Here at the Institute we promote logical, effective and healing child welfare services that produce great results. We challenge the mindset of old-school thinkers, and we bring passion, patience and experience to the table. But we’re always ready to learn more!

For us, we demand that children, families and communities are treated fairly and equitably. We demand that systemic racism and inequality is eliminated as a factor when making decisions about family involvement for children in need of care and protection. There is a lifetime of work to be done.

So… here at the Institute we believe that change is necessary. Doing the same old thing leads to the same old results. We all know those results: Parents dismissed, kids separated from family, minority families treated differently, and agencies tasked with raising kids. None of this works. 

Here’s what we know: Family is paramount. When we look at family through a different lens, we see capability and opportunity. Instead of seeing a parent who left their child home alone, we see a parent whose child care fell through and they were forced to choose: miss work and thus food for the family or take the risk. We envision moving from a savior-based and removal child welfare system to one of prevention, healing and strength.