Survey for Parent Peer Support Providers

Changes to Parent Peer Support as a Result of COVID

Thank you in advance for taking the time to complete this Parent Peer Support Survey. We estimate it will take about about 10 minutes to answer all 25 questions. Most of the responses to the questions are in the form of multiple choice or check boxes. We have also provided places where you can write comments or provide additional information. We invite you to do so as your experience and views are important to fully capture the changes to parent peer support that are occurring at a rapid pace.

The survey encompasses the period of time from March 1 - August 1, 2020. Please respond to the questions based on your work as a peer support provider during this five-month period.

All responses are confidential and once the data is analyzed the results will be summarized and disseminated widely. Information gleaned from the survey will help to inform workforce development, technical assistance and policy and advocacy efforts.

Thank you again,

FREDLA
Family-Run Executive Director Leadership Association

1.Are you employed as a Parent Peer Support Provider (PPSP) to provide one-to-one or group support to families caring for a child, youth or young adult (ages birth to 21 years) with emotional, behavioral or substance use needs?

Yes

2.Location

State/Province

3.Do you work primarily in an urban/suburban area of your state or a rural/frontier area of your state?

Urban/suburban area

Rural/frontier area

Both urban/suburban and rural/frontier

4.How many years have you worked as a PPSP?

Less than one year

One to five years

Six to ten years

More than ten years

5.What type of organization/agency do you work for?

6.Have you or your organization/agency had to purchase additional equipment to do your work?

Computer for use at home

Software for use at home

Personal protective equipment (PPE)

Other (please describe)

7.In your view has the intensity of family's needs changed from March through August 2020?

Decreased greatly

Decreased somewhat

Stayed the same

Increased somewhat

Increased greatly

9.Throughout the COVID pandemic school h as been a major concern for families. What issues related to school are families most concerned about?

Children being taught on a virtual platform rather than in a classroom

Loss of school events (prom, trips) and extra-curricular activities (sports, drama, music etc.)

Safety for children returning to school

Special education IEP goals not being met

Stress for working parents while children are not in school

Parents/caregivers not confident with their ability to teach their children

Transitions for children in their first or last year in a school (kindergarten or first grade or last year of middle or high school)

Other (please describe)

10.Incidents of child abuse/neglect reporting during COVID has decreased and there is a concern that there may have been an actual increase in these incidents. From March 1 - August 1, 2020 did you experience changes in child abuse incidents with families you work with?

Increase child abuse incidents

No change in child abuse incidents

Decrease in child abuse incidents

If there has been a change (increase or decrease) why do you think this is happening?

11.The coronavirus has revealed the inequalities in society. Did the racial equity/justice movement change your work with families in any way?

The racial justice movement did not really changed my work with families

The racial justice movement has changed my work with families.

If yes, please describe.

12.Did the recent racial equity/justice movement have an impact on the families you work with?

No, the racial justice movement has not had an impact on the families I work with

Yes, the racial equity justice movement has had an impact on the families I work with.

If yes, please describe.

13.How did you or your organization/agency adapt to providing one-to-one parent peer support from March 1 - August 1, 2020?

All parent peer support was provided virtually

We provided some virtual support and some face-to-face support with precautions

Parent peer support continued to be provided primarily face-to-face

14.How did you or your organization/agency adapt to providing group parent peer support from March 1 - August 1, 2020?

Moved existing groups to a virtual platform

Started new virtual groups for families

Stopped providing support groups

Do not provide support groups

15.Have requirements for documentation or confidentiality changed as a result of providing virtual parent peer support?

Yes

If yes, please explain

16.Has your organization/agency expanded your work beyond mental health or substance use with activities such as provision of concrete services (i.e. food collection and distribution), recreational or social activities (i.e. cooking classes), or training (i.e. coping with anxiety during COVID) since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic?

Yes

If yes, please describe

17.What are the benefits to you as a PPSP in offering individual or group virtual peer support? Check all that apply.

Less travel time

Scheduling with families is easier and more flexible

Easier to engage with and get to know families

Fewer no shows/cancellations

Other (please describe)

18.What has been most challenging for you as a PPSP since the COVID pandemic? Check all that apply.

More difficult to engage and support families when not physically with them

Use or reliability of technology in my home

Finding a suitable place to work in my home

Maintaining confidentiality while talking with families form my home

Working from home with my own family's needs

Maintaining a consistent schedule

Strain on my personal well-being

Other (please describe)

19.As a PPSP what do you think are the benefits of virtual parent peer support for the families you work with? Check all that apply.

Families do not have to travel

Families do not have to arrange childcare

Families have more flexibility in scheduling time for support

Families feel more comfortable engaging virtually rather than in an office

Other (please describe)

20.What are the challenges of virtual parent peer support for the families you work with? Check all that apply.

Availability of a computer

Access to internet

Knowledge of how to use computer and login to internet

Concerns about confidentiality

Concerns about their home environment while on camera

Not feeling as connected with peer support provider in a virtual environment

Other (please describe)

21.How did your organization/agency address the needs of families that did not have access to technology, internet or experience using technology?

Relied on cell phones

Found community resources to provide families with tablets or computers

Held classes to teach families how to use virtual platforms

Mapped out hotspots in the community for families

Other (please describe)

22.As a PPSP would you want to continue offering virtual parent peer support post COVID-19?

Yes

I would like to have the flexibility to use both based on family’s needs and preferences.

24.Please add any additional thoughts regarding your experience providing parent peer support during the COVID pandemic.

Thank you for taking time to share your experiences. Your responses will help to provide a national picture of parent peer support in 2020. Please contact us at info@fredla.org if you have any questions about this survey.

We hope you and your family are safe and well!

FREDLA

Current Progress,

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