Facilitating Change with Teens in Foster Care Using Motivational Interviewing Techniques

Level: Advanced Practice – Lineworker

Credits: 3

Intended Audience: This training is intended for lineworkers and other professional staff who work with adolescents in substitute care placements

Intended Objectives:

• Learn how to facilitate change in adolescents who are ambivalent and resistance of change
• Learn developmental issues adolescence face and its interaction with substitute care placement
• Learn the Stages of Change
• Practice O.A.R.S. as it applies to having conversations with teenage clients

Topics Include:

• Adolescence: life objectives, issues and problems
• Stages of change and motivation
• What is Motivational Interviewing?
• Setting up the motivational interviewing conversation
• Reflective listening

CalSWEC Competencies Addressed:

3.1 Student is able to practice basic principles and techniques of interviewing children and families for purposes of assessment, intervention and service planning.

3.5 Student demonstrates an understanding of basic child development and how developmental level affects a child’s perception of events, coping strategies, and physical and psychological responses to stress and trauma.

3.9 Student demonstrates the ability to engage and work with involuntary clients in a manner that includes the exercise of clients self-determination.

3.12 Student understands the inherent power differential in working with clients and can effectively manage and balance that power.

4.1 Student demonstrates skill and interviewing children and families for assessment, service planning, intervention, and forensic purposes.

8.1 Student understands how professional values, ethics and standards influence decision making and planning and public child welfare practice.

8.6 Student demonstrates knowledge of how organizational structure, climate, and culture affect service effectiveness, worker productivity, and morale.