Triggered in Child Welfare: Moving From Confused To Connected
Over the past few months, I’ve been listening to parents, youth, foster/kin caregivers, caseworkers, and partners. The stories are heavy: reports not read, workers shamed, youth told to skip court, or not even told where they are. These moments are triggering because they disconnect people who are already carrying so much.
Mandated reporters, CPS Leadership, and Volunteers: Is Better Possible in Foster Care?
I asked a colleague, “Do you even think this is possible?” because every idea was met with reasons it wouldn’t work. That same mindset creeps into child welfare. We call foster care and CPS broken, then keep doing the same training and processes… and get the same results
Faith and the Foster Care System
This week, I reflect on how faith and community reframe child welfare from “go do it alone” to “you are surrounded.” We walk through prevention (keeping families out of foster care), support (sustaining them after formal help ends), and practical steps to activate natural supports now.