Bethany Christian Services’ Post

Having worked in the child welfare system for several years, I've witnessed various interventions aimed at reforming the system. While many of these efforts are well-intentioned, they often end up being reactionary and, at times, dehumanizing. Recent statistics reveal that over 60% of child welfare cases involve poverty-related issues rather than direct abuse or neglect.  This data underscores a critical need for us to rethink our approach. To effect positive change in an anti-oppressive manner, we must focus on proactive measures that distinguish poverty from neglect. It's essential to provide support systems that address the root causes of poverty, rather than penalizing families for their socioeconomic status. By shifting our perspective and actions from reactive to proactive, we can create a more just and supportive environment for children and families. Let's work towards a child welfare system that uplifts rather than oppresses. #ChildWelfare #ProactiveSupport #AntiOppressive #PovertyVsNeglect #SystemReform https://lnkd.in/eqeMKuXA

Exciting news from yesterday's #WhiteHouse summit on Transforming Child Welfare! New policies were announced to prevent family separation due to poverty, which will greatly impact child welfare agencies nationwide. Children should not be separated from their families due to financial hardship alone. Several states, including #Kentucky, #Indiana, #SouthCarolina, #Wisconsin, #Pennsylvania, W#ashington, and #Kansas, have already clarified that poverty alone should not cause child removal. There is emerging evidence linking these actions to improved family outcomes. The Biden-Harris Administration is encouraging all states to follow their lead and clearly distinguish between child maltreatment and financial hardship. Delighted to see these positive changes that will help keep children and families safely together. Read more about these updates in the new White House Fact Sheet: Biden-Harris Administration Actions to Keep Children and Families Safely Together and Supported: #childwelfare #familysupport #transformingwelfare #childwellbeing #publicpolicy

This past Wednesday, the US House of Representatives passed the Protecting America's Children by Strengthening Families Act with overwhelming support (405-10)!    This is a groundbreaking bipartisan bill that brings long-awaited reforms and investments to our child welfare system. The bill explicitly calls for people with lived experience to have a key role in shaping child welfare. As Alia continues to design new ways of preventing foster care alongside impacted parents, we co-sign the importance of building new ways forward alongside those most impacted. The bill also increases funding (by $75 million/year), provides direct cash support (to prevent family separation due to poverty), expands support for kin caregivers, simplifies processes for Tribes (a HUGE win!), and strengthens courts & child welfare workforce.   These changes bring us closer to a system that supports and empowers families, rather than tearing them apart. We are not there yet, but every step we take in the right direction is a reminder of the incredible momentum our movement has across the nation. We are making progress each and every day.   Now, it’s time for the Senate to act swiftly so we can get these reforms implemented! 💪    #ChildWelfareReform #FamiliesFirst #ProtectKids #LivedExperienceMatters https://lnkd.in/giQ6teH7

April is Child Abuse Prevention Month, a perfect time to focus on ways to safely keep children with their families and out of foster care. This new brief focuses on how three child welfare jurisdictions have used flexible funds to support families and prevent family separation. https://bit.ly/3VFJTLE #ChildAbusePreventionMonth #CAPM #ChildWelfare

The US President Joe Biden & Vice President Kamala Harris is making child welfare a key political priority in the last 6 months of their administration. Their statement sets out actions their administration will take in order to keep children in their families. Lots to inspire the new UK Labour Government. Their focus: 1. Children should not be separated from their families due to financial hardship alone. The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is Issuing new policy guidance that encourages states to update their maltreatment definitions under the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act to exclude the inability to provide adequate housing, child care and other material needs if the family has insufficient financial means to do so from the definition of child neglect. The state should first seek to help the family. 2. Prevention services - New Biden-Harris actions will expand how states and Tribes can use federal funding for prevention activities to provide greater assistance to children and families before a crisis point. 3. Prioritising Kinship care "Children who cannot be with their parents but live with relatives and other kin have better outcomes than those who are not, including in stability, behavioral health, and education. New Biden-Harris actions will incentivize jurisdictions to do more to ensure children can live with kin, and meet youth needs." #childwelfare #US #kinshipcare

