NCJ Number
224958
Journal
Protecting Children Volume: 23 Issue: 1 & 2 Dated: 2008 Pages: 96-104
Date Published
2008
Length
9 pages
Annotation
This paper examines the interplay of the North Carolina Division of Social Services’ adoption of the six Principles of Partnership with the philosophical and practical foundation for its Multiple Response System in the reform of the child welfare system.
Abstract
In 2000, the North Carolina Division of Social Services adopted six Principles of Partnership as the philosophical and practice foundation for the Multiple Response System (MRS) reform. The six Principles of Partnership are: everyone desires respect, everyone needs to be heard, everyone has strengths, judgments can wait, partners share power, and partnership is a process. The six Principles of Partnership are universal principles, applicable to any type of partnership. These principles have taken on a life of their own in North Carolina, spreading across all levels of child welfare administration and are beginning to provide a framework and language for good practice in other systems. The driving force behind the creation of the MRS, statewide reform effort, was the dual focus of North Carolina’s family support and child welfare system to ensure safe, permanent, nurturing homes for children while improving the lives of families. Prior to the implementation of MRS, the Appalachian Family Innovations provided teambuilding and collaboration training for the entire agency. The training was designed to meet the needs of professions, as well as assist other agency programs striving to implement family-centered practice. The training classes were designed around each of the Principles of Partnership. The remainder of this article discusses the training plan, implementation, the Cornerstone classes, expansion of the training, and the impact of a training curriculum. Figures, references