Seeing a need in child welfare for a collection of parent-approved resources for changemakers to access, to keep more families safely together, we created Bright Spots! This resource includes a library of child welfare practices reviewed and recommended by parents from Be Strong Families and Rise Magazine who have been impacted by the system.
With growing pressure (and desire) for systems to partner with those with lived expertise in their work, our goal is for Bright Spots to provide leaders in child welfare a trusted source of practices we know work for families. What we’re learning is that even most recommended practices still have parent-identified caveats and rely on certain conditions to be successful. Understandably, parents are skeptical that even the most generous of practices can be used to gain information that ultimately results in their families being harmed.
We recently added 10 new parent-recommended resources to the Bright Spots library for those working within child welfare systems to explore and implement.
Check out the current collection of resources, with feedback from impacted parents, on the Bright Spots website!
News & Insights
from Team Alia
Here are some ideas that got us thinking this month. Visit our website to read the full-length posts, and join us in the conversations online!
- Experiencing the Waves of Change through Workforce Wellbeing and Resilience. Alia intern and Rock County Human Services staff Jordyn Jenkins reflects on the many feelings she cycled through as an employee of a system embarking on a journey of systems transformation, and the role workforce wellbeing and resilience played in setting them up for success.
- Microchanges as a Tipping Point. Change is inevitable, but we can influence the outcome to achieve what we envision and desire for our work. This is accomplished through microchanges - small and strategic changes that build over time until a tipping point is reached, and dramatic change is achieved.
Resource Spotlights
Dear Workers is a resource for frontline child welfare staff and supervisors to promote connection, healing, and justice as they work side-by-side with families and communities to build trust through relationships that improves family engagement. Read more about and download this free resource on our website.
How to Build an UnSystem is the fifth and final module of our UnSystem Toolkit! While leaders can be invigorated and inspired to implement change and embrace a new way of work, they often misunderstand what it takes to bring it about. This module explores what to expect when implementing change, the role of a leader in the change process and effective ways to manage pushback.
Visit our website to learn more about the UnSystem Toolkit and all of its modules, introducing you and your team to the fundamentals of change!