And CASs need accountability in order to lower the number of kids "in care". In cases of medical kidnappings of SICK children, neither the hospitals nor CASs keep statistics; CASs refuse to correct their initial "verified concerns" after the alleged abuse victims gets properly diagnosed and they turn to the same doctors who initially misdiagnosed again, with another family, another victim. The result is unnecessarily wasted money and foster care places for kids who actually are in need of protection. Watch CTV W5's Dubious Diagnosis for examples. #AccountabilityForCAS #StopMedicalKidnapping Stopmedicalkidnapping.ca

Recent research from Chapin Hall highlights innovative approaches states are taking with Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) funds to support family stability and prevent child welfare involvement. Among the programs their research highlights: * California's Linkages 2.0 program, coordinating TANF and child welfare services to strengthen families * Kentucky's use of TANF for flexible funds to provide concrete supports to at-risk families * New York's direct cash transfer pilot for parents at risk of child welfare involvement * Wisconsin's Targeted Safety Support Funds, offering concrete supports to families with children at risk of removal These approaches demonstrate the potential of TANF to provide timely, flexible assistance to families in crisis, aligning with its first statutory goal: enabling children to be cared for in their own homes or with relatives. At Footbridge, we applaud these efforts to use public funds creatively and effectively to keep families together. By providing concrete support during temporary financial crises, we can prevent the need for more invasive interventions and promote long-term family stability. Read the full report here: https://lnkd.in/eHn5QMBR

Thorough assessments often keep Indigenous families from being “qualified” providers of care to community children in need of a safe place to call home. Child Welfare is built on the vulnerability of Indigenous peoples. There is not only past history hoops to jump through but a sheer lack of trust. System changes are necessary to eliminate the growing need of Foster homes. Many families do not qualify to become licensed Foster homes but qualify as Kin providers. Same job less pay. A cycle of poverty continues for our families, but they are stepping up to keep our children out of care. More financial resources need to flow into prevention and after care family services for ALL families. And well, let’s be honest. Some Child Protection workers could use some work on themselves to provide compassionate services to families. (I know some real gems that could certainly show them the ropes!) With that all said, I am also hopeful that some amazing humans step up for the children.

It is fitting this article came out today as our work in StL just hit 2 major milestones - 1) There are ZERO open reports older than a year. When we first started working with them, there were 2,259 of them and this team closed every old report in accordance to department policy - no shortcuts were taken. 2) There were 3,249 families that were lingering without a clinical consult after the first 30 days - as of Sept 1, that number is also zero. In other words, StL now knows the story of every family with an active allegation! The average caseload is 10, the average days to document and close a safety decision is 17, and less than 8% of reports are hitting the 30 day mark - And that is what victory over the capacity crisis looks like! The article highlights staffing, that was 1 of a 3 prong strategy to get these results - you want to talk about the other two - call me, let's grab nachos and chat!

Not in NY… “The Minnesota African American Family Preservation and Child Welfare Disproportionately Act…represents a novel approach to child welfare services. Under its terms, caseworkers must deploy “active efforts” to prevent family separation for all children who end up in foster care at disproportionate rates, due to their race, culture, ethnicity, disability, or low-income status. That is estimated to be the vast majority of kids in the system… relatives and close kin must be prioritized for temporary placements, and their parents must be given stepped-up services to address problems at home that led to the maltreatment. Under current law, only Native American children receive the higher legal standard of “active efforts” when it comes to such interventions. For all others, the “reasonable efforts” standard is considered acceptable….Once fully implemented, it will require caseworkers to better engage with parents in planning and selecting the services they need to reunite with their children. Caseworkers will be required to consider social and cultural values, with judges reviewing and approving the adequacy of the steps taken….To date, Minnesota is one of four states that have considered or pursued versions of such legislation, and one of two where the laws have passed.”