For youth of all ages, to see that good behavior pays off the desired behavior must be rewarded frequently Privilege must be tied to a specifically stated rule about behavior that is desired

17. Authoritative Parenting Practices Reinforcement: the most basic law of behavior is that people do what works for them. Therefore, rules must be: Enforced 100% of time Enforced in unemotional manner Privileges dispensed or withheld every time child complies with or breaks the rule Praise accompany privilege Mutually agreed upon by parents

18. Authoritative Parenting Practices Pinpointing: being clear about desirable and undesirable behaviors, especially those the parent wishes to change Record Keeping: while it is not necessary to keep track of everything, when a particular behavior has been pinpointed to increase or decrease, record keeping can be essential Common strategies include posting the behavior in the home and awarding a smiling face or star every time the child performs the expected behavior

19. Authoritative Parenting Practices Give up highly coercive discipline: Corporal punishment Deprivation of food Confinement Parental monitoring – keeping track of your child’s whereabouts, activities, behaviors Advocacy – interacting with other to assure your child’s needs are met and rights are respected

20. Three Most Powerful Positive Parenting Practices Pro-social involvement (playing with your children and involving them in positive activities) Clarity of instructions and consequences Reinforcement (following through on what you say)

21. Working with families in parenting • While engaging families, consider: • Parenting style • Risk factors • Protective factors • Promoting healthy parenting styles • Providing support

22. Building a Base of Support for Caregivers

23. Increasing numbers of people living with HIV Increased numbers of Orphans & Vulnerable Children Increasing need for help and support Increasing reliance on caregivers The Caregiving Future Challenge

24. Caregivers Often Focus on the care receiver to the exclusion of their own needs Neglect their own health Do not use supports or services

25. Caregivers Often Have unresolved grief and loss issues Are motivated by their spirituality to sustain care giving Provide care in complex family situations

26. Caregivers are affected by Their own health (including HIV status) The care situation The needs and losses of the care receivers Grief and mourning related to their families, friends and clients

27. Caregiver responses Fulfilling the role of caregiver New meaning in life Stress and feeling overwhelmed Depression Anger/ Resentment Health changes due to care demands

28. Coping Dealing with and overcoming stress problems difficulties

29. Coping may vary by: Culture Spirituality/ religion Community Family Personal background Past experiences

30. Ways to Support Caregivers Listening and problem solving Linkage to resources Use of local government leaders Education, Information and Training Courses and Workshops

31. Ways to Support Caregivers Support Groups Family or Community Meetings Recognition Help provide resources for children and families (food, housing, medical, etc.)

32. Ways to support caregivers continued • Resource mobilization • Identify individuals willing to support and link them with caregivers (short term/long term support) • Family level • Family assets e.g farm, land, livestock, • Family networks including relatives, friends, neighbours • Community level • CSOs, FBOs, Community funds, Support groups, LGAs

33. How Can a Para Social Worker Support HIV Positive Families? Provide reliable, consistent care and support Shift the family’s focus from hopelessness to strengths and hope Provide ongoing support and access to medical, psychological and social support systems Combat marginalization and social exclusion by assuring families are connected to positive systems of support Within the family Within the community Within the larger society Provide accurate information about HIV and its context for infected and affected people, their families and their communities

34. Small Group Skills Building WorkshopSupporting OVCs and their Families Appoint a recorder to report for RECAP Discussion of parenting issues and caregiver support in a case—what are issues Work in mini-groups to develop an overall plan of service and support to this case and family using all of the skills we’ve discussed Assign roles as para social worker, child or family/neighbors Role play a session to practice providing support to the child and family members Discuss with whole group what did you learn

35. Post- Assessment

36. What Next: Community Entry

37. What Next? • Community entry • Meeting with village leaders and debrief on Para Social Workers’ roles and responsibilities • Supervision • Tools • Networking and advocacy • Remaining Motivated • Other sources of supervision

38. What next continued • Participants to divide themselves according to their wards and discuss the following: • Supervision: • How do you plan to work with your supervisor? • What will be/is your reporting system? • If you do not have a supervisor how do you plan to make use of existing systems? • Develop action plan

39. What next? Cont. • Tools • How do you plan to make use of service plan and reporting forms • What challenges do you anticipate and how will you address them? • Work guide • Networking and Advocacy • What networks do you plan to make use of in your ward? • How will you advocate for services for children and their families?

40. Work Guide • Outreach and update/identify Most Vulnerable Children in collaboration with Most Vulnerable Children Committee members • Engage Most Vulnerable Children, families and service providers • Assess strengths and needs and provide support • Develop and maintain a service plan • Network with other social partners at community level and refer Most Vulnerable Children to other resources

41. Work Guide • Deliver basic social welfare services to Most Vulnerable Children, including psychosocial care and support to Most Vulnerable Children affected and infected by HIV/AIDS • Including case management and case conference • Identify resources: Produce a list of resources • Collect and document information/data regarding Most Vulnerable Children and to share with the local leadership • Actively participate in Most Vulnerable Children Committee activities/meetings

42. Work Guide • Engage in raising community awareness on child rights, law of the child, child development policy and other related policies • To mobilize their community at different levels, and to start and manage their own community Most Vulnerable Children funds and other resources • Attend supervision sessions and maintain regular contact with supervisor and village authorities • Work within the existing village government system

43. Feedback on the Training

44. ClosingCeremony