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. 

Use the resources in this list to support young people’s transitional needs and help them develop the skills needed for independent living after exiting foster care.

Bruce and Brenda have been married for 33 years and have four daughters. From 2006 to 2009, they provided a kinship placement for their four grandchildren. In 2010, the couple adopted Bruce (now 18 years old), Tre’Nae (now 15 years old), Mason (now 13 years old), and Kiaunna (now 10 years old).

Explore additional resources to learn actionable ways to engage in authentic, nonexploitative storytelling practices with people with lived experience and expertise.

Learn actionable ways to engage in authentic, nonexploitative storytelling practices with people with lived experience and expertise. 

Explore additional resources to learn actionable ways to engage in authentic, nonexploitative storytelling practices with people with lived experience and expertise.

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. 

Explore additional resources to learn how incorporating voices of lived experience can help improve child welfare services. 

Learn strategies to address the mental health needs of children, young people, and families.

Learn how to support state planning and implementation of the reasonable and prudent parent standard (RPPS), which is required by the Preventing Sex Trafficking and Strengthening Families Act (P.L. 113–183), to help children and youth in foster care experience normal childhood and adolescent activities. 

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.

This handout is part of the series, “Perspectives on Normalcy: Videos and Discussion Questions.” It is designed to facilitate discussion about the issues raised in the video, “Kinship Adoption: You Get a Call, ‘Do You Want These Kids?’”

This handout is part of the series, “Perspectives on Normalcy: Videos and Discussion Questions.” It is designed to facilitate discussion about the issues raised in the video, “Community-Based Provider: Empowering Caregiver Decision-Making.” 

Hear about the challenges and experiences of an adoptive family and how they created belonging, healthy development, and normal experiences.