Parent Listening Sessions: Your Voices Were Heard!
From November 2023 to August 2025, we hosted ten Parent Listening Sessions and connected with twenty-eight parents across ten counties (pictured below on the map in blue). It was a privilege to meet each of you, and we deeply appreciate your openness in sharing your experiences with county children and youth agencies.
Here's what we learned from your reflections:
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What's Working Well:
- Family-centered initiatives like Family Group Decision Making and Plans of Safe Care;
- Supportive relationships with caseworkers are formed when caseworkers are respectful, compassionate, and trauma-informed; and
- Positive experiences are happening around the state with judges and peer mentors who offer meaningful support to families.
- Opportunities for Growth:
- Clearer communication about parents' rights;
- Stronger support in accessing services and resources; and
- Reducing stigma around mental health and substance use.
Parents in the counties highlighted above in blue have already started sharing their voices to help inform the child welfare system. Are you ready to join them?
If you are a birth parent who previously had an open case with a county children and youth agency and your case is now closed, we want to hear from you.
Click on "Parent Leadership Initiative" to explore what we've accomplished and where we're headed.
If you'd like to connect directly with our Parent Ambassador, Felicia Matriccino, and learn more about how you can share your voice, click here or on the "Complete A Parent Leadership Application" button below.
