Tag: Children & Families

A COVID-19 Call to Action for Foster Parents

Nearly 20 years ago, I embarked on what would be a fascinating career serving some of our nation’s most troubled youth. A remarkable career considering that when I started, I didn’t know anything about kids. I was a Political Science major in need of a job post-college when one of the nation’s most respected youth […]

Adoption and the Never Ending Pursuit of a Forever Family

Without exception, perhaps the most tangible reward for a job well done in the child welfare service is seeing a young child find their forever family via adoption. Yes, it’s great to see children go back home to their birth families as well. To say that I enjoyed witnessing the adoption of a child is […]

All Foster Homes Are Not Created Equal in the Child Welfare System

To be clear, the title of this article is not one of equity or opportunity regarding foster homes in the child welfare system. Rather, it is one of competency and confidence. It may come as a surprise to many, but there is not a significant deficiency in the number of foster homes looking for a […]

Fire for Effect: Using Evidence in Foster Care

Despite my 13-plus year career in the child welfare sector, I was never a clinician. I managed clinicians in an administrative capacity for a large number of those years and as such, a good deal of the information stuck with me. Yet, I could always count on my beloved clinicians to remind me that a […]

My Last Day in Child Welfare Services was One to Remember

Were my career in child welfare services a movie, my final day played out like a rolling credits scene straight out of Hollywood. Not only was this day my last day on the job after over 13-years, but it was my last day in the city I had called home for nearly my entire life. […]

Why Child Welfare Agencies Should Stop Doing the Best They Can

For those who have spent any length of time serving in America’s thinly stretched child welfare system, they are well aware that “doing the best they can” comes up short on a far too frequent basis. Certainly, there are success stories in every state agency and private provider that spur every worker or therapist to […]