Indiana Library Federation Best Practices for Supervised Visits in the Library

1. Indiana Library FederationBest Practices for Supervised Visits in the Library Last updated September 2018 Contact: Indiana Library Federation, 317-257-2040

2. Topics covered related to • Supervised Visits in the Library • Increase awareness and understanding • Visit types • Needs of children, parent, library and service providers • Review Best Practice guide • Relationship with IN Department of Child Services (DCS) and service provider partners • How can we implement the best practices? • Remaining questions, concerns and reactions • Discuss Library Staff Actions • Do we want to create our own Tip Sheet or Handout? • Connect with DCS and Service providers • Day-to-day actions with children and their families Indiana Library Federation leads, educates and advocates to advance library services for the benefit of Indiana residents. www.ilfonline.org

3. Empathy • For the Child – Imagine… • Being removed from your home, parents, community. • Visiting a parent in a public place with people watching. • The potential history that brought the child and family to this point. • For the Parent – Imagine… • The courage and effort it took to come today • The lack of direction or set of expectations provided for how a visit should go • The overwhelming desire to reunite with your child • The other barriers and complications in your life • For the Service Provider - Imagine… • The overwhelming caseload, stress and expectations (with low pay and recognition) • The challenge of understanding different library policies • The desire to work collaboratively but being limited by law or policy Some parents do not show. Some kids want to be here. Some do not. Kids and families already are feeling judged. Take off work and take the bus or hitch a ride to the library Indiana Library Federation leads, educates and advocates to advance library services for the benefit of Indiana residents. www.ilfonline.org

4. About IN Dept. of Child Services (DCS) – www.in.gov/dcs • 50% increase in caseload over 5 years – Children in out-of-home placement grew from 8,897 in December 2012 to 16,834 in December 2017 (per DCS data) • DCS and its 400 contractors ARE PROHIBITED BY LAW from identifying or sharing any client/case information with library staff or anyone. • Mission:The Indiana Department of Child Services (DCS) engages with families and collaborates with state, local and community partners to protect children from abuse and neglect and to provide child support services. • Vision:Indiana children will live in safe, healthy and supportive families and communities. • Values:  • RESPECT – Every person has value, worth and dignity • SAFETY – Every child has the right to be free from abuse and neglect • STABILITY – The best place for children to grow up is with their own families • PERMANENCY – Children and older youth have the right to permanency • RESPONSIBILITY – Parents have the primary responsibility for the care and safety of their children • ACCOUNTABILITY – Each person is accountable for outcomes and one’s own growth and development • CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT – The agency will engage in continuous improvement efforts to improve outcomes for children and families Indiana Library Federation leads, educates and advocates to advance library services for the benefit of Indiana residents. www.ilfonline.org

5. Understanding Supervised Visits and Family Reunification • Family preservation is a goal • Families and visits may include biological, non-custodial, kinship care, foster families and/or group home staff • The process of reunification for a child who was removed from home by a court order will sometimes include a stepped down process: • Highly structured and supervised visits between child and parent, where the family support worker is present the entire visit • Moderately structured and partially supervised, where the family support worker stops in to check on the family • Unsupervised, where visits occur and are reported to the family support worker • The caseworker, if present, is there to observe, not to intervene. • Other types of visits that are not part of court-ordered visits may be structured for mediation, mentorship, family support, relationship building, etc. Indiana Library Federation leads, educates and advocates to advance library services for the benefit of Indiana residents. www.ilfonline.org

6. Key Messages for Indiana Public Libraries • Empathy for all • Treat as any other patron – Speak to the family directly. Engage the child and parent directly in activities, introducing them to range of library services. Enforce rules as you would any other patron (food, running, language, room use). • Be proactive - Know and Connect with service providers BEFORE visits begin to develop relationship and understand expectations. Create a tip sheet. Indiana Library Federation leads, educates and advocates to advance library services for the benefit of Indiana residents. www.ilfonline.org

7. About the Best Practice Guide The ILF Best Practice Guide for Supervised Visits in the Library grew out of collaborative conversations between ILF members, IN Dept. of Child Services and family support service providers. It provides guidance and tips to staff in both. We also encourage Libraries to offer refresher training sessions on mandatory reporting of suspected abuse and neglect. Main ideas for Libraries • Get to know local DCS offices, service providers and their staff. • Treat children and families as any other patrons. • Go the extra mile. • Train staff. • Explore creative ways to provide families and children access to all library resources. Main ideas for DCS Service Providers • Understand libraries’ policies, staffing, hours and programs (the 236 libraries are different). • Help ensure length and nature of visit matches the library setting. • Encourage families to take advantage of library programming. • Get to know the library staff. Indiana Library Federation leads, educates and advocates to advance library services for the benefit of Indiana residents. www.ilfonline.org

8. Thank you for all you do to support Indiana’s children and their families! Indiana Library Federation leads, educates and advocates to advance library services for the benefit of Indiana residents. www.ilfonline.org