The Words We Choose to Use

Change Begins With Conversations

Invite staff and partners to co-create a vision for a more prevention-focused child welfare system. The activities and prompts in the Conversation Starters guide can help your team identify what to include in a collective vision for strengthening families, find the language, mindsets, and attitude shifts to embody in your vision, and determine the long-term goals and aspirations for your vision. Watch The Words We Choose to Use video to examine the language, patterns of thought, and messaging that can either hold back or support your vision for a system that focuses on strengthening families to prevent child abuse and neglect. Leaders can use the video and activities to facilitate conversations with middle management, frontline staff, community partners, the public, and legislators in person or virtually with a variety of teams and at multiple times.

Conversation Starters

Engage staff and partners with activities in this guide to start a dialogue and create a vision for a more prevention-focused child welfare system.