Child welfare leaders, frontline workers, parents and advocatesgathered in New York City on March 16 for a forum about the impact of the Parent Advocate Initiative, a two-year project to support six NYC foster care agencies in hiring and training eight parent advocates. Parents whose own children were once in foster care now work at 22 of the private foster care agencies in New York City, as well as the city’s child welfare … Read More
Posts By: Rise
Hard to Handle- I needed help with my son, not separation.
September 09, 2009 by
I was only 17 when I became pregnant. It was not the happiest moment in my house when I announced my pregnancy. Everyone wished forabortion.
I was terrified of having a baby. But knowing that a little one was inside me gave me a strong feeling of love. I told my family, “It’s my body, my life and I want to keep my baby.”
After Remi was born, I soon … Read More
Raising My Voice for Families- I testified before Congress so other parents can get the support that’s helped me.
September 09, 2008 by
As a parent who has had children in foster care, the word “testifying”usually brings to my mind fearful situations where one’s future is in the hands of some powerful person, usually a judge. But when I was asked to testify in front of the United States Senate Subcommittee on Children and Families about my experiences getting help through Parents Anonymous, I was quick to respond with a resounding “Yes!” I wanted to tell … Read More
‘You Can Do This’- Creating a booklet to help Massachusetts parents in crisis.
September 22, 2006 by
About 10 years ago, I was going through a bad time in my marriage and it came to the point that I just couldn’t take it anymore. One night when my husband abused me I called the police and they took my children and me to the hospital for an exami- nation.
Because of everything going on with my husband, I’d been drinking, and when the Department of Social Services did a quick assessment, they decided … Read More
A Second Chance- My mom’s addiction hurt me, but we’ve found a way to be close.
November 02, 2005 by
When I was little I would sit in my room and wonder why my life was not like other children’s. I would see kids with their parents, doing things that my mother would not do with me, like going to the park and shop- ping, and I would feel sad.
My mother and I did those things together when I was very young. But once I got a little older she would just come and go.
My … Read More