Planet Youth’s Post

Only 10 days until the General Election 2024: let’s put child welfare in the rooms where it matters The child welfare system is in crisis, with a record number of children in the care system, many far away from family and friends. Kinship care is an option that works for children, families and the state. Yet too often kinship families struggle to access the practical, emotional and financial support they need. Meanwhile some private children’s homes providers are making huge profits and local authority budgets are under severe strain. It doesn’t have to be this way. The candidates in your area are campaigning for your vote. It’s your chance to make them sit up and listen. Will you help by using Family Rights Group’s ecampaign tool - it'll take 2 minutes - to send an email today to your local candidates? And please encourage family, friends & colleagues to do likewise. https://lnkd.in/dfg9xkDJ

As a former child welfare attorney, publishing Families Belong Together: A Call to Replace the Child Welfare System is deeply personal. Listening to those with lived expertise is essential to system replacement. Why are we publishing a book? 🌍 To honor the voices of those with lived expertise, providing firsthand perspectives. 🔥 Present strategies to steer action toward a replacement of our current system.  🤝 Supporting policy change and grassroots advocacy I encourage you to read the perspective shared in this book. Families deserve better. https://hubs.la/Q02QCfKj0

Instead of focusing on increasing the economic wealth of nations, governments should ensure that women and their families have access to child welfare resources consistent with the Children’s Rights Convention. Read more here:bit.ly/3MVs8lN #FairStart #economicwealth #women #family #resources

Family Ties policy briefs:  §  policies that support licensure of kinship foster parents; https://lnkd.in/eCTAG4uv  §  policies that affect unlicensed kinship caregivers; https://lnkd.in/e43K57eZ  §  policies that govern kinship diversion; https://lnkd.in/e2cRKHfH §  policies that encourage agencies to engage and partner with kinship caregivers, the children in their care and parents; and,  https://lnkd.in/edwPh42x §  Policies that ensure involvement of kin in system transformation. https://lnkd.in/eJcpk7aq

Instead of focusing on increasing the economic wealth of nations, governments should ensure that women and their families have access to child welfare resources consistent with the Children’s Rights Convention. Read more here:bit.ly/3MVs8lN #FairStart #economicwealth #women #family #resources

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 #TopicAreaTuesday, we invite you to learn more about programs that aim to increase the involvement of youth and/or families in child welfare or related services. By valuing the perspectives of family members and all other participants, motivation and engagement work acknowledges, promotes, and maximizes the positive contributions of each member. 👉 View Motivation and Engagement programs that have been reviewed by the CEBC: https://lnkd.in/gj_cm9CQ View the CEBC’s complete list of topic areas: 🔗https://lnkd.in/eVVdY8Xg #motivation #engagement #childabuseprevention #familystrengthening #childwelfare #evidencebased #evidencebasedpractice #education #research #Leadership

On May 15, 2024, the Minnesota House approved a bill known as the "MN African American Family Preservation and Child Welfare Disproportionality Act." The purpose of this bill is to preserve black families when they initially interact with Child Protective Services. . This initiative aligns with the ongoing efforts of MN One-Stop, and is the reason why we do what we do! . #familyreunification #familypreservation #familyprotection

Investing in families saves everyone. Research shows that every $1 spent on family resource centers can save up to $3 in child welfare costs. It’s a win-win that strengthens our communities and keeps families together. Learn more about the economic benefits of prevention in the SPARC Economic Supports Fact Sheet: https://loom.ly/gFerzSQ. #FamilyFirst #PreventionSaves

Gatekeeping in care reform is vital for protecting children by ensuring alternative care decisions prioritize their best interests. It acts as a system of checks and balances to prevent unnecessary family separation, promote family-based care over institutional placements, and align with international standards like the UN Guidelines for the Alternative Care of Children. By providing families with necessary support, it strengthens communities, fosters accountability, and promotes long-term well-being. Gatekeeping reduces reliance on institutional care, optimizes resources, and ensures child-centered decisions that focus on stability, development, and rights protection, making it a cornerstone of sustainable child welfare systems.