“Any situation or event that leaves a child feeling overwhelmed and alone needs to be considered as trauma.” This presentation was by Jane Evans, UK author, and Parenting Expert at our SWHELPER Summit 2018. Citation Evans, Jane. What is Early Trauma and Why Does it Matter?. SWHELPER Summit, 20 March. 2018, https://swhelper.org/2022/09/25/what-is-early-trauma-and-why-does-it-matter/.

View Full Article - What is Early Trauma and Why Does it Matter?

 Jay Sanders’ presentation on Body Safety aims to empower children with skills and knowledge that will lessen the likelihood of them becoming victims of childhood sexual abuse. Citation Sanders, Jay. Body Safety Education. SWHELPER Summit, 20 March. 2018, https://swhelper.org/2022/09/01/body-safety-education-for-children-to-help-lessen-or-prevent-sexual-abuse/ .

View Full Article - Body Safety Education for Children to Help Lessen or Prevent Sexual Abuse

 Tina Maschi’s presentation was on advancing global justice through forensic social work education and practice at our SWHELPER Summit 2018. Citation Maschi, Tina. Advancing Global Justice through Forensic Social Work Education and Practice. SWHELPER Summit, 20 March. 2018, https://swhelper.org/2022/06/10/advancing-global-justice-through-forensic-social-work-education-and-practice/.

View Full Article - Advancing Global Justice through Forensic Social Work Education and Practice

Back in October of 2020, single father Robert Carter adopted a set of five siblings so that they would never again be separated by the foster care system. Robert became inspired to foster after being split up from many of his own brothers and sisters when he entered the system at the age of 12. Following […]

View Full Article - Single Father Adopts Five Siblings from Foster Care System

The nation saw an uptick in domestic violence calls in the midst of the pandemic and the shutdown. The convergence of social isolation, economic pressure, and psychological stress created favorable conditions for abuse to occur. Adults are not the only victims of abuse in the home. Children, too, are vulnerable. History shows that violence against […]

View Full Article - Protecting Children from Harm in the Context of Distance Learning

There is a quote attributed to Sigmund Freud, “Sometimes a cigar is just a cigar”. So too of childhood behaviour and incidents; they may be simply within the range of normal childhood life. However, in the context of high conflict separated parents, the simple explanation can get transplanted with extraordinary suspicions and theories. Normal childhood […]

View Full Article - Normal Childhood Behaviour Misconstrued and How Assessments Are Helpful

While most of the mainstream media has failed to report on this momentous piece of legislation created to address the inequities of systemic racism impacting child welfare reform and parental rights, Rep. Rena Moran, DFL-St. Paul, and Sen. Jeff Hayden, DFL-Minneapolis quietly introduced the Minnesota African American Family Preservation Act (HF 3973). The bill was […]

View Full Article - The Minnesota African American Family Preservation Act: One Small Step in the Right Direction Towards A More Just Child Welfare System

Sponsored by Aurora University Children who are in the court or social service systems due to neglect or abuse are vulnerable, and they often lack reliable adult advocacy. For the past 40 years, however, volunteers have been stepping up to help protect and guide these at-risk youths during their proceedings. In 1977, Seattle juvenile court […]

View Full Article - How to Become a CASA Volunteer

WASHINGTON – Yesterday, Rep. Karen Bass (D-Calif.) and Rep. Don Bacon (R-Neb.) introduced legislation to authorize funding to support mentoring programs that have a proven track record in serving foster youth. Rep. Bass and Rep. Bacon both serve as co-chairs of the Congressional Caucus on Foster Youth, which is a bipartisan group of lawmakers dedicated […]

View Full Article - Bass, Bacon Introduce Bipartisan Foster Youth Mentoring Act

Sponsored by Campbellsville University According to the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, there were approximately 443,000 children in foster care in 2017 with more than one-quarter of those children waiting to be adopted. Unfortunately, the foster care system needs help, according to Anne Adcock, program director and assistant professor of social work at […]

