Speaker: Tiffany Stiles, Child Protection Specialist, DCF
Give an example of how using the KPM tools has positively affected a child/family?
Tiffany Stiles: Using the Kansas Practice Model has helped positively affect our children and families by simply just having a conversation with them and having different questions - what their worries are, what their concerns are, especially what their strengths are - and celebrating those strengths with the family. And the KPM is a way of having those conversations in a different way than we would have previously, in the way that we did things to make families feel safe and feel heard, and to definitely feel less judged and to help build relationships with families so that we can help support them and help encourage them to meet their goals.
What’s your favorite KPM tool and why?
Tiffany Stiles: The 2019 is my favorite KPM tool, because I do feel like it enables us to have those conversations with families and really asking what their worries are and what their strengths are as well as what their next steps are. Do they feel safe in their home? Do their children feel safe in their home? And really just trying to find uh those solutions as well as building relationships with families and having the freedom to do so without feeling judged or isolated or um questioned.
What tool are you using that has surprised you, because initially you didn’t think you would use that tool?
Tiffany Stiles: The three houses really surprised me the most because I didn't think that I would use it as often as I do with children. But, it really does give nonverbal children, shy children, children that are too afraid to talk to DCF, or even just a normal kiddo the creativity to be able to express themselves, their worries or concerns and to really create a story through their creativity as a way to build rapport with not just us, but it's also a way to build rapport with families as well and to create a conversation about what the kids have drawn and what they've created.
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