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Why are Black children removed from homes at high rate? L.A. County plans 'blind removal' pilot

Jaclyn Cosgrove

July 14, 2021 |

Los Angeles Times |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, Los Angeles, California

Based on its success in New York, ‘blind removal’ will be implemented in Los Angeles County’s child welfare system. The pilot project eliminates the child’s race from information available to social workers to prevent biases from affecting the decision-making process of removing a child from their home. The pilot was successful in decreasing the number of Black children in foster care.

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How Indigenous-led organizations are rebuilding connection to language and culture

Jolene Rudisuela

July 06, 2021 |

Capital Daily |

Text |

1500-3000 Words

Response Location: Canada, Nanaimo, British Columbia

The Nisaika Kum’tuks and Tsawalk learning centers provide alternative schooling options for Indigenous students to learn more about their culture and languages. The centers teach a total of 100 students from 23 different nations, many of whom come from single-family homes that are experiencing economic hardship or have been part of the foster care system. While the schools have recently shut down to be consolidated with the local school system, efforts are underway to create a new learning center that continues the mission of combining traditional knowledge and culture with academia.

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Minneapolis Lawyers Uphold the Indian Child Welfare Act

Elizabeth Amon

May 17, 2021 |

The Imprint |

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1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States, Minnesota

The 43-year-old Indian Child Welfare Act continues to make a "profound" difference to Native American families and tribes, despite being under frequent legal attacks. The law limits the placement of Native children in non-Native foster or adoptive homes, to preserve families and Native culture. Helping parents stabilize their families is preferred over removing children. Native children are still removed from their families and culture at disproportionately high rates. But a review of 40 cases handled by the ICWA Law Center in Minnesota showed "clear benefit for the children it is designed to protect."

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Dependency Court Programs Focus On Babies' Health

Martín Macías, Jr.

April 29, 2021 |

The Imprint |

Text |

1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States, Tacoma, Washington

The Safe Babies program model trains judges to oversee foster-care cases with the goal of fixing the problems that led social workers to remove young children from their homes. Operating swiftly, so that babies do not lose precious weeks and months apart from their parents at a critical time, programs like Best For Babies in Pierce County, Washington, put teams of medical and mental health experts on a case. Nationwide, the program used in 30 states makes family reunification much more likely and rapid, with healthier parental attachments and child development.

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What one county agency is doing to keep its employees whole

Cheryl Splain

March 26, 2021 |

Knox Pages |

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1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States, Knox County, Ohio

To help address burnout for child welfare workers in Knox County, Ohio, Knox County Job & Family Services has launched a two-pronged approach that aims to offer wellbeing services to employees. Although the Covid pandemic impeded the rollout of these self-care services and resources, feedback has been positive.

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Why This County Is Giving Foster Youth $1,000 A Month, No Strings Attached

Laura Paddison

March 13, 2021 |

The Huffington Post |

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1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States, Santa Clara County, California

A pilot program in Santa Clara County, California, is providing a guaranteed monthly income to young adults who age out of the foster care system. In addition to $1,000 the recipients will also have access to financial advice. This particular demographic was chosen for the pilot program based on statistics that show foster care youth are susceptible to homelessness and mental illness in part due to a lack of a support system.

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Koori hearings

Jenan Taylor

March 01, 2021 |

The Monthly |

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800-1500 Words

Response Location: Australia, Melbourne

The Marram-Ngala Ganbu program, also known as Koori Family Hearing Day, provides a child-protection specialist to support Indigenous families before family court hearings, support them in the hearing, connect them to services as needed, and ensure cases are managed in culturally appropriate ways. The hearings incorporate aspects of the family’s culture, such as their totem, and community elders can participate. About 400 families have participated in the program and an independent evaluation found that the Indigenous community believe the program gives them a voice and makes a difference for their children.

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This Honduran lawyer reunites families separated at the US-Mexico border. It involves difficult road trips — and detective work.

Michelle Wiley

February 04, 2021 |

Public Radio International (PRI) |

Radio |

5-15 Minutes

Response Location: Honduras

Justice In Motion helps Central American people who were separated from their children by the U.S. government when they attempted to migrate into the U.S. One lawyer in Honduras has succeeded many times in her three dozen searches for parents who lost contact with their children and themselves are hard to find. Justice In Motion and its allies are suing the government and try to help parents with their asylum petitions, in addition to seeking family reunification.

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CASA program uses volunteers to advocate for kids

Cheryl Splain

January 04, 2021 |

Knox Pages |

Text |

1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States, Mount Vernon, Ohio

In 55 Ohio counties, judges can appoint volunteers from Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) programs to represent the interests of children when their families' struggles end up in court. CASA volunteers act as a judge's eyes and ears in the lives of children who are suspected of being victims of abuse or neglect, or who at least need a more stable home. They recommend placement options and treatment services. Such programs can save counties money, by replacing paid lawyers serving as guardians, and volunteers can be more attentive to children's needs.

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How one Texas non-profit is helping foster children learn and stay safe during the pandemic

Jennifer Sanders

December 14, 2020 |

KXAN-TV |

Broadcast TV News |

3-5 Minutes

Response Location: United States, Austin, Texas

The COVID-19 pandemic changed the way foster care works. The SAFE Alliance, a merger of Austin Children’s Shelter and SafePlace, had to change the way they do things to ensure the safety of children and teens. “In late February we decided we needed to create a COVID-response team, so the executive team got together and created what we call a COVID coordinator.” Apart from implementing safety protocols, they also found ways to avoid staff burnout, and restructured their teen parent and early childhood programs.

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