What I miss the most about my daughters, 6 and 7, is giving them a bath, drying them, watching them dance with their towels, lotioning them, and massaging their backs while they sing how good it feels. As they got dressed, they’d pose in the mirror, enjoying their outfits, loving their look. I would pretend I had a camera, taking pictures.
Then there’s my son Mandell. I miss giving him shape-ups with the razor, playing videogames … Read More
Interview with Steve Cohen, Lisa Primus and Martha Raimon
Martha: The Center for the Study of Social Policy (CSSP) is a nonprofit designed to influence public policy that affects children and families, and to provide technical assistance to states and jurisdictions testing new ideas and policies in child welfare, early childhood education and community development.
The Center is always looking to embed more authentic parent and youth voice in our work, and that’s a work in progress. We rely … Read More
Interview with David Nish, Associate Commissioner of Training and Workforce Development at NYC’s Administration for Children’s Services
ACS has a training academy for new staff, Satterwhite Academy, and a new Workforce Institute in partnership with CUNY’s School of Professional Studies, that will train child welfare staff citywide. The focus of our work is to help staff really understand the complex nature of the work that they do, with a focus on building empathy and helping families … Read More
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
“Girl, you better stop crying,” my grandmother said. I was young. Holding tears back was hard. My throat closed up and my head began to spin.
My grandmother was a warrior. She was my soldier. When I was little, everything she did was right in my eyes. I just couldn’t understand why I wasn’t supposed to cry.
In my grandma’s world there was no time for emotions. She raised four children and four grandchildren, and she worked … Read More
