Early Childhood Initiative
Exposure to violence in infancy and early childhood has far reaching developmental, behavioral and emotional consequences. Research suggests that as much as half of children exposed to trauma before the age of ten develop psychiatric problems later in life. Exposure to violence undermines young children's basic sense of trust in the world. They may perceive adults as harmful or as unable to keep them safe. Further, a growing body of research has shown that exposure to habitual violence can permanently alter brain development predisposing children to violent impulsive behavior and has a negative impact on brain development, leading to lower intelligence scores in young children.
In order to intervene early in these children's lives, Safe Passages has for the last five years convened city, county, school district, and community agencies to assess resources and identify gaps in services for children 0-5 exposed to violence. The result of this work has been the development of the Oakland Early Childhood Initiative. Through the initiative a citywide safety net for young children exposed to violence has been created and culturally and linguistically sensitive services for these children have been expanded.
By working together, public and private entities who come in contact with children exposed to violence can insure that the needs of these children are addressed through comprehensive support services. Law enforcement, day care and pre school providers, families, relatives and friends now have a means by which to ensure that young children, and their families, who are exposed to violence receive treatment and services such as mental health counseling and case management.
The Citywide Referral Process includes the following components:
1) Identification of children 0-5 exposed to violence: This is done by organizations such as law enforcement, schools, families, and community service providers who come in contact with young children who are exposed to violence.
2) Intake and screening of children identified. Through the collaborative, an Intake Coordinator tracks children exposed to violence that are identified and referred and link them with appropriate services and resources. This effort has also led to the expansion of family hotlines by creating additional staffing, increasing Spanish-speaking coverage, and training hotline staff on how to screen for domestic violence in all calls and make referrals to the Intake Specialist.
3) Case management for children exposed to violence and their families: The collaborative has developed access to a culturally and linguistically diverse corps of Case Manager/Mental Health counselors who will ensure that coordinated family support services are provided to identified families in which children 0-5 have been exposed to violence. The Case Manager/Mental Health counselor receives referrals from the Intake Coordinator, conducts needs assessments, contacts families at least once a week, and assist families in navigating through public systems.
4) Outreach and increased public awareness. Safe Passages conducts public awareness campaigns to educate the general public about the effects of exposure to violence on children 0-5. The campaigns provide informational materials for parents/caregivers about the effects of exposure to violence on young children and the creation of a citywide referral system, and training materials for police officers.
Prevention and intervention services accessed directly through school sites and shelters. Services include:
1) Second Step Violence Prevention Curriculum. Through colorful pictures and hand puppets, young children learn the importance of peaceful problem-solving and how to articulate their emotions. The curriculum promotes school readiness by incorporating language development and comprehension into each lesson. It is being currently taught at 55 early childhood centers and emergency family shelters throughout the city of Oakland.
2) Mental Health Consultation. A collaborative of mental health providers offers class-room-based mental health consultation at early childhood education sites in high-crime areas. Mental health consultation encompasses an array of services, including program consultation, therapeutic playgroups, case consultation, direct intervention with children and families, early referrals, parent education, and support groups.
3) Parent-Infant Psychotherapy. The collaborative provides intensive counseling to families in which children have been exposed to violence. The focus of the work is to promote and restore nurturing relationships between parents and children.
How Are We Doing?
Children and Families Served:
In 2005-2006, 5,750 children were taught the Second Step Violence Prevention/Social Skills curriculum at 55 sites, including all of Oakland's Head Start Centers, the Oakland Unified School District Early Education Centers, and private centers in the city of Oakland in Alameda County.
In addition, 1,627 children and families received mental health consultation services, while 236 families received Parent-Infant-Psychotherapy sessions.
Police Training:
As of June 2006, 400 Oakland Police Officers participated in trainings that focus on the role of officers as first responders, early childhood developmental concepts, the impact of exposure to violence on physical and behavioral development, including future involvement with violence and crime, and guidelines for how to interact with young children who have witnessed violence in order to minimize their trauma and improve community perceptions of officers.
In addition, approximately 140 pocket cards and 3,100 resource cards have been distributed to police officers, who have been instructed to pass the cards on to families with young children. The cards, which have been translated into various languages, list: 1) a phone number for parents to call for counseling and mental health support, and 2) a phone number to call for legal support.
Early Childhood Policy Committee Members
- Cherri Allison, Executive Director, Family Violence Law Center
- Josefina Alvarado-Mena, Executive Director, Safe Passages
- Deborah Bremond, Family Services Program Director, Every Child Counts
- Alisa Burton, Program Manager, Oakland Head Start
- Sujata Bansal, Child Development Specialist, Every Child Counts, Family Support Services
- Janis Burger, Deputy Director, Every Child Counts
- Katherine Chun, Asian Community Mental Health Services
- Marge Deichman, Director, Family Health Services, Alameda County Public Health Dept.
- Kerry Forbord, Director, Oakland Ready to Learn
- Angie Garling, Child Care Coordinator, Alameda County Child Care Planning Council
- Margie Gutierrez-Padilla, Early Childhood Consultation Program, Alameda County Behavioral Health Care
- Erin Hill Freschi, Alameda County Children & Families Commission
- Priya Jagannathan, Department of Human Services, City of Oakland
- Megan Kirshbaum, Through the Looking Glass
- Heather Lang, Bananas Resource and Referral
- Bonnie Lovette, Children's Hospital
- Jane Nicholson, Oakland Unified School District
- Raeanne Passintino, Alameda County Public Health Department
- Grace Orenstein, The Link to Children
- Marcella Reeves, Parental Stress Service, Inc.
- Jill Rian, Social Services Agency, Alameda County
- Carol Singer, Jewish Family & Children's Services of the East Bay
- Esther Wong, Family Support Services Director Asian Community Mental Health Services,
- Andrea Youngdahl (Chair), Director, City of Oakland's Dept. of Human Services
- Lt. Kevin Wiley, Oakland Police Department (OPD)
Program Evaluation Results
Impact of Site-Based Services on Young Children
Safe Passages and the University of California San Francisco (UCSF) partnered to conduct an evaluation of school site based services on children's social, emotional, and academic readiness for school. The services included:
- Mental health consultation provided by an Early Childhood Consultant (ECC)
- Training on the use of the Second Step violence prevention curriculum
- Teacher workshops on using art to promote literacy
- And parent workshops on practices that support early literacy
Almost 222 children participated in a study where teachers were asked to rate the children's behavior prior to the start of the program and after. The results of this evaluation are as follows:
- Across all programs, teachers rated children as showing reduced anger and aggression, reduced anxious and withdrawn behavior
- Teachers also stated that children's pro-social behavior had improved significantly compared to before the program
Teachers rate children's behavior
(scale 1 to 6; where 1 = never and 6 = always)
Police Officer Training Results
Police officers evaluations show that trainings have received an above average rating and are resulting in significant shifts in officer knowledge of child development concepts, comfort level in engaging young children, and propensity to support young children (i.e. offering resources to families).
"Good course, with very useful information. The Lisa 911 tape was eye opening."
-Oakland Police Officer
"The video of the baby was a revelation. Definitely made me pay more attention."
-Oakland Police Officer
"It was very insightful and the presentation was impacting."
-Oakland Police Officer