Explore strategies to engage individuals with lived experience as advisors for groups, committees, boards, and more. 

Use this discussion guide with the CWVE 2022 videos to view a description of each topic, access individual reflection questions to facilitate personal, on-demand learning, and explore conversation starters and team activities with child welfare staff and collaborative partners.   

Learn about how Jamall reunified with family members and enjoyed family cookouts and holidays with the help of Jennifer and the Family Finder program through Kinnect Ohio.

Explore additional resources and learn strategies for moving forward with prioritizing lived expertise in child welfare.

Explore additional resources aimed at the needs of expecting and parenting teens in child welfare.

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

Explore additional resources on how to increase commitment to partnering with people with lived expertise in child welfare. 

Hear about the youth-led projects of the Division X Technical Assistance project in fiscal year 2022.

Learn about the practice and systemic changes Hawaii, Indiana, and Westchester County, NY, made in partnership with their youth and young adult partners.

Hear how Division X Technical Assistance Targeted Assistance Projects (TAPs) helped child welfare agencies enhance policies and practices for youth and young adults.

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. 

Watch as Amnoni relates her experience in the foster car system, including her struggles and quest for stability and normalcy.

Desiree is an alumna of the foster care system. She lived with the same foster care family for 14 years. She entered foster care with three of her siblings, and wants to use her experiences growing up in foster care to make a difference for those still in the system.

Hear Raven's foster care story, the challenges of being separated from her brother, and the value of support.

Hear from a family about the challenges of dealing with an autism diagnosis and other issues while navigating the child welfare system.