Guiding Principles for Oklahoma Bridge Resource Families
Session 1 Pretest
1)The mission of Oklahoma Department of Human Services (OKDHS) is to
a)☐ Find places to live for all children in the child welfare system.
b)☐ Provide a skilled team that makes all of the decisions.
c)☐ Promote safety, permanence and well-being for Oklahoma’s families.
d)☐ Help families in crisis by taking over parenting and family functioning.
2)Children and youth can expect their Bridge resource parents to
(a)☐ Ignore secondary traumatic stress and their own self-care.
(b)☐ Understand the impact of separation, grief, loss and trauma.
(c)☐ Make the child address his/her own needs.
(d)☐ Separate themselves from the child’s professional team.
3)Bridge resource families are expected to
(a)☐ Provide family counseling to children.
(b)☐ Help children keep connections with their families.
(c)☐ Provide overnight stays in their home to the child’s family members.
(d)☐ Host the child’s family members at all holiday celebrations.
4)In Oklahoma and nationwide,
(a)☐ Children are victims of neglect and abuse in equal numbers.
(b)☐ More children are victims of neglect
(c)☐ More children are victims of abuse.
5)A bridge resource family helps children keep family connections as they go from place to place.
☐ True ☐ False
6)As a Bridge resource parent, I am active an active and vital part of a child’s professional team.
☐ True ☐ False
7)Parental Substitute Authority lets me share confidential information about the child with family and friends.
☐ True ☐ False
8)Poverty and homelessness are major reasons a child is removed from his/her family.
☐ True ☐ False
Guiding Principles Session 1 Self Study
Date: Click here to enter a date. Participant’s Name: Click here to enter text.
Children in Out of Home Care:(10 minutes for this portion)
- What are some of the reasons children come in to our care?
- How do we find out about children who are being abused and neglected?
Click here to enter text.
Adopted-What it’s like being taken: (15 minutes for this portion)
- What is something that stood out for you in the video?
- What are some of the questions, thoughts or concerns you heard the children and youth express about being placed in out-of-home care?
Click here to enter text.
- As you go through this assessment and training process, what are the feelings you may have in common with these children?
Guiding Principles for Oklahoma Bridge Resource Families
Session 1 Posttest
1.) The mission of Oklahoma Department of Human Services (OKDHS) is to
a)☐ Find places to live for all children in the child welfare system.
b)☐ Provide a skilled team that makes all of the decisions.
c)☐ Promote safety, permanence and well-being for Oklahoma’s families.
d)☐ Help families in crisis by taking over parenting and family functioning.
2.)Children and youth can expect their Bridge resource parents to
(a)☐ Ignore secondary traumatic stress and their own self-care.
(b)☐ Understand the impact of separation, grief, loss and trauma.
(c)☐ Make the child address his/her own needs.
(d)☐ Separate themselves from the child’s professional team.
3.)Bridge resource families are expected to
(a)☐ Provide family counseling to children.
(b)☐ Help children keep connections with their families.
(c)☐ Provide overnight stays in their home to the child’s family members.
(d)☐ Host the child’s family members at all holiday celebrations.
4.)In Oklahoma and nationwide,
(a)☐ Children are victims of neglect and abuse in equal numbers.
(b)☐ More children are victims of neglect
(c)☐ More children are victims of abuse.
5.)A bridge resource family helps children keep family connections as they go from place to place.
☐ True ☐ False
6.)As a Bridge resource parent, I am active an active and vital part of a child’s professional team.
☐ True ☐ False
7.)Parental Substitute Authority lets me share confidential information about the child with family and friends.
☐ True ☐ False
8.)Poverty and homelessness are major reasons a child is removed from his/her family.
☐ True ☐ False
Guiding Principles for Oklahoma Bridge Resource Families
Session 2 Pretest
1.)We can listen to the voices of children and youth by
a)☐controlling decisions made about their lives.
b)☐limiting talk about feelings.
c)☐talking with children about what they need to feel safe.
d)☐telling children and youth what to wear.
2.)Resource families need to examine personal values and biases because
(a)☐it helps us resist the ideas of the child in our care.
(b)☐it helps us be honest about our feelings toward the child’s parents.
(c)☐it helps us to judge the actions of the child’s parents..
(d)☐it reminds us to keep a distance from the child’s family.
3.)A primary purpose of visitation is to
(a)☐fulfill your duties as a resource parent.
(b)☐check on the child’s pets.
(c)☐keep the child and his/her family connected.
(d)☐check on the parents to make sure their house is clean.
4.)How can we show respect to a child’s family?
(a)☐ We remind the child that his/her parents did something bad.
(b)☐ We show the parents our way – the right way – to do things.
(c)☐ We remind parents of what they did wrong.
(d)☐ We separate what a child’s family has done from who they are.
5.)After an adoption is finalized, I still have to let me child have contact with his/her family.
☐ True ☐ False
6.)Visitation is the key to reunification.
☐ True ☐ False
7.)The child welfare specialist must be a part of decisions that are made regarding visitation.
☐ True ☐ False
8.)When reunification is the plan, I have to actively work to help the family get their child(ren) home.
