Dr. Wendy Ellis and the Center for Community Resilience partnered with Joining Forces for Children, All In Cincinnati, the University of Cincinnati Center for Truth, Racial Healing & Transformation, Cincinnati Public Schools, and the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center to create, “America’s Truth: Cincinnati,” a documentary exploring how structural racism in policies and practices harmed four Black communities in Cincinnati. This documentary was created as part of our cross-coalition effort to bring truth and racial healing to our community in 2021. The documentary features many Joining Forces for Children partners, including the Avondale ROOT Ambassadors. The documentary offers a vision for policy and practice transformation in support of racial equity here in Cincinnati and beyond. You can now view the documentary for free by registering at https://ccr.publichealth.gwu.edu/americas-truth with your email address!
Resource Topic: Stress
Parent Conversation Guide
This guide is intended to help professionals engage parents and caregivers in supportive conversations that assess risks and needs, with the ultimate goal of supporting family wellness. Establishing rapport and using the tips outlined on the guide will help build trust, even if the conversation must happen virtually. It may take multiple conversations for parents or caregivers to feel safe enough to share their concerns or ask for help. Across our region, providers have been using these strategies to regularly engage families.
If you have questions about the guide or would like additional training in motivational interviewing basics, please contact the Joining Forces for Children training team at alison.savage@cchmc.org.
“5 Ways to Build Resilience” Tip Sheets by Joining Forces for Children Early Childhood Channel
The Joining Forces for Children Early Childhood Channel “Messages of Hope” work group created 5 tip sheets for building resilience with children. These tip sheets outline easy, every day actions that help children build resiliency and develop strong, stable relationships.
- Multiple languages: These tip sheets are available in English, Spanish, and French.
- Children’s books list: A popular tool for parent engagement, tip sheets can be paired with similarly themed children’s books. We’ve seen them used at story time, shared with families at home visits, and even distributed at the Cincinnati Children’s emergency departments! Our local librarians helps us compile a list of the books that align with the theme of each tip sheet
- QR code for distribution: Finally, we’ve also created a flyer with a QR code, in case you want a single way to distribute all tip sheets to parents at engagement events.
Co-Regulating: Parenting with Power
Researchers have found that when a person observes the experience of another person, the same areas of the brain light up as the person having the experience. Simply put, mirror neurons are linked to our ability to connect with other’s experiences and develop empathy. This resource lists 5 ways parents and caregivers can help a child deescalate by using a “mirror” technique called co-regulating.
Being Strong Even When You’re Stressed!
Parents and caregivers are incredibly valuable. They are the most important person in a child’s life. When parents and caregivers are strong, it makes it easier for their children to be strong too. Being strong doesn’t mean you have to be perfect or a super hero all the time. This tip sheet outlines 7 ways parents and caregivers can be strong for their families during tough times!
Building Resilience During Tough Times
Resilience is the ability to grow and learn from overwhelming, challenging situations- whether it’s maintaining hopefulness in the face of COVID-19 or daily parenting challenges and stresses, or BOTH. This ability is not something you either have or you don’t, it’s learned through our experiences and those around us. This resource page outlines 5 ways parents and caregivers can intentionally focus on building internal resilience!
Social Connections to Stay Resilient
Feeling connected to people can be a big motivator to keep going, especially when times are
hard. Our circles of support – whether it be family, friends, coworkers, teammates, church
members, or others – help us to manage stress and feel less alone. This tip sheet explores WHY social connections are a key component to maintaining resiliency for you and your family!
Tips for Teens: How to Manage Stress
Whether it is COVID-19 or some other stressful situation, behaviors you see on the outside are
only the “tip of the iceberg”. The feelings underneath can be overwhelming, especially for adolescents and teens. This tip sheet helps teens explore what’s “below the surface” when they’re feeling stressed and overwhelmed and alone.
Child Adult Relationship Enhancement (CARE) Collaborative
CARE is an evidence-based universal approach to help any adult interacting with children or teens. It uses skills designed to enhance child-adult relationships and to reduce mild to moderate behavior problems. CARE is a trauma-informed training model for caregivers and professionals, paraprofessionals, and lay public who interact and work with children. CARE workshops actively build skills through discussion, demonstration, practice, and live coaching—all within a fun and engaging learning environment!
The International CARE (iCARE) Collaborative is a group of experts and all-around fun people who are excited to share the power of Child-Adult Relationship Enhancement (CARE) with others. Visit the website for informational videos and trainings.
Local Parent Support Video Series
Joining Forces for Children partnered with Cincinnati Public schools to produce a weekly video series to help connect parents to support while school buildings are closed. Topics include taking care of your family, asking for help, social emotional learning at home, and much more! Check the Cincinnati Public Schools YouTube channel weekly for updates.