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.

Learn about the importance of successful collaboration and engagement for implementing prevention-focused systems.

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.

Explore additional resources to learn how child welfare organizations can create equity in the workforce. 

Learn how child welfare organizations can create equity in the workforce. 

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 discussion guide with the "Reflecting on Racial Equity and the Child Welfare Workforce" video to facilitate team discussions about your agency’s current practice and opportunities to take action.

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

Underscores the importance of consistency and encouragement in trusting relationships. A Fostering Success peer mentor gave impactful advice to the youth she mentored: Stop listening to the people who don’t believe in you.

Discover ways to effectively integrate people with lived expertise into the child welfare workforce. 

Explore additional resources to help effectively integrate lived experts into the child welfare workforce. 

Explore additional resources for effectively integrating lived experts into the child welfare workforce. 

Discover strategies to effectively integrate people with lived expertise into the child welfare workforce.