View Full Article - Building Families: Social Workers in Foster Care

It is widely accepted the earliest months and years of a child’s existence have the most profound impact on the rest of the lives. Attachment theorists believe the early bonds and relationships a child forms with his/her carer(s) or parent(s), informs that child’s ability or inability to form successful and healthy relationships in the future. […]

View Full Article - Right from the Start: Investing in Parents and Babies – Alan Sinclair

Earlier this week, Rep. Karen Bass (D-Calif.) and Congressman Tom Marino (R-Penn.), Co-chairs of the Congressional Caucus on Foster Youth, introduced legislation to provide grants to states, tribes (including tribal consortia), territories or community-based organizations to develop, enhance, and evaluate Kinship Navigator programs. Kinship Navigator programs support family caregivers through complex legal and administrative systems, […]

View Full Article - Reps. Bass, Marino Introduce Legislation To Develop And Enhance Kinship Navigator Programs

Collaborative Family Law offers divorcing couples a new approach to untangling marriage. The traditional approach has family lawyers settle disputes with at least the threat of litigation. Collaborative Family Law takes the threat of litigation out of the equation to concentrate on helping the parties settle between themselves yet with legal support. Litigation is not […]

View Full Article - What is Collaborative Law and Social Work

By: Susan Meyers Chandler and Laurie Arial Tochiki Annually, about 435,000 children across the United States are taken away from their custodial parents following a confirmed incident of abuse or neglect. In 2015, approximately two million cases of abuse and neglect were accepted for investigation by child protection services agencies in the fifty U.S. states. Although […]

View Full Article - Why Involving Entire Families in Child Protection Cases Can Improve the Lives of Endangered Children

Each May, the Congressional Caucus on Foster Youth introduces a resolution to recognize May as National Foster Care Month. Last year the resolution was cosponsored by more than 130 Members of Congress. In addition to re-introducing this important resolution to call attention and raise awareness about this issue, the Congressional Caucus on Foster Youth will […]

View Full Article - 100 Former Foster Youth Visit Members of Congress to Advocate for Child Welfare Reform

The federal government spends an estimated $55 billion annually on dealing with the effects of childhood exposure to domestic violence, according to new research by social scientists at Case Western Reserve University. The results of a study on the national economic impact of exposure to domestic violence—published in The Journal of Family Violence—showed higher health-care costs, […]

View Full Article - Exposure to Domestic Violence Costs U.S. Government $55 Billion Each Year

  Join over 5,000 learners from across 172 countries who now understand just how important the UN Guidelines for the Alternative Care of Children are when caring and protecting vulnerable children. Now is your chance to register to be part of this FREE global online course. Starting on 19 February, it is open to everyone who is interested in or […]

View Full Article - Getting Care Right for All Children – Free Online Course

Children who experience abuse and neglect early in life are more likely to have problems in social relationships and underachieve academically as adults. Maltreatment experienced before age 5 can have negative effects that continue to be seen nearly three decades later, according to a new study led by Lee Raby, an assistant professor of psychology at […]

View Full Article - Tracking the Impact of Early Abuse and Neglect

The Congressional Caucus on Foster Youth and the Bipartisan Heroin Task Force teamed up to host a dinner highlighting the effects that the opioid epidemic has had on the country’s child welfare system. This epidemic has impacted countless lives throughout the country and has already had a specifically insidious impact on children. “The opioid crisis […]

View Full Article - Bipartisan Task Force Hosts Discussion on Effects of the Opioid Epidemic on the Child Welfare System

When you choose to become a foster carer the rewards can be great. Supporting a child through a difficult period in their life, watching them grow and develop into a well-rounded individual; it’s understandable why so many choose to pursue this worthwhile vocation. However, as with any profession, it does come with some downsides. Primarily […]

View Full Article - How to Support Foster Children