Blog

Navigating Adoption , a new podcast from AdoptUSKids in coordination with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' Administration for Children and Families and the Ad Council, brings together individuals and families with lived experience and adoption experts to discuss the joys and challenges of the adoption journey through the telling of authentic stories. Each episode is approximately 30 minutes and presents educational and uplifting content. Topics span the adoption spectrum,...

By Michael Fitzgerald, Illustration: Christine Ongjoco, The Imprint, March 17, 2022 In a wood- and marble-paneled Washington, D.C., hearing room last month, President Joe Biden’s nominee for a top child welfare post delivered a stunning number to United States senators: Despite all the devastation families experienced following the emergence of COVID-19, there were roughly 1,000 fewer children in the Oregon foster care system when compared with two years prior. Rebecca Jones Gaston cited “a...

This new infographic from Rise highlights how universal child care will reduce involvement with the family policing system and strengthen family well-being. It provides an overview of Rise's policy recommendations related to making child care and respite care free and accessible—without family policing system involvement. It also includes data related to issues with child care: child care is too expensive; lack of access to child care is linked to "neglect" reports; and there are not enough...

By Anonymous, Art by Eileen Jimenez, Rise, March 15, 2022 I am a single mom and it is only my son and I living together. That means that unless he is in school or at camp, wherever I go, he goes, too—even when I have to go to the hospital. I have numerous medical problems and when I end up in the hospital, it’s not always during school hours. There are lots of reasons why I would need to bring my son with me to the hospital, such as if I’m having seizures or sudden severe pain, and these...

Please read this message from Mary Rauktis, lead author of this important study, and share it with your networks! "As an educator, I teach aspiring students how to engage with and build on the resilience of children and their caregivers. As a mentor, I have advised former foster care youth who have later become colleagues and friends. I have witnessed how challenging it is to go to college not as well prepared as peers, with far less familial support and the price paid emotionally and...

By Michael Fitzgerald, Illustration: Christine Ongjoco, The Imprint, March 17, 2022 In a wood- and marble-paneled Washington, D.C., hearing room last month, President Joe Biden’s nominee for a top child welfare post delivered a stunning number to United States senators: Despite all the devastation families experienced following the emergence of COVID-19, there were roughly 1,000 fewer children in the Oregon foster care system when compared with two years prior. Rebecca Jones Gaston cited “a...

This comprehensive child welfare resource from Child Trends provides state and national data on child maltreatment , foster care , kinship caregiving , and adoption from foster care. The data are essential to help policymakers understand how many children and youth came in contact with the child welfare system, and why. States can use this information to ensure their child welfare systems support the safety, stability, and well-being of all families in their state. Please click here to...

By Joseph Shapiro, Photo: Gary Hershon/Getty Images, National Public Radio, March 9, 2022 Child welfare officials in New York City say they will stop collecting all of the Social Security checks from children in foster care and using that money to cover the costs of their care, altering a practice criticized by advocates for children. And those advocates say they hope New York's action becomes a model for agencies across the country. Jess Dannhauser, commissioner of the Administration for...

By Laura Gallant, 3/7/22, https://positiveexperience.org/category/blog/ Today Monday, March 7, is the first day of the Week of HOPE. This week is intended to spread awareness of HOPE – Healthy Outcomes from Positive Experiences TM and help people learn about the difference that positive childhood experiences can make for children, families, and those who serve them. We are excited to be celebrating the Week of HOPE across the country. We are especially grateful to Vicky Roper, director of...

March 1, 2022 by Rise As part of our community-building workshops to begin the program , parents in the 2022 Rise & Shine leadership program engaged in discussion about self-care and community-care strategies. Together, parents developed a list of self-care and community-care strategies for our group, which we also want to share as a resource for our Rise community. We hope it can be a tool as we continue to explore ways to build relationships, keep each other safe and care for ourselves...

The wheels are officially in motion for a proposed class-action lawsuit involving Inuit children in the northern Quebec region of Nunavik. On Monday, a trio of law firms filed an application in Quebec Superior Court on behalf of all Inuit children who endured “decades of allegedly discriminatory and unlawful underfunding of child welfare” and other essential services in the north. If approved, the class-action would impact all Inuit children who were taken into the Quebec child welfare...

Are you looking for ways to support students from marginalized communities, but don't have time to take a class? Then check out our new trainings, created to help you develop a better understanding of your students, and provide supportive strategies grounded in a trauma-informed approach! The series includes a detailed look into the experiences of children from several marginalized communities, and offers techniques designed to help students feel safe, empowered, and able to focus on their...