Child Care Expulsion Prevention (CCEP)

1. Child Care Expulsion Prevention (CCEP) Mary Mackrain, M.Ed- Statewide CCEP TA and Training Consultant

2. Why do we need CCEP? Overview of the Michigan Initiative

3. A Day in the Life of a Child in Michigan Source: Children’s Defense Fund, The State of America’s Children Yearbook 2002 • Every 26 minutes…a child is born into poverty • Every 21 minutes…a child is abused or neglected • Every 8 hours…a child dies before their 1st birthday • Every 3 days…a child or teen is killed by gunfire

4. How Are Our Children Being Affected? • One fourth to one third perceived as not being ready for school with concerns centering around emotional development • Preschool children being “expelled” from early childhood settings • Some are showing “scars” stemming from serious family problems • Others show signs of serious emotional difficulties • Pediatricians are prescribing psychotropic drugs for very young children with behavioral problems

5. (From the National Center for Children in Poverty article by Raver & Knitzer) • Social and Emotional Competence and School Readiness • Young children who act in anti-social ways are provided with less instruction and less positive feedback, they tend to like school less, learn less and attend less • These children are at greater risk of dropping out and engaging in delinquent acts • Across studies,the social and emotional competence of young children predicts their academic performance in 1st grade, OVER and above their cognitive skills and family background! Research Messages:

7. Research Messages: • (From the National Center for Children in Poverty article by Raver & Knitzer) • Interventions that Work • For preschoolers at higher risk, research supports the use of interventions that target both parents and providers • Early findings from one on-site mental health consultation national demonstration indicate consistent cross-site effects of improved parenting and better child outcomes.

8. When surveying caregivers across the country, what was the number one issue that they complained about? Long Hours CHALLENGING BEHAVIORS!

9. A Look Into the CCEP Initiative What Exactly is Child Care Expulsion Prevention?

10. A Collaborative Effort Funded by The Department of Human Services, public assistance, child and family welfare agency Administered by The Department of Community Health

11. Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation Model • (Cohen and Kaufman, 2000) • The mental health perspective emphasizes: • Prevention of mental health disorders and fostering social and emotional well-being in all children • Identifying and helping children at risk • Recognizing that some children have serious challenges requiring more intensive services • Viewing parents, teachers and child care staff as collaborative partners.

13. The Cornerstones • Programmatic and child/family centered consultation • Skilled consultants • Reflective Consultation • Technical Assistance • Evidence-based practice • Collaboration

14. Our Goal “To support families and child care providers in successfully nurturing the social and emotional development of infants, toddlers and young children (0-5) who are in early care settings.”

15. What does it do? An early childhood mental health consultant builds a relationship designed to improve the ability of parents, staff, programs and systems to prevent, identify, treat, and reduce the impact of social and emotional problems among children in licensed child care settings, from birth to age five.

16. Values The key to quality service throughout the state

17. All children deserve safe, stable, caring and nurturing environments • Children exhibiting challenging behavior are trying to communicate • Building healthy relationships among children, families providers and other early childhood professionals is core to building emotional/social competence • All children deserve to benefit from early childhood mental health consultation • Families and providers are active partners in all service provision

18. Services should be strength-based, developmentally appropriate and culturally competent • Consultants should strive to understand and respect the uniqueness of the values, beliefs and practices of others • Consultants should assist others to view children’s behavior within the ecological model, utilizing a reflective approach

19. CCEP is part of building resilience, not just managing symptoms.

20. How do the projects work? • These are pro-active & voluntary projects. A request for child or programmatic consultation may occur from parents or providers. Both the parent and the childcare provider/teacher must agree to participate in child centered consultation. • Once a referral is signed, a consultant will contact the parent and/or provider to set up a time to observe in the preschool/childcare setting and the home if applicable. • Following the observation, a meeting is then set up with the parent and/ or the provider to discuss and develop a plan of action.