☐ True ☐ False
Guiding Principles Session 2 Self Study
The Guiding Principles: (10 minutes for this portion)
- Write down two things you learned about the Guiding Principles.
A.)Click here to enter text.
B.) Click here to enter text.
Supporting Family Relationships: Bridging the Gap: (15 minutes for this portion)
- What are some biases and judgments we could have or assumptions we could make about this mom?
- If you had a kinship relationship with Jessica, what are some other biases you might have?
- Considering the biases you might have about Jessica, how could you show respect to this mom?
- What did you notice about her comments toward resource parents?
Click here to enter text. - If you were a resource parent working with Jessica, what support might she need from you?
Foster Parents Speak: (15 minutes for this portion)
- What did you see or hear in the video that stood out to you?
Click here to enter text.
- What are some benefits resulted from resource families having positive relationships with the child’s family?
- What could be some challenges in building a positive relationship with a child’s family?
Guiding Principles for Oklahoma Bridge Resource Families
Session 2 Posttest
1.)We can listen to the voices of children and youth by
a)☐controlling decisions made about their lives.
b)☐limiting talk about feelings.
c)☐talking with children about what they need to feel safe.
d)☐telling children and youth what to wear.
2.)Resource families need to examine personal values and biases because
(a)☐it helps us resist the ideas of the child in our care.
(b)☐it helps us be honest about our feelings toward the child’s parents.
(c)☐it helps us to judge the actions of the child’s parents..
(d)☐it reminds us to keep a distance from the child’s family.
3.)A primary purpose of visitation is to
(a)☐fulfill your duties as a resource parent.
(b)☐check on the child’s pets.
(c)☐keep the child and his/her family connected.
(d)☐check on the parents to make sure their house is clean.
4.)How can we show respect to a child’s family?
(a)☐ We remind the child that his/her parents did something bad.
(b)☐ We show the parents our way – the right way – to do things.
(c)☐ We remind parents of what they did wrong.
(d)☐ We separate what a child’s family has done from who they are.
5.)After an adoption is finalized, I still have to let me child have contact with his/her family.
☐ True ☐ False
6.)Visitation is the key to reunification.
☐ True ☐ False
7.)The child welfare specialist must be a part of decisions that are made regarding visitation.
☐ True ☐ False
8.)When reunification is the plan, I have to actively work to help the family get their child(ren) home.
☐ True ☐ False
Guiding Principles for Oklahoma Bridge Resource Families
Session 3 Pretest
1.)For children in out-of-home care, when the connection between siblings is broken,
a)☐it makes it easier for children to deal with separation and loss.
b)☐siblings quickly lose interest in getting in touch.
c)☐it takes extra time for children to quit missing their siblings.
d)☐children struggle to heal and make attachments.
2.)Cultural competency allows families to
(a)☐understand and communicate with people of different cultures.
(b)☐make sure their stereotypes of other cultures are correct.
(c)☐change the culture of the child in their care.
(d)☐make sure the child in care forgets his/her family culture.
3.)A cultural guide is someone you can use to
(a)☐figure out your culture and write it down for the child in your care.
(b)☐point out unfairness in the placement of children.
(c)☐help you become culturally informed when parenting a child from a different background.
(d)☐drive you to resource team meetings.
4.)Family culture is the way a family works in terms of
(a)☐spoken and unspoken rules.
(b)☐pets the family has.
(c)☐route taken to the grocery store.
(d)☐setting the table for meals.
5.)The Multiethnic Placement Act of 1994 (MEPA-IEP) is designed to decrease the length of time that children wait to be adopted.
☐ True ☐ False
6.)Requests for information about siblings outnumber the requests for information about biological parents.
☐ True ☐ False
7.)Successful resource parents realize how their culture affects their view of the world.
☐ True ☐ False
8.)Mistakes can be made when we use our meanings to make sense of someone else’s life
☐ True ☐ False
Guiding Principles Session 3 Self Study
The Importance of Culture: (5 minutes for this portion)
- Write down some characteristics of culture.
Click here to enter text.
Family Culture: (10 minutes for this portion)
- What is a unique tradition that your family celebrates?
- What is a special way you celebrate birthdays in your family?
Cultural Guide: (5 minutes for this portion)
- What are some cultures you would need to gain more information about in order to be competent in helping a child?
Sibling Connections: Messages: (20 minutes for this portion)
- If you are the oldest sibling, what are some words, phrases, labels or messages you received from being in this birth-order position?
- For middle children, what were some messages you received?
- For the babies of the family, what were some messages to you?
- For only children, what did it mean for you being the only child?
- Write down the names of your brother and sisters. If you are an only child, pick your two or three closest friends or cousins.
Foster Youth on the Importance of Maintaining Sibling Contact: (10 min)
- What did you hear youth express about sibling relationships?
Click here to enter text.
- What differences did you notice between the youth who were able to stay connected to their brothers and sisters and those who were not?
Guiding Principles for Oklahoma Bridge Resource Families
Session 3 Posttest
1.) For children in out-of-home care, when the connection between siblings is broken,
a)☐it makes it easier for children to deal with separation and loss.
b)☐siblings quickly lose interest in getting in touch.
c)☐it takes extra time for children to quit missing their siblings.
d)☐children struggle to heal and make attachments.
