Frankie is 14 years old and lives with his sister, brothers, and moms. He and his sister were adopted when they were 2 years old and 4 years old, respectively. He loves spending time with his aunts, uncles, and cousins and loves being part of a big family.

Browse the themes and key takeaways from the How We Partner With the Community to Improve Service Options podcast series.

Learn about normalcy for LGBTQ children and youth in foster care in the context of the Preventing Sex Trafficking and Strengthening Families Act (P.L. 113–183).

Get the latest research on decision science and safety decision-making practices in child welfare to help improved safety outcomes.

Learn how to create an agency organizational culture that is inclusive and knowledgeable about the unique needs of LGBTQ children, youth, and families.

Learn about the challenges faced by lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and questioning (LGBTQ) families involved with the child welfare system and ways to help them.

Discover how parent partner programs support family reunification by guiding and motivating parents into constructive interactions with the child welfare system and courts.

Explore the efforts agencies, community collaborative organizations, and others are making to bring families, youth, and communities to the table as they strive to improve the child welfare system in this podcast. 

Learn how child welfare professionals and family leaders can use the Parent Partner Program Navigator, a web-based, interactive resource that offers guidance for designing and implementing parent partner programs at child welfare agencies.

Explore the benefits of reunification and post-reunification supports and how these strategies help prevent reentry into foster care. 

Explore existing frameworks for protective capacities and protective factors and learn how to use them together for better prevention.

Learn how supervisors and program managers can assist child welfare caseworkers in conducting quality visits with parents.

Explore a family-focused program that embodies many of the changes that Kentucky wants to see throughout its child welfare system in this podcast. The START, program demonstrates a shift in organizational culture to focus on family and serves as an example of a truly collaborative team that uses early intervention and a shared decision-making model to work with families.

Discover how the reasonable and prudent parent standard (RPPS) has been implemented in one state to promote normalcy for children and youth in foster care.

Explore strategies to recruit and support caregivers, strengthen their voices, and work together with them to meet the needs of children and youth.