21. Services Available • On site observations • Home visits for parents • Consultation for childcare providers • Parent-Provider conferences • Developmental Screening • Coordination of services and linkages to community resources • Training for childcare providers and families • Parenting support groups

22. When Should You Refer? “It is much easier to build a child than it is to repair and adult.”

23. If infants… • Do not want to be held • Can not be comforted • Rarely look at caregivers • Are difficult to engage • Rarely coos, babbles or smiles Adapted from the S/E Development Wheel, MIAIMH, 2004

24. If Toddlers… • Are very fearful or irritable • Show little preference for parent/caregiver • Can’t express feelings • Are unsmiling or withdrawn • Have extreme temper tantrums • Lack curiousity or enthusiasm Adapted from the S/E Development Wheel, MIAIMH, 2004

25. If Caregivers…. • Are concerned about a child’s behavior • Are experiencing challenges with relationships • Are concerned about the emotional environment of the care setting • Want to strengthen partnerships with parents

26. If You or Someone That You Know….. • Have unrealistic expectations of children • See this role as temporary, not invested • Feel a lack of respect for their profession • Feel unimportant • Are overwhelmed with personal problems • Seem depressed • Has difficulty with communication skills • Has too many demands • Just wants Support!

27. What is Happening Now? Currently, there are 12 CCEP projects across the state, serving 27 counties that operate as a collaborative effort of the Michigan 4C Association and the MI. Dept. of Community Health through funds from the Family Independence Agency.

28. Are We Making an Impact? All results that follow are adapted from the 2003-2004 End of year Quarterly Report

29. Child/Family Consultation (Adapted from the CCEP end of year 2003-2004 Quarterly Report)

30. Number of Children Served 551Directly 7,646 Indirectly

31. Types of Settings Served

32. Reasons Children Are Referred for Services

33. Strategies Used

34. Ages of Children Served

35. Status of Child Care Placement

36. Consultations provided to child care settingsYTD 3,401 Consultations provided to parents YTD 2,111

37. Programmatic Consultation (Adapted from the CCEP end of year 2003-2004 Quarterly Report)

38. Training 118 trainings held 2,563 child care providers

39. Examples of Training Topics • Attachment sensitive practice in adoption and foster care • Working effectively with violent and aggressive states • Understanding grief and loss in early childhood • Adult relationship building • Social and emotional development 0-5

40. Examples of Strategies Used • Social and emotional programs (DECA) • Environmental tools (ITERS) • On-going workshops to support the mental health of staff • Relationship based practice (listening, consistency and empathy!) • Parent groups

41. Technical Assistance Includes: • On-site consultation • Resource development • Training • Development and outreach

42. Technical Assistance 18 trainings held 903 professionals 219 consultations to new and existing sites

43. Our Belief Early intervention is the key to helping children succeed in school. By enhancing the early care and learning experience, young children with behavioral difficulties are supported, their social & emotional competency is enhanced, and they are better prepared for school.

44. Helpful ResourcesInformation for this presentation was a collective adaptation of material from the following Michigan resources: Social and Emotional Development in Young Children, A Guide developed by the Michigan Department of Community Health can be downloaded at: http://www.michigan.gov/documents/Social_Emotional_Development_in_Young_Children_Guide_88553_7.pdf Social and Emotional Developmental Wheel The developmental wheel can be ordered for $1.00 plus shipping and handling by contacting Deborah Kahraman at : Michigan Association for Infant Mental Health,13101 Allen Road, Southgate, MI 48195 Phone : 734-785-7700, ext. 7194, Fax: 734-287-1680 dkahraman@guidance-center.org

45. Social Emotional Health and School Readiness “What, how, and how much a child learns in school will depend in large part on the social emotional competence they have developed as preschoolers… Children who do not begin kindergarten socially and emotionally competent are often not successful in the early years of school and can be plagued by behavioral, emotional, academic and social development problems that follow them into adulthood” (Peth-Pierce, 2000).

46. For more information about Michigan’s CCEP Initiative or to receive TA consultation, please contact:Mary Mackrain, M.EdStatewide CCEP TA Consultant248/594-3250mackrain@aol.com