INSIGHTS #1: A guide to partnering with parents to break the cycle of intergenerational foster care placement

Since 2012, Rise’s special project for young parents who grew up in foster care—called “My Story, My Life”—has trained more than 40 parents in their teens, 20s and early 30s to write and speak about their experiences and advocate for change.

In these pages, they offer their insights for child welfare professionals and policymakers. We hope their words can guide professionals hoping to work more effectively with these young parents and to create systems that will work for them.

In addition to concrete recommendations, we hope this paper offers an intimacy and depth of understanding that grows out of Rise’s many years of learning from and working with parents. We hope you come away with a holistic vision of working with these parents that is guided by greater insight into young parents’ often unspoken experiences.