2020 inaugural conference

Conference VIDEOS

Bridging expert perspectives and discussion, this event kicks off a series of five sessions focusing on how we can work together across our system to move crucial child welfare priorities amidst the new pressures of 2020. Pandemic restructuring presents challenges and also new opportunities to stay in, homeschool and maintain community connections. Hear key data and lived experience about how 2020’s challenges have affected out-of-home care, including resource parent support, recruitment & retention. Learn how agencies are providing extra educational supports and advances in tele-mental health, and contribute to a cross-sector discussion around needs and opportunities to advance quality foster parenting. VIEW LIST OF SPEAKERS
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Responding to the deep impact that COVID and 2020 challenges have on all of our mental health, this session covers the impact of direct and secondary traumatic stress and offers strategies that enhance both personal and professional wellbeing for both parents and agency teams. VIEW LIST OF SPEAKERS
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Learn how transitioning to virtual recruitment under COVID unearthed A-HA moments that increased success. Hear how new recruitment, relationship building and support techniques are being successfully applied to generate leads and usher families through approval. ISFC recruitment and support will specifically be addressed as part of this exciting session!

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Hear how our underlying attitudes unconsciously can impact our understanding, decisions, and actions, including specifically in the foster care environment. Discuss methods that help us understand these assumptions so we can better support youth and the families who care for them.

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There is no group more important to the informing and shaping of our policy and practice than the youth who experience our care first-hand. Our final session brings us together with current and former youth in care, who will draw from their lived experience expertise to provide insight and guidance on how our system of out-of-home care helps youth thrive and succeed, where we are falling short, what needs to change, and how we can get it right. We look forward to learning from and engaging with these youth leaders as we journey forward.

When you know better, you do better
– Maya Angelou

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Hosts

Weingart Foundation
The Ralph M. Parsons
W.M. Keck Foundation
First 5 LA
PFCI
Southern California Grantmakers
UCLA Pritzker Center
DCFS
Los Angeles Department of Mental Health
LA Probation Badge

Hot Tips

  • LA County DMH Help Line – for all County residents (800) 854-7771
    • Option 1:  24/7 for referrals, crisis counseling and mobile field response teams
    • Option 2:  Emotional Support Warm Line  (9:00 am – 9:00 pm)
    • Option 3:  Veteran Line  (9:00 am – 9:00 pm)

JOIN US IN ACHIEVING SYSTEMIC CHANGE
 

It is an exciting time for the Foster Together Network and the transformation of the foster family recruitment and retention system in Los Angeles and beyond.