Blog

Introduction 

The intersection between child welfare and child well-being was brought into sharp focus at the Regional Forum on Child Welfare Transformation: Supporting Families During Pregnancy and Early Childhood, hosted by the Perigee Fund and the Doris Duke Foundation on September 10, 2024. The forum, a follow-up to the White House Child Welfare Committee convening, highlighted the urgent need for transformation within child welfare systems, moving from punitive measures to holistic, community-driven approaches. Lark Kesterke, Director of the Help Me Grow Washington Network at WithinReach, and I were honored to attend this gathering which brought together influential speakers, including leaders from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, state agencies, and organizations dedicated to supporting families in crisis. 

Keynote speakers included Jeff Hild and Rebecca Jones-Gaston from the Administration for Children and Families (ACF), Vicki Ybarra from the Department of Children, Youth, and Families (DCYF), and Shrounda Selivanoff from the Washington State Office of Public Defense and Carol Mitchell from the Institute for Black Justice. The event also featured powerful testimonies from parents who had experienced the trauma of having their children removed, who self-identified as “System Survivors”. These stories underscored the human impact of current child welfare practices and the need for immediate reform. 

Reframing the Purpose of Child Welfare 

One of the central themes of the event was the need to rethink and transform the purpose of the child welfare system. As Carol Mitchell and other speakers eloquently articulated, the current system often perpetuates harm, especially for families of color and those living in poverty. Child welfare, as it exists today, is too often used as a blunt tool that punishes families for their socioeconomic circumstances rather than offering the support they need to stay together. 

Shrounda Selivanoff’s presentation was particularly impactful. She highlighted the staggering statistic that 53% of Black people in the U.S. will have some form of engagement with the child welfare system by the age of 18. Black families are twice as likely as white families to experience child welfare involvement, a disparity rooted in systemic inequities, including racism and poverty. Selivanoff emphasized that child welfare was never meant to punish people for being poor, yet the system has evolved in such a way that it disproportionately impacts families facing financial hardships. 

Her call to action was clear: we must prioritize providing families with the services and resources they need to stay together, moving away from a system that separates families as a form of intervention. “Support doesn’t mean separation—it means compassionate care,” she said, advocating for a community response to family challenges rather than a punitive state intervention. 

The Role of Poverty in Child Welfare 

Poverty emerged as one of the key drivers of child welfare system involvement. Many speakers pointed to the need for economic solutions, such as Guaranteed Basic Income (GBI), to address the root causes of family separation. Guaranteeing a basic income, as advocates argued, offers hope for families living in poverty and reduces the likelihood of child welfare involvement. 

Speakers, including Jeff Hild, shared research which showed that financial instability is closely correlated with entry into the child welfare system. As Jeff Hild put it: “Child welfare doors should be very small—most should not enter.” The message was clear: addressing poverty would reduce the number of families interacting with the system in the first place, allowing child welfare agencies to focus on cases of actual harm or abuse rather than those simply struggling to make ends meet. 

A Systems-Level Approach: DCYF Data 

Vicki Ybarra from DCYF presented promising data that underscored the impact of statewide efforts to reduce child welfare entries, particularly among young children. In Washington state, the percentage of children entering the child welfare system has been cut by half in recent years. Ybarra credited this reduction to proactive measures, including Help Me Grow and Plan of Safe Care, aimed at supporting families before they reach a crisis point. 

One of the most alarming statistics Ybarra shared was that the highest percentage of children entering the system are between the ages of zero to three. These are the children who are most vulnerable to the long-term trauma associated with family separation, underscoring the importance of intervening early and providing resources that can keep families intact. The progress in Washington state is a testament to what can be achieved when child welfare systems shift from a punitive to a preventative model. 

The Voices of System Survivors 

Perhaps the most powerful moments of the forum came from the personal stories of two parents who described themselves as “System Survivors”. These individuals courageously shared their experiences of having their children taken from them, detailing the profound and lasting emotional scars left by the child welfare system. Their stories were heartbreaking but served as an important reminder of the urgent need for change. 

One of these parents described the experience as “losing a part of myself.” The sense of loss and disempowerment felt by parents in these situations is something that the current system often fails to recognize, let alone address. By putting human faces to the data and statistics shared by other speakers, the System Survivors made it impossible to ignore the devastating impact of family separation and underscored the necessity of building a child welfare system that centers family preservation and healing. 

Carol Mitchell, who shared the stage with these parents, spoke passionately about the need for a child welfare system that uplifts families rather than breaking them apart. As an advocate with the Institute for Black Justice, Mitchell’s work focuses on ensuring that families, particularly Black and Indigenous families, have the support they need to thrive without unnecessary state intervention. She stressed that we must listen to the voices of those who have lived through the system if we are to build one that truly serves families. 

Defining Equity in Child Welfare 

Another major theme of the forum was equity— what it means and how it can be achieved in child welfare. Equity in this context, as several speakers articulated, means that people are able to get what they need, when they need it. This concept challenges the traditional one-size-fits-all approach of the child welfare system and calls for a more personalized, responsive framework that takes into account the unique circumstances of each family. 

The forum highlighted that while equity is a guiding principle, it must be operationalized through concrete policies and practices. This includes addressing the racial disparities in child welfare involvement and ensuring that support services are culturally relevant and accessible to all families. 

Supporting Community-Based Organizations 

In addition to transforming the child welfare system itself, the forum also focused on the role of community-based organizations (CBOs) in supporting families. CBOs are often required to wear many hats, providing a wide range of services to meet the diverse needs of their communities. However, this can lead to burnout and inefficiencies. 

This emphasis on supporting CBOs is critical because these organizations are often on the front lines, providing the direct services that keep families out of the child welfare system. Whether through early childhood education, mental health services, or financial assistance, CBOs play a vital role in keeping families together and preventing child welfare involvement. 

A Shared Vision for the Future 

The forum concluded with a shared vision for the future: a world where we no longer need the child welfare system as it exists today. This vision calls for a system where families are supported holistically, where poverty is not a reason for child removal, and where communities are empowered to take the lead in supporting their own. 

As the event drew to a close, the energy in the room was one of hope and determination. The work of transforming child welfare is not easy, nor is it linear—it is, as one speaker noted, “spiralic,” requiring constant learning, adaptation, and collaboration. But the message was clear — change is not only possible but necessary. Together, we can build a system that truly supports families, ensuring that fewer and fewer children enter the doors of child welfare. 

Conclusion 

The Regional Forum on Child Welfare Transformation was a powerful reminder that we are at a critical juncture in child welfare reform. The stories, data, and ideas shared during the event underscored the need for a paradigm shift—one that moves from punishment to support, from separation to preservation, and from systemic inequity to true justice for all families.