AdoptUSKids’ Post

It's the end of the year. What does your "to-do" list look like for #2024? Here's mine 😏 It has (thankfully) been a quiet week at Lighthouse Transitional Care, and I've had some time to sit and think about how we can strategically use our time and resources in 2024 to reach more youth aging out of the child welfare system in Latvia. The opportunities feel endless, but so are the obstacles. At the end of the day, these young adults are always worth the effort. #strategicplanning #nonprofitleadership #formerfosteryouth

If you don’t have any personal experience inside the child welfare system, you might think that the professionals always hold the moral high ground. I would probably think this too except that I was a Child Protective Services case worker for ten years prior to being investigated myself. While investigators are not always wrong, there are times when they exhibit the same troubling behavior as the people they serve. However, we conceptualize this very differently. An example: When I was investigated, the lead detective’s initial theory was that I caused the injury in a crowd full of people at a fundraiser for a children’s shelter, but nobody saw this or intervened. I was given access to the case file, and there are no facts or statements to back this up. The detective conjured it from his own imagination and conducted an entire investigation around it. When an officer or social worker uses their imagination to create a narrative not based in reality, we call them “intuitive.” When a suspect tells an outrageous story not based in reality, we call them unreliable. You can read my essay on this topic at www.andreaverbanic.com (link in bio). I wrote a book about my experience because I feel so strongly that I have a moral obligation to share my story. Sign up for alerts on my website so that you can stay informed about my book publication date later in 2024. #cps #childprotection #childprotectiveservices #kansas #police #renegadeagency #memoir

🗨️ Have you shared your views on our plans to tackle homelessness and rough sleeping? Our Draft Homelessness and Rough Sleeping Strategy is designed to deliver services in a way that will help people as soon as possible. The strategy takes into consideration what has been achieved so far and changes in legislation, as well as significant nationwide challenges including welfare reform, shortage of housing and the ongoing cost of living crisis. Have your say: https://lnkd.in/ephhMnQe

Urge the United States Congress to act immediately to stop the reprehensible practice of forced family separation which affects hundreds of thousands of children and families annually. Not only do these families lose their vital connection to each other, they face ongoing trauma and abuse from the ‘System‘ that separated them. Call and write your United States Congress Members to demand that federals reforms are enacted to the US Child Welfare System to make state care a safe, nurturing, supportive, healthy, and happy environment. The trauma inflicted by The Child Welfare System on children and families is so impactful, it is passed down through generations affecting the mental health and outcomes of the victims‘ descendants for generations to come. https://lnkd.in/eciS2BZX #ChildWelfare #FosterCare #REFORMSNOW #Advocacy #GetInvolved #ChildAbuse #Trauma #ChildNeglect #ChildTrafficking #CPS #FamilySeparation #ChildrensRights #ParentsRights #FamilyPreservation

This General Election, let’s put child welfare in the rooms where it matters. The system is in crisis with a record number of children in care, often far away from family and friends. Meanwhile some private children’s homes providers are making huge profits and local authority budgets are under severe strain. We are calling on the next government to urgently reform the child welfare system: ⚫To ensure families get the help they need early, so children can live safely and thrive in their family. ⚫To have an ambitious plan for investing in kinship care for children who cannot remain at home. ⚫To support children and young people in care and care leavers to have positive, loving relationships they can turn to throughout their life. Over the next six weeks, we'll be working to make sure children, young people, parents and kinship carers are heard. 🚨Share our message and take action: - Are you registered to vote? - Have you signed up for our campaign updates? - Will you contact your local candidates? We'll soon be launching an email tool to make that easier. Find out more: https://lnkd.in/eqPTnnZC #GeneralElection #Politics #Parliament #childwelfare #children #families #HistoryHasItsEyesOnYou

A growing body of research shows using economic and concrete supports to help families meet basic needs can prevent unnecessary contact with the #ChildWelfare system. We explain the different ways that states are using flexible funds to provide concrete supports to families in our new policy brief: https://lnkd.in/gfpH_ARR Our brief shares recommendations to expand family and economic and concrete supports, including: 1. Provide direct cash assistance to families at risk of child welfare involvement to promote family dignity, address racial inequities, and more. 2. Engage experts with #LivedExperience to co-develop pathways for families to equitably access economic and concrete support services in their communities.

This General Election help put child welfare in the rooms where it matters. The children's social care system is in crisis. Many families are struggling unable to get the help they need. Grandparents & other kinship carers who do step in to raise a child are often left unsupported. There's a record numbers of children in the care system often placed far from relatives & friends.The children's home sector is dominated by private providers making exorbitant profits which is pushing some local authorities to the edge of bankruptcy. Yet child welfare seems to be low down the national political agenda. This General Election you can help change that...

How can we advance equitable outcomes in #ChildWelfare and prevent unnecessary family separation? Explore the new Family Stabilization Toolkit created in collaboration with Lutheran Services in America for insights: https://shorturl.at/hnxEW . This resource provides child welfare professionals with research-backed guidelines for equitable and effective program implementation and sustainability. It also includes best practices for providing wraparound services, a list of possible barriers to advancing race #Equity, change management steps, and partnership building tips. #ChildWellbeing

Is England’s children’s social care system out of balance with what most families actually need? This was one of the key questions we covered during our recent webinar, in which John Copps was joined by Sal Tariq OBE, Gail Faulkner and Chris Bell to discuss how children’s services can change for the better, by focusing on ‘Child Welfare’ But don’t worry if you couldn’t make it, you can watch the full webinar on our website ▶️ https://lnkd.in/eSCsvfNk #ChildrensServices #ChildWelfare #LocalAuthority #PublicServices

The financial welfare and maintenance costs of children can often become contentious issues during a separation, leading to intense emotional reactions and turmoil. When it comes to child support, there are several crucial factors to consider when dividing assets, as well as various approaches to handling ongoing financial support for children. It is crucial to remember that each parent bears the financial responsibility of providing for their child/children until they reach the age of 18. This entails covering expenses such as food, shelter, clothing, medical costs, and other miscellaneous expenditures. There are three ways that child support can be managed, and deciding which one is right for you is key. Learn more here: https://lnkd.in/gS6EbKu #childmaintenance #childsupport #seperationanddivorce #parentalresponsibility #legaladvice #familylaw