As we all are aware, COVID has presented its own set of challenges to the wonderful work we all do with the children and families we serve and our Benchmarks’ Partnering for Excellence (PFE) child welfare partners are no different in this regard. During the pandemic child welfare agencies across North Carolina have had to contend with the ever-changing needs and demands of their communities. From helping families get set up with supportive concrete supports during times of financial uncertainty like Medicaid and Food and Nutrition Services to ensuring the safety and well-being needs of children and their families, needs are being met during these times of social distancing.
Although all of our partners have done a phenomenal job at this, this month we would like to highlight our Davidson County child welfare partners and highlight the work they have done to provide “out of the box” opportunities for youth to engage with peers while addressing potential strains to youth’s mental health during these times. Though adjusting to the constantly changing requirements for youth in care as a result of COVID, such as navigating visitation and contact requirements while adhering to social distancing standards, the foster care unit in Davidson County still found time to ensure children had opportunities to connect.
Rebecca Oshige, a foster care social worker, shared with our team that several weeks into social distancing youth in care began to express feelings of isolation. Youth no longer had opportunities to socialize with peers at school, with siblings in other placements, or with coaches, teachers, and mentors in afterschool programs. This, combined with prior trauma and mental health struggles, appeared to be impacting youths’ behaviors, placement stability, and overall well-being. To tackle this, the foster care team figured out creative ways to help youth connect with others to combat their feelings of isolation. Over the past few months, the Davidson County team has hosted several interactive virtual events for youth such as virtual paint nights and trauma-informed movements classes to help children find healthy ways to connect, cope, and release anxiety.
Although these efforts have proven to be worthwhile, staff understand that as long as we remain distanced, events like these will need to remain a high priority. The Davidson County child welfare staff also expressed understanding that foster and kindship caregivers also need additional resources and support during these times which is why they sent staff through the National Childhood Traumatic Stress Network’s (NCTSN’s) Resource Parenting Curriculum (RPC) in the spring ensuring staff would be equipped to assist caregivers who are spending more time with youth. Although Davidson has not yet “roll out” this new curriculum, their goal is to teach caregivers how to effectively manage, cope, and regulate the emotions and behaviors of trauma-impacted youth in their homes. We are so proud to be the partners of such a caring agency and will continue to keep you posted on their Rockstar developments!
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