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
Partners
Rise contracts with organizations to run writing groups; provide meaningful parent input on child welfare practice and policy; bring parents’ stories into parent education and peer support; and bring parents’ perspectives to child welfare forums, panels and staff training.
Current partners include the Center for the Study of Social Policy, Council on Family and Child Caring Agencies (COFCCA), Graham Windham, National Child Traumatic Stress Network’s committee on parent trauma in child welfare, NYC Administration for Children’s Services, Sheltering Arms and Solution-Based Casebook.
Center for Family Representation Hosts Rise Writing Workshop for Young Parents who Grew Up in Care
July 30, 2015 by
The Center for Family Representation, which represents parents in child welfare proceedings, hosted a Rise writing workshop for young parents who themselves grew up in foster care. Completed by four young parents, the workshop met weekly for 16 weeks, culminating in a presentation of their stories by two participants. This workshop was supported by the Pinkerton Foundation. Stories from this workshop include:
Family After Foster Care: I want my daughter to have the love and security … Read More
Rise Leadership Group Gathers 40 Parents’ Perspectives in Focus Groups
June 12, 2015 by
To prepare for a conversation with ACS Commissioner Gladys Carrión, Rise parent leaders gathered the perspectives of 40 parents with open or recent foster care cases through focus groups at Bronx Defenders, Center for Family Representation and Graham Windham in early June. Rise’s parent leaders – all parents with first-hand experience with the child welfare system – gathered parents’ perspectives on what has helped or hurt them in their efforts to reunite with their children in … Read More
Sheltering Arms Hosts Rise Writing Workshops for Frontline Staff
April 15, 2015 by
Sheltering Arms partnered with Rise in 2015-16 to run two writing workshops for foster care agency staff. Stories focused on the steps staff have taken to work effectively and establish positive relationships with parents. After the first writing group in spring 2015, staff shared their stories with Sheltering Arms senior leadership, and two participants read their stories at a Sheltering Arms board meeting. Rise published the first installment in Spring 2016, along with parent-written articles about working … Read More
Five Parents Graduate from Rise’s Writing Workshop at Graham Windham
March 20, 2015 by
Rise writing workshop graduates Lindsay Reilly, Adisha Garner, Latoya Fitzgerald and Rebecca Mohammed, pictured here with Rise’s Nora McCarthy and Graham Windham’s Jess Dannhauser and Peggy Gibbs, presented their stories to family members and Graham staff March 20, 2015. Not pictured is graduate Lakisha Johnson. Parents in this 16-week workshop wrote stories examining the challenges–and their strengths–in keeping up hope while their children are in foster care.