Caseworkers and supervisors at Sheltering Arms became the first foster care agency staff to complete a Rise writing workshop, developing stories that reflected on their work with parents. Stories explore how these professionals came to learn about, connect with and improve their work with parents. Their compassionate explorations of the difficult–but often rewarding–work with parents in crisis document how sensitive casework can make a difference in family’s lives. These writers will share their stories with … Read More
Posts By: Rise
Making It Safe to Ask for Help – How can child welfare support more and investigate less?
September 01, 2015 by
Over the past three years, Rise has worked with and interviewed more than 40 mothers who grew up in foster care. A common theme is our fear that if we reach out for assistance, our families will be hurt rather than helped.
Here, we asked three professionals—including a program director whose own children grew up in foster care—about approaches that have been proven to help families. Suzanne Barnard is the director of the Evidence-Based Practice Group … Read More
‘We Want to Be Heard, Not Fixed’ – Child welfare needs to focus on supporting people, not fixing problems.
September 01, 2015 by
When we grow up in care, we’re mandated to services. When we come back into the system as parents, it still feels like no one’s listening to what we think we need. Here, five foster care alum and parents—whose names have been changed because they have open cases—explain the approaches that have worked for them.
1. To support parents, listen to what we say we need.
Sienna: When you’re involved in the system, as a child or … Read More
A Responsibility to Support – Improving how child welfare systems respond to mothers who grew up in their care.
September 01, 2015 by
When you grow up in foster care and have a child, your greatest hope is that you’ll get to be your child’s Mommy. Your greatest fear is that you’ll fail, and your child will feel the same pain you felt. When you lose your mother, you feel like you’ve lost a part of yourself.
Too often, our fears come true. Few child welfare systems nationwide track removals of children from mothers who have been in foster … Read More
‘When Someone Takes Care of Us, It’s Easier For Us to Take Care of Our Children’ – Recommendations from young mothers who grew up in foster care.
September 01, 2015 by
Since 2012, Rise has worked with or interviewed more than 40 mothers who grew up in foster care. Here, five New York City mothers share their perspectives on how child welfare can better partner with parents who grew up in care. Chitara Plasencia, 17, Jennie Alvarado, 18, and TyAsia Nicholson, 21, are members of a support group for young mothers at Lawyers For Children, which provides legal and social work advocacy for young people in … Read More