Bridging the Gap Between Parents and Foster Parents

Collaboration between parents and foster families to ensure better outcomes for children and families was the main theme of a forum on June 10th sponsored by the Children's Services Office of Advocacy, Parent Advisory Work Group (PAWG). Entitled "Making Your Life Easier- How Positive Relationships between Parents and Foster Parents make Case Planning and the Foster Care experience Easier for Everyone," the forum focused on ways to build and support collaboration between foster parents and birth parents working in the best interest of the child.

Two resource parents exchange ideas.

In his remarks, Children's Services Commissioner John Mattingly said the Agency is working toward a system that best serves the interest of children and families, while acknowledging  that certain practices had become institutionalized and would require time to change.  Commissioner Mattingly said the groundwork for change has been laid, with the employment of over 3,000 new caseworkers in the past 3 years, improved supports for foster parents and birth parents, and holding agencies accountable for providing better services for children, foster parents and birth parents.  Commissioner Mattingly said the introduction of programs such as Family Team Conference meant parents, foster parents, families and the community can now participate more fully in the decision-making process for children in care. 

(L) Big Apple Playback Theater gives their interpretation of a participant's experience with the foster care system.
(R) Family therapist Ester Harding, North Brooklyn Health Network talks about some the services they provide children and families.

These and other changes made in ACS practices will result in a much better child welfare system in the years to come, the commissioner said. "But we need you to let us know when we are doing something wrong." Many in the audience had been in foster care or had children in care and later become parent advocates who can guide other parents with children currently in care.

Big Apple Playback, an interactive improv group, used unscripted performances to portray stories told by members of the audience of their experience with the foster care system. When asked about their hopes for the future of the foster care system, one foster care agency worker said, "I hope we work ourselves out of a job.  If we can provide services to these families before they are in crisis, we can stop many children from coming into care."

The ACS PAWG was established in 2000.  Its mission is to explore and address the issues faced by parents and caregivers when dealing with the child welfare system, and to effect positive changes by working in partnership with ACS staff.  PAWG comprises parents and primary caregivers whose families were served by ACS and ACS' contract agencies, and who have successfully reunified with their children.

The group worked closely with ACS Office of Advocacy Director Dana Guyet to coordinate the efforts of advocates, parents and foster parents. Workshop topics included topics such as Parent to Parent (P2P) Meeting; Building Bonds -Relationships between Parents and Foster Parents and Shared Parenting Plan. The forum also received support from the Annie E. Casey Foundation and Rise Magazine, a non-profit organization that trains parents to write about their experiences with the child welfare system to guide policymakers to be more responsive to the families and communities they serve.