This Foster Care Awareness Month, we’ve reflected on the thousands of young people and families affected by Nebraska’s child welfare system. We shared that low-income families, families of color, and LGBTQ+ identifying young people are especially vulnerable to child welfare system involvement – and often unnecessarily. We shared that Nebraska’s data is particularly egregious, especially […]
Foster Care Friday: Moving Forward Read More »
This Foster Care Awareness Month, we are reflecting on the thousands of young people and families affected by Nebraska’s child welfare system, especially those vulnerable to unnecessary system involvement. This week’s focus is LGBTQ+ Identifying Young People. LGBTQ+ young people are overrepresented in the child welfare system. 1 in 3 youth in foster care identify
Foster Care Friday: LGBTQ+ Identifying Young People Read More »
This Foster Care Awareness Month, we are reflecting on the thousands of young people and families affected by Nebraska’s child welfare system, especially those vulnerable to unnecessary system involvement. This week’s focus is Families of Color. Families of color are disproportionately represented in the foster care system with disparities growing at each stage of a
Foster Care Friday: Families of Color Read More »
This Foster Care Awareness Month, we are reflecting on the thousands of young people and families affected by Nebraska’s child welfare system, especially those vulnerable to unnecessary system involvement. This week’s focus is Low-Income Families. 85% of families involved in Nebraska’s child welfare system are there due to “physical neglect,” or lack of consistent necessities
Foster Care Friday: Low-Income Families Read More »
Today, LB575 (Kathleen Kauth) – which harmfully prohibits transgender and gender diverse students from accessing school activities and facilities consistent with their gender identity – was blocked from advancing in the Legislature. Trans and gender diverse young people in Nebraska will continue to have meaningful access to school activities, opportunities, and spaces, authentic to their
LB575 Failed to Advance – Thank You for Your Advocacy! Read More »
All young Nebraskans deserve to be who they are, and to thrive in school and social environments. Today, LB575 (Senator Kathleen Kauth) was voted out of the Nebraska Legislature’s Education Committee. This bill harmfully prohibits schools from allowing trans and gender diverse young people to access restrooms, locker rooms, or activities consistent with their gender
TAKE ACTION: Tell Your Senator to Oppose LB575 Read More »
We believe that all youth and families interacting with the foster care, or “child welfare,” system should be treated equitably, from the front door to their transition out of care. May is Foster Care Awareness Month and last May, we published a series of blogs highlighting the realities of the foster care system – especially
Taking A Closer Look at the Foster Care System: A Follow Up Read More »
Moving Forward We believe Nebraska’s child welfare system can do better. It must stop the vicious cycles of poverty and racism it creates, perpetuates, and upholds, and learn to truly strengthen families. In the near future, there are real, concrete, and possible actions that can be taken to begin that journey. Below are just some
Part Four of Taking A Closer Look at the Child Welfare System Read More »
We believe Nebraska’s child welfare system should support, uplift, and strengthen all youth and families it interacts with, especially including youth and families of color that the system disproportionately targets and harms. There are a lot of incredible individuals, organizations, and work happening in and around Nebraska to educate, improve, and support those touching the
We believe the child welfare system should ensure the welfare of all families within its care, both in intent and practice. But is this possible with a system that is inherently and impactfully harmful? With recent calls to “Defund the Police” in response to the egregious and violent targeting of Black and Brown people by