The Work We Do - School Wraparound Plans
School Wraparound is an intensive, holistic method of engaging with individuals with complex needs (most typically children, youth, and their families) so that they can live in their homes and communities and realize their hopes and dreams. (National Wraparound Initiative, Portland State University)
While many public and private services provided to individuals and families use teams to provide care or services, the Wraparound Model is different in that it brings together multiple systems to address complex issues to create individualized plans for children and their families.
In a typical Wraparound Model, Case Management Team members commit to following a collaborative model of interacting and working together. The Team is community-focused; composed of representatives from a wide range of private and public agencies, are culturally and socially aware and sensitive to family traditions, values, preferences, beliefs, and culture. A Case Management Coordinator (CMC) guides the team through the process, does the initial assessments and schedules meetings, works to create a seamless plan of service and care, and focuses the team on building a plan of action on a strengths-based outlook. Family input is solicited at every step of the process from assessment, and discussion to action planning and implementation. Youth also participate in the assessment, planning, implementation process. An emerging role in the wraparound process is that of a Family Resource Developer (FDR) or Family Support Partner, who supports the family through the wraparound process.
ECA provides clarity on the specific characteristics of your Wraparound process, including the collaborative case management model. Everyone's perspective is heard, respected, and included in decision-making processes.
For one client's Wraparound Plan, ECA analyzed best practices for school and community climate change by reviewing national resources ranging from the Safe and Supportive Schools Technical Assistance Center and the National School Climate Center; Departments of Education (DESE) and United Way as well as other communities implementing a Wrap-Around Zone Initiative.
ECA then mapped the community's Wraparound services by identifying current formalized school/community partnerships in order to understand the universe of partners for schools, how the partnerships work and how ultimately, how they could be improved.
Finally, for this same client, ECA addressed interventions for dropout prevention, highlighted causes and symptoms of potential dropout behavior, and provide comprehensive tiered programs for intervention. Persistent high school dropout rates, while not unusual, are disturbing in larger urban high schools particularly when issues of poverty and transience. Schools that fail to provide supportive relationships, high academic expectations, and relevant curriculum put their students at risk of dropping out.
Key principals include:
- Family Voice and Choice in Wraparound – Family and youth/child perspectives are intentionally elicited and prioritized during all phases of the wraparound process.
- Team-Based Support – The wraparound team consists of individuals who are agreed upon by the family and who are committed to the family through informal, formal, and community support and service relationships.
- Natural Supports – The team actively seeks out and encourages the full participation of team members drawn from family members' networks of interpersonal and community relationships.
- Collaboration – Team members make it a priority to work cooperatively and share responsibility for developing, implementing, monitoring, and evaluating a single wraparound plan.
- Community-Based Services and Access – The wraparound team implements service and support strategies that take place in the most inclusive, most responsive, most accessible, and least restrictive settings possible; and that safely promote child and family integration into home and community life.
- Culturally Competent Planning – The wraparound process demonstrates respect for and builds on the values, preferences, beliefs, culture, and identity of the child/youth and family, and their community.
- Individualized Approach – To achieve the goals laid out in the plan, the team develops a customized set of strategies, supports and services that results in a plan uniquely tailored to fit the family.
- Strengths-Based Perspective – The wraparound process and the plan identify, build on, and enhance the capabilities, knowledge, skills and assets of the child and family, their community, and other team members.
- Persistence and Commitment to Success – Despite challenges, the team persists in working toward the goals included in the wraparound plan until the team reaches agreement that a formal wraparound process is no longer needed.
- Outcome- Based Planning – The team ties the goals and strengths of the wraparound plan to observable or measurable indicators of success, monitors progress in terms of these indicators, and revises the plan accordingly.
