Seen Out Loud

Seen Out Loud is a show about disrupting the child welfare system by the simple act of seeing families in their full humanity. Seeing people for who they truly are, and learning from their stories, offers new perspectives and compelling insights that can lead to radical transformation of America’s foster care system. Listen with us to families as they share deeply personal stories about their experiences with the child welfare system. Hear them express how the moments they were finally seen and valued shaped the trajectories of their lives. In this podcast, we accompany these stories with conversations about the work happening on the front lines of the family well-being movement—a collective effort aimed at meeting the needs of families to prevent systems intervention and the removal of children from parents. Hear leaders of the movement describe how they are actively building a future where families are engaged in systems work and have what they need to stay together and thrive.

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Seen Out Loud

THE MOMENTUM IS BUILDING

November 19, 2021 • Institute for Family • Season 1 • Episode 7

From the national to community level, hear how the movement to prioritize family well-being is gaining momentum. In this season finale, three guests give insight on conversations taking place across the country around supporting families and recognizing their value. Jerry Milner, former Associate Commissioner at the Children’s Bureau, shares his perspective on the progress of the child welfare transformation work on a national scale. Sharee Pemberton and Commissioner Hope B. Haywood of a rural county in North Carolina discuss how community leaders can bring about change and build trust through listening to families and meeting them where they are.

Shownotes:

00:01:50 | Meet Jerry Milner, Ph.D., and hear his take on the family well-being movement.

00:09:05 | Matt asks if amends are necessary for the child and family well-being movement to advance.

00:09:50 | Matt reflects on his conversation with Jerry and expands on the idea of how professionals and organizations within the child welfare system can make amends with children and families.

00:12:13 | To demonstrate how the movement is taking shape locally, Matt introduces Sharee Pemberton and County Commissioner Hope Haywood.

00:17:14 | What led Sharee to her work as an advocate for child and family well-being?

00:19:26 | Commissioner Haywood talks about the impact of hearing from Sharee at the County Commissioner meeting.

00:23:00 | Sharee shares her thoughts about the importance of trust and access.

00:26:39 | Commissioner Haywood shares how she is adopting new perspectives by learning more about her community. Sharee reacts to feeling heard.

00:30:00 | Matt shares his final thoughts on this episode conversions and the conclusion of Season 1.

Resources:

Thriving Families, Safer Children: National Partnership to Reinvent Child Welfare Expands | Annie E. Casey Foundation Blog

About Hope B. Haywood: Randolph County Board of Commissioners | Randolph County, NC

About Sharee Pembleton: My Journey to Change Agent by Sharee Pemberton | Smart Start

Randolph Partnership for Children

About Jerry Milner, Ph.D.: About | Public Knowledge

National Family Support Network | Championing Family Support

Communities of Hope

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