|
Wraparound
Wraparound focuses on using child and family / whanau strengths and natural supports, and alongside professionals, developing a plan that gives direction for families to reach their hopes and dreams.
Wraparound is a creative process, not a programme or service. It is an unconditional commitment to create strategies to help the child and their family / whanau to become independent and successfully continue on a purposeful journey during and after the prison sentence.
The plan is pro-social, strengths based, family centred and child focussed and is based on the unique strengths and preferences of the family / whanau indicating the direction they want to take showing the milestones or indicators along the way.
The Wraparound aims to include all child, family / whanau natural and professional supports at the outset, with the PILLARS social worker facilitating the process. The ultimate goal being to support the child, family / whanau during the sentence and for preparation once the sentence is over to break the crime cycle.
PILLARS recognises the importance of long-term connections between people, particularly between family members and their wider community. This support is vital to enabling the child / family / whanau to live a life free from crime.
PILLARS holds a register of caring and professional people to support you through the wraparound process if you do not have a team of support people gathered around you.
How the Wraparound Support Vehicle works
At the initial contact in the family home, an assessment takes place so that the PILLARS social worker, alongside the parent / caregiver, identify the issues that need to be addressed. As part of this assessment, the child, and family/whanau natural and professional supports are decided upon. Where gaps are identified, PILLARS accesses caring and professional people to fill these gaps. Drawing on these supports the PILLARS social worker identifies the people most likely to meet the needs and they are invited to the first wraparound meeting.
The PILLARS Social Worker directs the process and coordinates the meetings which are set up as soon as possible after the assessment. It is our hope that the imprisoned parent can be very a part of this process and that the Department of Corrections will view this process as a vital reintegrative tool for the prisoner and his / her family to ensure that they are adequately supported during the sentence and well prepared to live a life free of crime once the sentence is over.
The PILLARS Social Worker supports the child and family / whanau by liaising with each member of the team to ensure the goals of the plan are achieved and offer any other support that may be required. The plan focuses on creating a family vision that describes how they would like their family / whanau to be when the parent is released from prison and the direction that will take the milestones along the way and the resources required.
The team makes a commitment to provide unconditional support for the family / whanau during the process. It is imperative for the effectiveness of the process that the wraparound team agree to any changes, in consultation with each other, in direction as long as it is in the best interests of the child and will better meet the needs of the family / whanau.
Eleven principles of the Wraparound process:
1. PILLARS social worker – role
The PILLARS social worker works alongside the family / whanau, directs the process and co-ordinates the meetings.
2. Family supports – voice and choice
Child and family / whanau perspectives are intentionally elicited and prioritised during all phases of the wraparound process. Planning is grounded in family members’ perspectives and the team strives to provide options and choices such that the plan reflects family values and preferences.
3. Natural supports
The natural supports consist of individuals, drawn from the family members’ networks of interpersonal and community eg friends, neighbours, pastor, mentor, employer, sports associates; who are committed to the wellbeing of the child and family / whanau. These natural supports can be “added to” as other individuals enter their lives. PILLARS will help with this.
4. Professional supports
As for the natural supports, the professional supports are individuals who are already providing services to the family members eg teachers, prison casework officer, counsellor etc.
5. Team based
The Team is made up of the Family / Whanau, the Natural Supports, the Professional Supports and a PILLARS worker who facilitates the meeting. The PILLARS worker actively seeks out and encourages the full participation of team members to form the Wraparound plan which reflects activities and interventions that draw on sources available from team members.
6. Collaboration
Team members work cooperatively and share responsibility for developing, implementing, monitoring, and evaluating a single Wraparound plan. The plan reflects a blending of team member’s perspectives, mandates, and resources. The plan guides and coordinates each team member’s work towards meeting the team goals and lead by the PILLARS worker.
7. Community-based
The Wraparound team implements service and support strategies that take place in the most inclusive, most responsive, most accessible, and least restrictive settings possible; and that safely promote child and family integration and reintegration into home and community life.
8. Culturally competent
The Wraparound process demonstrates respect for and builds on the values, preferences, beliefs, culture, and identity of the child / youth and family and their community.
9. Individualised
To achieve the goals laid out in the Wraparound plan, the team develops and implements a customised set of strategies, supports and services.
10. Strengths-based
The Wraparound process and the Wraparound plan identify, build on, and enhance the capabilities, knowledge, skills and assets of the child and family, their community and other team members.
11. Outcome based
The team ties the goals and strategies of the Wrapround plan to observable or measurable indicators of success, monitors progress in terms of these indicators, and revises and plan accordingly. Despite challenges, the team persists in working toward the goals included in the wraparound plan until the team reaches agreement that a formal Wraparound process is no longer required.
Social work competence and client safety is constantly monitored by both on-site and off-site professional and clinical supervision.
|
