Quality Parenting Initiative (QPI) – California

Quality Parenting Initiative California

The QPI presents a unique opportunity to strengthen efforts on a statewide basis in for the recruitment and retention of quality caregivers.

1. The Quality Parenting Initiative (QPI) began in 2009 as a collaborative effort with the California Department of Social Services (CDSS), the County Welfare Directors Association (CWDA)
2. A quality caregiver is a full partner in a team supporting the healthy development of and achieving permanency for children who cannot live with their parents.
3. The specific job of the caregiver is to provide high quality parenting by assuming many of the roles of the child’s parents and provide for the child’s needs while the child is in his or her home.
4. Provide the foster child: food, shelter, medical care, education, safety, support, encouragement, and reassurance. Encourage the child’s development of self-esteem and self-worth, consistent with the needs of the child.
5. Mentor the biological parents(s), if appropriate.
6. Maintain a lifelong commitment to the child wherever he or she lives, if appropriate.
7. Too many children in out of home care

• What is a Quality Caregiver?
• What We Know
• QPI Underlying Principles
• QPI Approach and Process
• QPI approach relies on
• QPI Resources and Training

What is a Quality Caregiver:

• A quality caregiver is a full partner in a team supporting the healthy development and achieving permanency for children who cannot live with their parents.
• The specific job of the caregiver is to provide high quality parenting by assuming many of the roles of the child’s parents and provide for the child’s needs while the child is in their home.
• Provide the foster child: food, shelter, medical care, education, safety, support, encouragement, reassurance, self-esteem, self-worth, security, structure, and love; consistent with the needs of the child.
• When appropriate to mentor the biological parent(s).
• Maintain a lifelong commitment to the child wherever he or she lives.

What We Know:

• Too many children in out of home care
• Too few foster homes

QPI Underlying Principles:  

• The Foster Parent “Brand” is seriously damaged
• We can’t create a new brand without reassessing the role of foster families
• A new brand is useless without changes in practice
• A quality foster parent brand is core to the success or failure of the child welfare system

QPI Approach and Process:

• Through a collaborative process we are rebranding foster parenting by articulating expectations
• Working with biological families
• Acquiring additional training
• Working in partnership with agencies

QPI approach relies on:

• Team planning to model mutual respect
• Use of branding principles to articulate expectations
• Use of HR principles to implement the brand
• Use of data to measure progress
• Advisors to the project to include county and state staff, caregivers, biological parents, community partners, and private agencies.

QPI Resources:

• Youth Law Center – QPI Resources
• View the QPI presentations offered at the June 2011 conference
• Foster Care and Adoptive Resource Families Recruitment and Training

Quality Parenting Initiative (QPI) “Just in Time Training” brought to you by California's Quality Parenting Initiative. Connects foster parents with the expert information, knowledge and skill training resources on the topic you need, when you need it.

• Information and Introduction video