Shifting the Focus: Prioritizing the Developmental Needs of Infants and Toddlers through the Early Childhood Court Team

In Illinois, The Early Childhood Court Team program utilizes a relationship-based approach. The approach is developmental and prioritizes the well-being of very young children exposed to early life trauma, engages all caregivers, and ensures increased case collaboration among all sectors of the service array. The workshop describes the strategies to develop the skills, knowledge and values of the staff to enhance their capacity to respond more effectively to the developmental needs of young children. Families and children are best supported when their complex needs are identified, understood and approached in an ecological manner that empowers the parental role. The scope of these needs often overwhelms the casework agency when coordination of care is not established. This can result in a compliance orientation that fractures the helping relationship and leaves all parties overwhelmed and critical needs unmet. The element of curiosity requires the ECCT staff, that provide practice coaching to assess the capacity of the caseworker and other court professionals and to scaffold their skill development. To develop commitment to practice change, professionals must discover their own answers. When coaching with curiosity, ECCT professionals are asked powerful questions that stimulate reflection and help clarify choices. This same parallel process is critical to our collaborative work with families.

Presenters:

Sherri L. Moore MSW, LCSWhas served in the field of child welfare for more than 25 years. During the past 10 years, she has served in various program management roles, where she provided administrative oversight to developmentally focused parent training programs and evidence-based interventions as a University employee for the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services. Prior to that, Sherri developed curriculum for the Illinois Model of Supervisory Practice, and led the development and implementation of a field coaching program aimed at enhancing the capacity of the child welfare workforce. Sherri currently serves as the Program Director for the Illinois Early Childhood Court Team Initiative and the Birth through Three Title IV-E Waiver Demonstration Project. Within this role, she promotes the practice of child well-being, and administers programs that aim to increase the awareness among those who work with maltreated infants and toddlers about the impact of trauma and adversity on very young children. She began her career as a caseworker at Ada. S. McKinley Community Services. She also worked as an education coordinator, program supervisor and a Director of Specialized Foster care. Her experience designing, leading and managing innovative initiatives is driven by her passion to serve and build the capacity of those who in turn serve children and families. She holds a bachelor’s degree in psychology and a Master of Social Work degree from Chicago State University.

Kimberly A. Mann, Ph.D., L.C.S.W., currently serves as the Deputy Director for the DCFS Office of Child Well-Being.  Since joining the Department in 2008, she has guided the development of trauma-informed practices, served as Project Director for the Illinois Birth- Three Title IV-E Waiver and currently leads the implementation of the Early Childhood Court Team initiative. Her practice, program development and research interests include clinical practice with children and their families, and the impact of trauma in the lives of youth.  Dr. Mann has more than 20 years of graduate and undergraduate teaching experience in Social Work; and 30 years’ experience working with youth and families, primarily in child welfare, public school and community-based settings.  Within her current role, she promotes the physical, cognitive, social and emotional well-being of youth served by the child welfare system and administers programs that support the developmental needs of children aged 0-6.

Social Work and Counseling CEUs are available. Early Intervention credits have been approved for 2 hours in Working with Families. . 

This event is co-sponsored by the Center for Practice Excellence at JCFS-Chicago.