Advocacy

Time, Patience and Love – Despite fear, parents can get out of the system’s shadow

Jeanette delivered this speech at the NYC Administration for Children’s Services Reunification Month event “Better Together: A Celebration of Families” at the Children’s Museum of Manhattan on June 25, 2016, and the New Jersey Legal Services’ Family Reunification Day event on June 30: 

Telling people my story was never my thing. Talking about myself, my life, was not something I wanted to do. But when I became a parent leader in child welfare, I decided to … Read More

Updates

Fixing the Front Line – A new approach to hiring and supporting caseworkers

Nine out of 10 foster care agencies nationwide say it’s tough to find and keep caseworkers that are qualified, and a recent study in New York City, 4 out of every 10 caseworkers left the job in the first year they were hired. 

If you’re a parent who hasn’t had a good relationship with a caseworker, you may say, “Who cares if caseworkers stay or go?” But having many different caseworkers, or having an inexperienced caseworker, … Read More

Finding Support

Healing the Hate and Hurt – How I learned to control my anger so my son could come home

Feeling powerless can make you feel angry. Angry is how I felt the whole three years my son was in foster care—and how I acted.

Finally, a worker took me aside and was straight with me. She told me that the way I was acting made the agency think I was the kind of person who would solve any problem with violence, and that made them think that it was not safe for me to have … Read More

Handling Your Case

Making a Connection – A moment of understanding changed my relationship with an angry father

This story is part of Rise’s series by frontline staff at foster care agencies about their experiences working with parents. 

I had been working as a case planner for about a month when I met Mr. G.

Before he walked into my office, other workers and even my supervisor told me that this father was difficult.

I’d also read up on the case and saw that in three prior court hearings he’d lashed out against the worker and his … Read More

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Learn About the Rise & Shine Parent Leadership Program and Apply for 2024!

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