Demonstrate the importance of engagement by making daily Can be used to create improved efforts, both formal and informal, toward developing more relationships with staff. meaningful relationships with staff. Child welfare staff are trained to conduct assessments that are When interacting with your staff, be aware of the power differential that is trauma-informed and to empower families by recognizing and present as the result of your leadership building on strengths. position in the agency. Empower staff by recognizing and building their strengths. It may take time to establish an For example, when faced with discord within your unit, elicit environment where staff feel their input by first identifying strengths, such as: What do you comfortable openly sharing their feel you are positively contributing to the unit? What could thoughts, ideas and opinions with you. we be doing better as a unit? Supervisor support of stakeholder involvement (such as: service Strong Bonds – Building Family Efforts may improve communication and providers, family members, informal supports, etc.) are opportunities Connections: Professional Issues relationships within the community. to focus on strengths. May be used to demonstrate more than Focus on strengths in your interactions with stakeholders by one competency. recognizing and celebrating successes. Effects of secondary trauma can be cumulative, especially for Secondary Trauma: All staff (including supervisors) bring leadership who have worked directly with children and families in the personal and professional experiences Self-Care Assessments: past. that create their unique frame of Engage your staff in conversations regarding how they are reference, impact their interactions with processing challenging cases emotionally. others and inform their reactions to secondary trauma. Encourage development of self-care plans and provide support Secondary Traumatic Stress to staff implementing their plans. Empathy is often the most important tool to helping children in care. Unfortunately, Share strategies you use to protect yourself from the the more empathic one is, the greater secondary trauma encountered in the workplace. their risk for internalizing the trauma of foster children. The result of this engagement skill can be secondary traumatic stress.
Demonstrate the importance of engagement by making daily efforts, both formal and informal, toward developing more meaningful relationships with staff. Can be used to create improved relationships with staff. Child welfare staff are trained to conduct assessments that are trauma-informed and to empower families by recognizing and building on strengths. Empower staff by recognizing and building their strengths. For example, when faced with discord within your unit, elicit their input by first identifying strengths, such as: What do you feel you are positively contributing to the unit? What could we be doing better as a unit? When interacting with your staff, be aware of the power differential that is present as the result of your leadership position in the agency. It may take time to establish an environment where staff feel comfortable openly sharing their thoughts, ideas and opinions with you. Supervisor support of stakeholder involvement (such as: service providers, family members, informal supports, etc.) are opportunities to focus on strengths. Focus on strengths in your interactions with stakeholders by recognizing and celebrating successes. Strong Bonds – Building Family Connections: Professional Issues Efforts may improve communication and relationships within the community. May be used to demonstrate more than one competency. Effects of secondary trauma can be cumulative, especially for leadership who have worked directly with children and families in the past. Engage your staff in conversations regarding how they are processing challenging cases emotionally. Encourage development of self-care plans and provide support to staff implementing their plans. Share strategies you use to protect yourself from the secondary trauma encountered in the workplace. Secondary Trauma: Self-Care Assessments: Secondary Traumatic Stress All staff (including supervisors) bring personal and professional experiences that create their unique frame of reference, impact their interactions with others and inform their reactions to secondary trauma. Empathy is often the most important tool to helping children in care. Unfortunately, the more empathic one is, the greater their risk for internalizing the trauma of foster children. The result of this engagement skill can be secondary traumatic stress.
Supervisor%20Materials%20Packet%20-%20Assessment%20%28Final%29.docx