Power in Partnerships: Prioritizing Lived Expertise in Child Welfare: Child Welfare Virtual Expo (CWVE) 2022
Explore the power of intentionally partnering with young people and families to transform child welfare systems and better serve and support children, youth, and families.
Pair the CWVE videos with the related discussion guide to learn about:
- Building a foundation for prioritizing lived expertise in child welfare
- Authentically engaging with people with lived experience and expertise
- Developing equitable partnerships with lived experts
- Partnering with lived experts in child welfare
Ready to Get Started?
First, select the topics that align with your personal and team interests. Then, answer the reflection questions in the discussion guide to prepare individuals for group learning. Finally, use the conversation starters and team activities to facilitate team discussions, create a shared understanding of how these topics relate to your everyday work, and develop action plans to increase partnerships with lived experts in child welfare.
CWVE 2022 Discussion Guide
The guide includes:
- Descriptions of the videos
- Individual reflection questions tailored to each topic
- Conversation starters to spark discussion of ideas and strategies for increasing input from lived experts
- Team activities for child welfare staff and collaborative partners to brainstorm how to put these ideas into action
Gain foundational knowledge about prioritizing lived expertise at all levels of child welfare. Watch the video and work through the discussion guide activities in this topic to:
- Explore the benefits of partnering with people with lived expertise
- Develop a deeper understanding of conditions affecting under-served populations
- Learn the results of a year-long research project that explored strategies used to engage people with lived experience and expertise at federal initiatives
Methods and Strategies to Engage People With Lived Experience
Learn practical information and strategies for authentically engaging people with lived experience and expertise, including those from different backgrounds and perspectives. Watch the videos and work through the discussion guide activities in this topic to:
- Gain understanding for why it’s important to consider representation related to racial, ethnic, gender, and sexual identity when engaging people with lived expertise in child welfare
- Discover the effects of generational trauma experienced by Indigenous people and the importance of understanding it when working with Indigenous children, youth, and families
- Explore the importance of engaging fathers and other paternal family members and learn strategies to address potential challenges when connecting with and engaging noncustodial fathers and paternal family members
Authentic Youth and Family Engagement: Deploying Individuals With Lived Experience as Advisors
Beyond the Numbers, Get to Know the Person in Front of You: LGBTQIA2S+ Youth and Families
The Policies at Play: A Conversation About Indigeneity and Child Welfare
What Is Still Needed for Fathers to Thrive in Child Welfare?
Explore strategies for building equitable partnerships and power-sharing with people with lived expertise. Watch the videos and work through the discussion guide activities in this topic to:
- Discover ways to effectively integrate people with lived expertise into the child welfare workforce
- Explore resources and services for expecting and parenting teens
- Learn common barriers and challenges to engaging hard-to-reach populations of youth and young adults
Productive Partnerships with Youth and Families: Commitment to Lived Expertise
Setting the Stage: Creating the Space for People With Lived Expertise to Thrive
Engaging Expecting and Parenting Teens in Child Welfare
Discover strategies for partnering with people with lived expertise on a variety of projects and processes at a child welfare agency, including data evaluation, Child and Family Services Review (CFSR), and continuous quality improvements. Watch the videos and work through the discussion guide activities in this topic to:
- Hear how child welfare organizations can create equity in the workforce by promoting diversity, emphasizing the need for organizational assessments and creating a culture that values lived experience, and combats implicit bias.
- Learn how young people and families can participate in the CFSR Round 4 process
- Explore the benefits of kinship placements for children and youth when they must live outside of their birth parents’ homes
The Power of Lived Expertise in Research and Evaluation: Child Welfare Edition
Living Leadership: Valuing Our Lived Expertise
Do No Harm: Engaging Parent and Kinship Families
Child and Family Services Review (CFSR) Round 4: Strategies to Include Family and Youth Voice
Watch the concluding video and work on a team activity to discover what you can do to prioritize lived expertise and partner with people with lived expertise in your agency and community.
Concluding Video: Power in Partnerships—Prioritizing Lived Expertise at a Child Welfare Agency
Continuing Education Credits
*Note: The CEU sponsor, R. Cassidy Seminars, maintains responsibility for its CEU program. For more information on the licensing program and requirements, please visit the sponsor’s website.
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