Youth participatory action research is one way in which child welfare scholars can engage youth with lived experience throughout the research process. In this episode, Dr. Lisa Magruder talks to a team that used Photovoice methodology and performance art to collect, analyze, and disseminate findings related to youths’ perspectives on the transition to independent living. Learn about the Institute-funded study, its findings, and lessons learned from the research team about meaningfully engage youth with lived experience.

HOPE Court (HOPE stands for Helping Older Teens Powerfully Engage) brings restorative justice-based court hearings and circles to youth in foster care throughout the year leading up to their 18th birthday and beyond, resulting in more community connection and increased hopefulness for our youth as they become adults. The Florida Institute for Child Welfare is currently funding an evaluation of HOPE Court in Broward County. In this episode, to Listen to Dr. Magruder discuss the exciting work with the evaluation team.

For a teen in care, turning 18 can be daunting, especially when they don’t feel adequately prepared for adulthood on their own. Caregivers and child welfare professionals are meant to support youth in developing independent life skills needed for success in adulthood. As part of SB80 in 2021, the Insitute was mandated to evaluate Florida’s approach to life skills development for youth in care. . In this episode, Dr. Lisa Magruder interviews the two lead evaluators, as well as an evaluation team member with lived experience turning 18 in care.

For youth in the foster care system, especially transition-age youth, establishing relational permanency can support youth beyond their time in care. The Selfless Love Foundation is currently piloting a relational permanency initiative, Follow the Love (FTL), with support from the Institute In this episode, Dr. Lisa Magruder interviews the FTL pilot evaluators, as well as a child welfare professional participating in the pilot in Northeast Florida.

Although Maternity homes are a small fraction of the child welfare system, they are vitally important to young mothers in care, or with nowhere else to turn. In this episode, Dr. Lisa Magruder interviews the researchers leading the Institute-funded Maternity Homes research study, a professional in the maternity homes system, and a young mother with lived experience in maternity homes.

A cornerstone of child welfare research is including the lived experience perspective, but there are many factors to consider when collaborating with those sharing their experiences. In this episode, Dr. Lisa Magruder, the Associate Director of Research at the Institute, speaks with child welfare research experts, as well as a mother with lived expertise, to learn about ways to engage, respect, and properly value those willing to share in research studies.

High turnover in child welfare has been called a “national crisis,” with many leaving the industry because training did not prepare them for reality of the difficult work. Using state-of the-art virtual reality trainings based on real case scenarios, Accenture, an information technology services company, provides realistic training opportunities to better prepare child welfare professionals to work with families in need. In this episode of Season 5, hear from Accenture’s Child Welfare Industry Lead, Molly Tierney, on the inner workings of these innovations, as well as Kellee Hicks’s firsthand experience with the software utilized in Mecklenburg County.

In child welfare, collaboration among all involved parties is required, and time is of the essence. Delays in communication can be disastrous for families and workers in the child welfare system. In this episode of Season 5, hear about Stabilify - a software company working to improve efficiency in child welfare. We spoke with the President of Stabilify, Jackie Gonzalez, about their streamlining efforts. We also interviewed Esther Jacobo of Children’s Home Society, a recent partner with Stabilify, about the impact this technology has on the workforce.

Working in child welfare can be challenging, especially when up to 80% of case managers’ time is spent on paperwork and other office tasks. This takes away valuable time from the children and families in need. Listen to hear about a new time saving innovation - the CaseAIM app. In this episode of Season 5, hear from Morgan Ryan and Brianna Kobayashi of Children’s Home Society about the positive impact of this new technology.

Listen to this episode of the Get Plugged In series to gain wisdom and insight on accessing healthcare services so that former foster youth are better equipped to maintain their physical and emotional well-being. Diamond Whitley, OVI’s Youth Engagement Specialist, and Jenn Edgson, Healthcare Consultant with Community Based Care Integrated Health, share some tips. https://ficw.fsu.edu/