Explore the supportive relationship between a youth and her attorney.

Reveals how advocating for youth makes a difference in system change and in the advocates’ own lives. The Director of Policy and Advocacy at NMCAN and a youth advocate talk about their shared experience in testifying as expert witnesses for state legislative committees and how it created a strong bond between them.

Explore successful cross-system collaboration across three phases of child welfare interactions with families experiencing co-occurring issues—front-end investigation, case planning/service provision, and case resolution. 

Highlights the advocacy work of state and regional youth leadership councils. Two paid regional and state youth specialists and the Texas Director for Transitional Living Services describe how including youth voice by providing them a “seat at the table” at the state capital enhances the child welfare system. All three discuss the rewards and personal impact of their work.

Tells the story of the relationship, initially forged over a shared meal, between a youth and her CASA worker. The CASA worker’s advocacy for concrete supports to meet the youth’s needs helped grow the trust in their relationship.

Examine the benefits of engaging youth voice in practice, peer support, and system-level change.

Explore and reflect on the impact of, and opportunities to improve, assessment and decision-making processes. 

Tells the story of the relationship between a youth in foster care and a BraveLife peer navigator. Both talk about the personal sharing and mutual trust that have forged a connection that will last a lifetime.

Use this reflection worksheet while viewing the Assessment and Decision-Making in Cases With Co-Occurring Issues video. 

Use this reflection worksheet while viewing the Safety Decision-Making: Using Protective Capacities and Protective Factors video. 

Use this reflection worksheet while viewing the video, The Full View: Comprehensive Assessment of Parents. 

Use this reflection worksheet while viewing the video, The Right Information at the Right Time: Supporting the Field With Relevant Actionable Data.

Explore the impact of perceptions, attitudes, and organizational culture in child welfare. 

See how listening and relatability helped build trust between a youth and his attorney.

Explore insights on using protective capacities and protective factors to build a continuum of practice that extends from safety to strength-building.