2.) Cultural competency allows families to
(a)☐understand and communicate with people of different cultures.
(b)☐make sure their stereotypes of other cultures are correct.
(c)☐change the culture of the child in their care.
(d)☐make sure the child in care forgets his/her family culture.
3.)A cultural guide is someone you can use to
(a)☐figure out your culture and write it down for the child in your care.
(b)☐point out unfairness in the placement of children.
(c)☐help you become culturally informed when parenting a child from a different background.
(d)☐drive you to resource team meetings.
4.)Family culture is the way a family works in terms of
(a)☐spoken and unspoken rules.
(b)☐pets the family has.
(c)☐route taken to the grocery store.
(d)☐setting the table for meals.
5.)The Multiethnic Placement Act of 1994 (MEPA-IEP) is designed to decrease the length of time that children wait to be adopted.
☐ True ☐ False
6.)Requests for information about siblings outnumber the requests for information about biological parents.
☐ True ☐ False
7.)Successful resource parents realize how their culture affects their view of the world.
☐ True ☐ False
8.)Mistakes can be made when we use our meanings to make sense of someone else’s life
☐ True ☐ False
Guiding Principles for Oklahoma Bridge Resource Families
Session 6 Pretest
1.) To build a trusting relationship with a child in your care,
a)☐ be exciting, impulsive and random.
b)☐listen to the child in your care and respect his/her views.
c)☐ make sure the child knows that you always get the last word
d)☐don’t involve the child in extended family activities.
2.)Messages to children in our care should include
(a)☐ 2 hurtful interactions to every 3 helpful interactions.
(b)☐more hurtful than helpful interactions.
(c)☐ 6 praises for every correction.
(d)☐punishment so that kids know what they are doing wrong.
3.)One of the best ways to elicit cooperation from your child is to
(a)☐notice and encourage your child’s positive behaviors and interactions.
(b)☐comment on all things your child has done wrong.
(c)☐give money to your child for everything he does in your home.
(d)☐make sure your child isn’t given the chance to make choices.
4.)Discipline is different from punishment in which of the following ways?
(a)☐ Discipline focuses on what’s wrong; punishment focuses on what needs to be done right.
(b)☐ Discipline teaches; punishment penalizes.
(c)☐ Discipline makes a child pay for what was done wrong; punishment provides logical consequences for a misbehavior.
5.)Punishment is always a part of effective discipline.
☐ True ☐ False
6.)Children who have experienced trauma may not respond to the same kind of discipline that works with other children.
☐ True ☐ False
7.)The OKDHS policy on discipline states that you may NOT use any physical or corporal punishment on the children in care.
☐ True ☐ False
8.)It is good practice for resource parents to function from the helpful side of the interaction continuum.
☐ True ☐ False
Guiding Principles Session 6 Self Study
Building Blocks of Relationships: (15 minutes for this portion)
- In general, what is your goal as a parent?
- What might be some helpful messages that children in care have received?
- What might be some hurtful messages children in care have received?
Click here to enter text.
Teaching through Discipline: (5 minutes for this portion)
In each column, identify what comes to mind when you hear the words:
Punishment / DisciplinePositive Discipline Structure: (15 minutes for this portion)
- Look at the rules you listed in your Bridge Family Profile on page 54 of the Participant Handbook. List the rule, and give an example of what each rule looks like and sounds like in your house.
Rule / Description Example
Positive Discipline Strategies: (15 minutes for this portion)
Adapted from Grillo, C.A., Lott, D.A., Foster Care Subcommittee of the Welfare Committee, National Child Traumatic Stress Network (2010)
Read the scenario for each child, and then develop a positive discipline strategy for each young person, coming up with 4-5 responses using the identified strategy. You can find more details about each child in the Participation Handbook pages 110, 112 and 114-115.
Tommy
Tommy is four years old. Tommy came into care because his father beat his mother so severely she required hospitalization.
Tommy is a picky eater. He does not finish his meals unless they are his favorites: macaroni and cheese, pizza or French fries. He will hardly even touch chicken nuggets. Tommy is very independent and loves attention any way that he can get it. He asks to be picked up and carried a lot. Tommy is very clear and particular about what he wants and everything seems to be a struggle: the clothes he wears, snack time, bedtime. Often, Tommy acts like he is not listening when you ask him to help pick up his toys. Tommy is so strong-willed; every day is exhausting caring for him.
Choices strategies (click inside box to type)
Andrea
Andrea is nine years old and was placed in your home six months ago. She enjoys getting attention and plays well with the other foster children in your home, but lies on the floor crying and sucking her thumb when the older children don’t want to play with her. Andrea is aggressive with the younger children and will throw tantrums when she is reprimanded.
Andrea doesn’t like school and does poorly; a C-D student. She has trouble making friends and is typically drawn to the older children at her school. Over the last two months, Andrea has been playing with a girl a year older than her but in the same grade. She also brought home a B from reading class and has brought home no reports or phone calls concerning any oppositional behavior. Andrea enjoys playing outside. She especially likes active games that include running or jumping.