Know

Children experience a range of emotions, and those emotions are amplified when their families experience stressors that are caused by a major change like deployment, death, divorce, separation, relocation, or job loss. You and your staff will likely work with children whose families experience these types of stressful events. Each family handles stress differently, and each child will have unique needs. You can help your staff feel confident and competent to support the mental health of children and youth. You might also need to help your staff identify times when the additional support of mental health professionals is appropriate for children, families, and staff. First, you can introduce staff members to the Strengthening Families Protective Factors Framework. This framework is designed to prevent child abuse and neglect, but it is also an excellent way to approach your work with all families. Your program supports children’s mental health by strengthening families. This framework focuses on strengths and promotes overall well-being. While it is beyond the scope of this lesson to completely explain the Protective Factors framework, you can learn more by visiting https://cssp.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/Branching-Out-and-Reaching-Deeper.pdf. For now, you can teach staff about the five protective factors that your program should work to support in all families:

For the purposes of this lesson, we will focus on resilience. Resilience is the ability to manage stress and bounce back from challenges. It is important for adults and children alike. Dr. Kenneth Ginsberg has written extensively about how to develop and model resiliency to support military youth. Watch this video about his discussion of the “7 C’s” that help children positively cope with the challenges of military life: http://www.fosteringresilience.com/videos.php. You can also read more about the “7 C’s” for building resiliency in the Learn resource below, from the International Youth Foundation’s, The 7 Cs: The Essential Building Blocks of Resilience: http://www.fosteringresilience.com/7cs_parents.php.

Keep in mind that all families face a variety of stressors and challenges. For military families, the common stress of deployment continues to impact families long after the deployment has ended and the service member has returned home. Ensure staff members understand that deployment is a multi-stage process. Help them understand the different emotions families go through before, during, and after deployment.

Seven-Stage Cycle

1. Stage 1 — Anticipation of Departure
2. Stage 2 — Detachment and Withdrawal
3. Stage 3 — Emotional Disorganization
4. Stage 4 — Recovery and Stabilization
5. Stage 5 — Anticipation of Return
6. Stage 6 — Return Adjustment and Renegotiation
7. Stage 7 — Reintegration and Stabilization

Emotional Cycles of Deployment. Adapted from Morse (n.d.) and Pincus, House, Christenson, & Adler (2001).

Connect staff members to the resources they need to do their jobs such as Military One Source at http://www.militaryonesource.mil/ or other resources available for your particular Service program. With the assistance of your program’s trainer or coach, support staff members as they implement their ideas to support families before, during, and after deployment. Communicate with staff members and families so they understand that it is OK to ask for help. Provide staff members and families with community resources that include mental health support.

Supervise & Support

As a Program Manager, you should stay connected to the mental health needs of the children and families in your program. Make sure you know which families are experiencing deployments, divorce, relocation, grief, job loss, or any other major stressors. Create opportunities for these families to connect with one another informally or through support networks on your installation or near your program. Also keep in mind that many of your staff members may experience similar life events. Listen to their concerns and help them find proactive ways to handle their stress.

Model a compassionate, problem-solving approach. Let staff members know that you are there to listen when they need to talk. Make yourself available to families when they reach out with concerns or need support. Although they will probably build the strongest relationships with the staff members who work directly with their children, you can also be a strong supportive resource for families. Advocate for initiatives that will help your program support children, families, and staff through difficult times. The following video demonstrates how one program helps bridge the distance between deployed service members and their children.

Caring for children and families experiencing extreme stress can be challenging for even the most seasoned staff member. Watch for signs that a staff member is overwhelmed or experiencing stress themselves. Be prepared to step in and offer support. Read these scenarios on the left and think about how you would respond.

You should also look for signs that staff members are experiencing stress. Watch this video to learn about the signs of stress in caregivers:

If you see any of these signs of stress, recognize that a staff member might need extra support from you. Find time to talk. Help staff members create a personalized self-care plan that will help them rest and relax. Self-care is personal and each person needs to identify strategies that will work for themselves. Make sure the staff member takes breaks as needed and has the support they need outside of work.