Training Webinars from American Humane

Upcoming webinars include:

Is It Safe? Domestic Violence and FGDM

Tuesday, March 16, 2010, 2 p.m. EDT

When it comes to domestic violence, the idea of having a family group conference with both parties involved may be deemed controversial and unsafe. But by considering the needs and concerns of both parties, in addition to those of all the other conference participants, it becomes possible to safely involve in FGDM processes those who have been harmed and those who have caused the harm. This webinar will explore issues of power in domestic violence; preparing coordinators regarding the creation of safety measures for all participants before, during and after the conference or meeting; considering how to safely involve victims and offenders; and readying community stakeholders to advance FGDM as a way to stop family violence.

Using FGDM to Reduce Disproportionality in Child Welfare

Tuesday, April 20, 2010, 2 p.m. EDT

The overrepresentation of children of color in the child welfare system is a significant and widespread concern and many jurisdictions are searching for solutions to assist in remedying this problem. The use of FGDM provides positive benefits and improved outcomes for the children and families who participate. In this teleconference, the Colorado Disparities Resource Center and the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services will provide knowledge, information and tools for using FGDM as a viable strategy in improving outcomes for children and families of color in the child welfare system.

Addressing the Challenges of Substance Abuse in FGDM

Tuesday, May 18, 2010, 2 p.m. EDT

Coordinating family group conferences when substance abuse is an issue can be a challenging endeavor. There are multiple issues and stakeholders to coordinate and prepare in order to ensure a family-driven process that subscribes to the principles of FGDM. Participants in this teleconference will increase their understanding of substance abuse issues and its impact on FGDM processes, learn strategies to employ in situations where substance abuse hinders success in the FGDM process and increase their awareness of situations that may not support moving forward with FGDM. Participants will also gain knowledge on the development of family plans that support cultural and recovery needs of family members.

Using FGDM to Properly Engage With and Assess Immigrant Children and Families — Special Considerations

Tuesday, July 20, 2010, 2 p.m. EDT

Immigrants are a diverse group that includes foreign-born adults, youth and children who, along with secondgeneration immigrant children, constitute the fastest-growing segment of the U.S. population. When an immigrant family comes to the attention of the public child welfare system, both the family and the child welfare professionals face unique challenges. It becomes especially complex to untangle the range of factors contributing to both the child’s risk and the family’s capacity to protect and nurture. This session specifically targets professionals who serve immigrant families in the child welfare system. The webinar will equip participants with a roster of existing resources at national and state levels and provide an example of family engagement practice across borders. This session, framed within the complex and publicly debated immigration scene, will keep the focus on workers’ abilities to fully engage with families. A special emphasis will also be placed on the use of FGDM and other family engagement approaches that enable workers to fully engage with a family from the onset of the assessment process.

Dual Jurisdiction Youth and the RGC Process

Tuesday, Aug. 17, 2010, 2 p.m. EDT

Poor and minority youth are disproportionately represented in the child welfare and juvenile justice systems. Restorative group conferencing (RGC) addresses the issues of dependency, delinquency and disproportionate minority representation through collaboration between systems, victims and community members, and through engaging families. This webinar will showcase the experiences of communities implementing RGC to address the needs of youth, their families, victims and the broader community.

The Intersections Between Family Engagement Approaches and Differential Response

Tuesday, Sept. 21, 2010, 2 p.m. EDT

Differential response provides child protection agencies with multiple ways to respond to child abuse and neglect reports. In the non-investigation or family assessment pathway, the focus is more on safety through engagement and collaboration with families and less on fact finding and substantiating reports. Implementing differential response, including different types of family meetings, as a front-end system reform can open the doors for creative engagement with families. As a way to engage families and share power, several communities are having family meetings to discuss safety, services and supports with the caseworkers with whom they are working. As part of this webinar, we will explore the subjective nature of convening families through different types of family meetings as a way to make decisions and garner supports for families. Representatives from communities implementing differential response and using family meetings will share their experiences.

Facilitation: The Family Group Conference Perspective

Thursday, Oct. 21, 2010, 2 p.m. EDT

What is the role of facilitation in the family group conference? What does minimized facilitation look like? Facilitation can be a loaded word for families and service providers who are participating in the family group conferencing process. This session will focus on the concept of facilitation in a family-driven process, and will encourage group discussion regarding the possible ways facilitation can impact and support family group conferences.

Children: The Heartbeat of the Circle

Tuesday, Nov. 16, 2010, 2 p.m. EST

The participation of children of all ages in FGDM meetings is controversial, mostly due to concerns about kids being exposed to the possible contentiousness of their adult family members. Likewise, including children can be complicated and must be orchestrated around their age, abilities, fears and hopes. This session will address why children should be accommodated to join in their family discussion, and how to best accomplish that goal. Participants will be encouraged to share successful strategies for child inclusion in FGDM, and questions and concerns about the participation of children will be addressed.

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