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The Child Welfare Summit brought together a broad spectrum of individuals with child welfare experience as administrators, practitioners, parents, researchers, former foster youth, community advocates, judges and legislators. The participants examined major problems and challenges facing the child welfare system, presented innovative approaches that have shown promise throughout the country, and proposed 21 recommendations for change at the federal level.
Already, some of the Summit's recommendations have captured the attention of Representatives Benjamin Cardin (D-MD) and George Miller (D-CA), who have proposed the Child Protective Services Improvement Act, which includes provisions designed to improve outcomes for children in foster care, enhance caseworker retention, address substance abuse problems of families involved with the child welfare system, promote community partnerships, update funding eligibility requirements, and increase resources for prevention and adoption activities.
Now that we have specific recommendations and examples of promising practices, we need to spread the word to let others know that we can change our approach to protecting children and strengthening families so that they can achieve safety, stability and permanence in their lives. By creating a "buzz" around the recommendations, we increase the likelihood of getting policymakers' attention and, ultimately, seeing these recommendations implemented nationwide.
Below are some simple steps you can take to help spread the word to policymakers, the media and the public about the Child Welfare Summit and its recommendations.
Use your existing networks
You likely maintain regular communication with individuals and organizations who would be interested in learning about innovative approaches to keeping children safe and strengthening families. Below are some ideas for how you can use your own networks to help spread the word about the Summit and its recommendations.
- Announce the Summit Report's release in your organization's newsletter and provide the website address for downloading the report. A sample announcement could be:
Newly released recommendations from a national Child Welfare Summit are generating interest among federal policymakers
In November 2002, the Center for the Study of Social Policy through its Center for Community Partnerships in Child Welfare sponsored a Child Welfare Summit in Washington, DC to examine major problems and challenges facing the child welfare system, present innovative approaches to these challenges, and propose recommendations for change at the federal level. The Summit was hosted by Reps. Miller (D-CA), Rangel (D-NY), and Cardin (D-MD). The Summit report, Child Welfare Summit: Looking to the Future - An Examination of the State of Child Welfare and Recommendations for Action, was recently released and has already captured the attention of Reps. Cardin (D-MD) and Miller (D-CA), who have proposed the Child Protective Services Improvement Act, which includes provisions designed to improve outcomes for children in foster care, enhance caseworker retention, address substance abuse problems of families involved with the child welfare system, promote community partnerships, update funding eligibility requirements, and increase resources for prevention and adoption activities. For more information on the Child Welfare Summit and to download the full report and recommendations, visit www.ccpcw.org and/or www.cssp.org.
- Post an announcement about the Summit Report's release on a listserv to which you subscribe. A short posting could be:
A newly released report and recommendations for improving our nation's approach to child welfare includes innovative approaches to keeping children safe and strengthening families. The report has generated interest on Capitol Hill. For more information visit www.ccpcw.org and/or www.cssp.org.
- Email state and local policymakers and colleagues who might be interested in these issues and include a link to www.ccpcw.org and/or www.cssp.org.
Write a letter to the editor
The media are a key resource for spreading the word. You can write a letter to the editor of your local newspaper to express concern about the vulnerable children and families in your community and your belief that we can do better. Point to the Child Welfare Summit and its recommendations as a major step on the path to improving our approach to keeping children safe and strengthening families. See Sample Letter to the Editor for tips and suggested language.
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