Hope Lyzette Newton, Center for Family Representation (CFR) Parent Advocate, Rise Board Member, and child welfare-affected parent, testified at the October 31, 2019 hearing of the General Welfare Committee.
Posts By: Rise
‘Parents Are Blindsided’: NYC City Council bills would protect families during an investigation
October 31, 2019 by
Parents impacted by the NYC child welfare system urged City Council today to pass a package of bills to protect families during investigations and hold ACS accountable for its impact on low-income communities of color.
“Parents are coming in blindsided with no real guidance and no clear information from the start,” said Rise Senior Parent Leader Nancy Fortunato at today’s hearing of the General Welfare Committee.
Bills introduced by the Progressive Caucus would provide parents with legal representation from the beginning of an investigation and require ACS to provide a Miranda-style warning about parents’ rights.
Now Recruiting: Rise & Shine Parent Leadership Program, Feb-May 2020
October 25, 2019 by
Do you have personal experience with ACS Foster Care or Preventive Services?
Do you want to become a voice for your community?
You know your community’s challenges better than anyone else.
Apply for Rise & Shine!
Surveillance Isn’t Safety: When Schools Over-Report
October 03, 2019 by
Schools play an outsized role in putting families in the child welfare pipeline. Nationwide, schools are the number one driver of reports of suspected child abuse and neglect to the State Central Registry, accounting for almost 20 percent of calls.
In the coming weeks, Rise will provide immediate information to support parents facing a school challenge—legal information about mandated reporting, educational neglect and “excessive corporal punishment,” as well as guidance on requesting an IEP and negotiating to meet your child’s needs.
We also challenge systems nationwide and New York City’s Administration for Children’s Services and Department of Education to better inform school personnel about mandated reporting and referrals to community-based services so that they don’t make unnecessary reports.
Video: Get to Know Our Rise & Shine Parent Leadership Program
September 25, 2019 by
In 2019, Rise launched the Rise & Shine Parent Leadership Program to build parents’ skills and power to advocate for child welfare reform and for justice and safety in their communities. Watch our video to learn more!
>> Learn more about Rise & Shine’s impact through our 2019 Program Report and 2020 Program Report
Thank you to Stephanie McBee, video producer and director, for helping us tell our story!