Recruiting and Retaining Great Foster Parents

Transcription

1 Recruiting and Retaining Great Foster Parents Dependency Summit August 28, 2008 Liz Levine, SPHR

2 Introduction Today s Session: Recruiting with a Plan Your recruiting background: let s talk!

3 Agenda Developing a recruiting plan Integrating and aligning your marketing messages (delivering on the promise) Retention tips and techniques Continuous improvement

4 Why a plan?

5 When and Where? As early in the process as possible Before orientation Could be an early home visit From former foster youth who has had some training Other ideas?

6 Recruiting Plan: How The Pieces Fit Together Interview Structure Fit Expectations Mktg. Message Retention Continuous Improvemen t

7 Interview Structure Interview Structure Objective of the interview Manage candidate expectations Get to know things about the person and about their experience, and if the person has the right skills, attitude, abilities for the job. In other words the right. How do we do this? fit

8 Prepare for Interview Interview Structure 3 Step Process Fit 1. Review candidate notes ahead of time 2. Decide what you want to know and develop questions 3. Establish expectations up front: Develop summary of position, along with what is in it for candidate, and pitfalls along the way. Include outline of process, along with projected timing for each step. Expectations

9 Questions: What to do? Interview Structure Types of questions Open ended Behavioral

10 Behavioral or Targeted Interviewing Definition: Behavioral Interviews are constructed with a series of questions that result in the candidate explaining past experiences. The past experiences describe the candidate s proficiency with certain competencies and behaviors. Source: Lominger Architect, 1995

11 Behavioral or Targeted Interviewing Construct behavioral question using phrases like: Please tell me about a time when you Please tell me about a time when you observed Please tell me about an event that happened to you that. If you could write a book about xxx, what would the chapter headings be? Source: Lominger Architect, 1995

12 Questions: Let s practice Interview Structure You are having a visit with Ms. Smith who wants to become a foster parent. She is new in town Her letter of interest states the following: She is married with 2 teenage children She has been a youth group leader for 7 years She is seeking a Church to join She has been involved in her children s school as a volunteer parent Work in groups of 4-5 to develop at least 3 behavioral questions that pull the fit attributes from the candidate

13 Questions: Role Play Interview Structure

14 Recruiting Plan: Interview Structure Fit Expectation s Retentio n Mktg. Message Continuous Improvemen t

15 Retention of great Foster Parents Retention Career path Mentoring Interview team for new foster parents Interview again with open ended questions Recognize specific successes that align with why they joined in the first place Making a difference in the life of a child How, when, where, what

16 Integrating Your Marketing Message: Delivering the Promise Mktg. Message Who interacts with potential families at your agency? Bring them into the marketing messaging Develop scripts for telephone Develop one or two simple phrases

17 Continuous Improvement How are we doing? Ongoing Ask your people and new foster families How was the application process What worked, what did not? What changes can we make? Is the experience as you expected? Incorporate changes Continuous Improvement

18 Summary Developing a recruiting plan Integrating and aligning your marketing messages (delivering on the promise) Retaining your great Foster Parents Continuous improvement Resources Worksheet to use to build recruiting plan Lominger.com (Behavioral Interviewing in Depth)

19 Acknowledgements Carole Shauffer, Executive Director,Youth Law Center Heidi Foreman All of you. Thank you for sharing your great ideas and experiences!!