News And Events

Video: Experiences of Parents with Infants in Foster Care

This video developed in partnership with the Center for the Study of Social Policy and Harvard Center on the Developing Child can be used to sensitize child welfare staff, lawyers, judges and policymakers to the experiences of parents with infants in foster care.

Child welfare systems around the country celebrate National Reunification Month.

June is National Reunification Month, an effort spearheaded by the American Bar Association’s Parent Attorney Project to celebrate parents’ accomplishments in safely reunifying with childrenin foster care and to recognize the professionals who support them. Here, the American Bar Association’s Scott Trowbridge describes the impact of reunification celebrations:

Q: How did National Reunification Month start?

A: The idea for reunification celebrations started local, with jurisdictions that wanted to recognize the efforts … Read More

‘I Feel Good that I Never Gave Up!’ – At National Reunification Month events, parents reflect on the long road home

For June’s National Reunification Month, organizations around the country celebrated the perseverance and resilience of parents reunifying with children from foster care and of the professionals who support them.

On June 13, the family defense organization The Bronx Defenders hosted a reunification celebration, with food, face painting, performances, and families coming together to celebrate the strength of their bonds. “What we thought would be a little party turned out to be an … Read More

‘Everybody Can See that I Came a Long Way’ – Despite my disability and painful childhood, I’m keeping myself and my daughter safe.

Interview with Ann Alarcon

I’ve come a long way. Everybody in my life can see that.

In my childhood, I was getting abused. It was neglect when I was young, and I was hit by a belt, a switch, anything they get their hands on. I had marks all over. When I was 4 or 5 I was in foster care. After I got home, it was the same. When I was … Read More

Disabled But Not Unable – How bias impacts parents with disabilities in child welfare cases and how that can change

When the child welfare system enters your life, there are already so many assumptions that you don’t have strengths as a parent. When you’re also disabled, often your limits are all anybody seems to see.

A report released 18 months ago by the National Council on Disability, “Rocking the Cradle: Ensuring the Rights of Parents with Disabilities and Their Children,” said that too often the child welfare system bases it judgments on prejudice, not … Read More

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