Engaging Parents and Teens

1. Engaging Parents and Teens Ver. 19.9.2

2. Introduction Icebreaker • Name • Favorite thing you did as a teenager. • List the things that your parents or other adults did to express support for you. Fill out the index card with the following:

3. Objectives • Learn the process and benefits of fostering and engaging teens. • Learn what the adolescence development stage looks like for teens and how it may differ for youth in care. • Identify and acknowledge how adults contribute to positive youth development and the importance of building relationships. • Understand the roles foster parents play with a youth who is in transition to adulthood. • Learn the three different types of support that youth need to succeed.

4. Statistics from the CWLA • 7,780childreninTennesseelivedapartfromtheirfamiliesinout-of-homecarein2015,compared with7,647childrenin2011. • Ofthechildrenlivingapartfromtheirfamiliesin2014,there were 2,408aged5oryoungerand1,740were16orolder.

5. Statistics from the CWLA • In 2017, approximately 76,406 grandparents in Tennessee had the primary responsibility of caring for their grandchildren. • In 2017, the birth rate for teens ages 15 to 19 in Tennessee was 26.6 births per 1,000 girls.

6. Center for Disease Control: Statistics • In 2015, an estimated 4,000 children age 12 to 17 were alcohol dependent in the past year and 144,000 adults age 18 and older were dependent on alcohol or used heroin in the past year in Tennessee. • 519 children in Tennessee aged out of out-of-home care—exited foster care to emancipation—in 2015.

7. Center for Disease Control: Statistics 24,000 teens ages 16 to 19 in Tennessee were not enrolled in school and not working in 2015.

8. Center for Disease Control: Statistics 41% of Tennessee’s foster care populations were ages 14 or older in 2016 compared to 1 in 4 youth nationally.

9. Center for Disease Control: Statistics • The Tennessee Suicide Prevention Network reports that in 2017 Tennessee ranked 22nd in youth suicides. Tennessee’s overall rate was17.3% in 2017; which is about 1163 youth.

10. What is Adolescence? • Adolescence is a transitional period from childhood to adulthood which spans the ages of 12- 24 years old (the span of ages can start as early as 10 years old). • During adolescence the desire for independence and autonomy increases. Parents may find this time is less thrilling as youth seek to find their way to adulthood.

11. What is Adolescence? • Youth in care may find this transition period even more difficult as they have been removed from birth families and are trying to navigate relationships including those with foster parents.

12. What signs of adolescence have you seen in your teen?

13. Jean Piaget • Pronounced pee-uh-zhey • A French theorist on Cognitive Development. • His theories on the Formal Operational Stage and Cognitive Development of children were used all over the world. 1896-1980

14. The Formal Operational Stage • Abstract of Ideas • Deductive Logic • Abstract Thought • Problem-Solving • Hypothetical-Deductive Reasoning

15. Activity- How Comfortable Are YOU? • Listen to the questions and determine how comfortable you are with it. • Move into the smaller circle to indicate you are comfortable. • Move into the outer circle to indicate you are somewhat comfortable. • Stand outside the entire circle structure if you are not comfortable. Comfortable Not Comfortable Somewhat Comfortable

16. Building a Relationship • What are some challenges you faced as a teen? • What did you need from parents/adults to face those challenges?

17. Music Match Your Teen • In this next activity, you will hear music clips from various artist. • Listen to the words of the song and think of your teen or think of yourself as a teen and move to the flipchart with that songs title. • Once you move to a flipchart you may only move once more if a song is played that is more relatable. • Discuss your choice with the class.

18. Music Match Your Teen • Parents Just Don’t Understand • Wild Child • Teenage Dream • Waiting for the World to Change • Life is Highway

19. Ways to have a parent- teen relationship?

20. Ways to Build a Parent – Teen Relationship

21. Ways to Build a Parent – Teen Relationship

22. Ways to Build a Parent – Teen Relationship • Participation • Taking part in the things they are interested in and also taking note of the things they are good at and really into; helping them to explore their interest or introducing them to a new interest.

23. Ways to Build a Parent – Teen Relationship • Preparation • Preparing them to navigate life- through skill training.

24. Ways to Build a Parent – Teen Relationship

25. Activity • Brainstorm ways you can implement Engagement, Participation, Preparation, and Support for youth in care and record them on the colored posted-it notes provided. • Take your completed posted- it notes to the designated flipchart. • You should have at least one idea for each category.

26. Building Relationships • While building relationships with our teens and understanding their need to be independent, we have to understand that this is a common desire for most teens and assist them in the process. • We first need to understand the difference between dependent and independent.

27. Dependent Definition • Dependent- Influenced or controlled by something or someone else.

28. Independent Definition • Independent-Free from the influence, guidance or control of another or others. Able to make connections in the surrounding environment that nurtures the emotional, physical and psychological well-being.

29. Promoting Independence • The goal for foster parents is to assist in helping youth become independent in the home, and in the outside world. • Promoting independence in the home and in the outside world are critical for youth in care to succeed as adults.

30. Developing Independent Youth • Teaching life skills are habits that will lead to self- reliance. • We want to build life skills by implementing them into our everyday routines.

31. M.A.P. of Independence • Model-Demonstrate while youth observes. • Assist-Help without actually doing; youth and adults are both involved. • Practice-Encourage teen to do the activity on their own while adult observes.

32. Brainstorm What are some life skills that we can teach youth in care?

33. LEAP!

34. The Roles Coach: A coach is someone that trains or instructs. A coach gives extra or private teaching to an individual

35. The Roles Mentor: A mentor is an experienced trusted advisor. A mentor provides guidance.

36. The Roles Advocate: A person who publicly supports or recommends a particular cause or policy.

37. Activity • Ways to fulfill your role with youth in care.

38. The Role You Play • What challenges do you experience in each these roles? • How do these roles best serve youth transitioning out of care? • Do these roles differ from the role of a parent?

39. The Role You Play • To what extent do your values and experiences shape your ability to assume the roles in working with a youth who is different form you? • How might your role as advocate and mentor be compromised in working with a youth who is different from you?

40. How we can Support, Engage, and Prepare?

41. Characteristics of Supportive Foster Parents • Listen, Listen, Listen • Make time to nurture your relationship • Show respect for your teenager • Support your teenager’s sense of fun and play • Be affectionate with your teen • Stay hopeful about your child’s capabilities, and the ability of people to solve problems big and small

42. Closure