Building Birth and Foster Parent Relationships to Promote Reunification

KATIE BIRON, Family Connections Program
SHROUNDA SELIVANOFF, Children's Home Society of Washington

Hear from two representatives of the Birth and Foster Parent Partnership (BFPP) as they share their experiences in building and supporting meaningful partnerships and discuss how children/youth are more likely to thrive when the important adults in their lives cooperate with each other and share responsibilities and decision-making. The BFPP is working to promote lasting relationships between birth parents, foster parents, and kinship caregivers to support families and to help child welfare systems prioritize these relationships through culture, practice, and policy. Research and experience both demonstrate the value when staff, birth parents, and foster parents work in partnership to achieve better outcomes for families and children. The BFPP is supported by three partnering organizations: the Children’s Trust Fund Alliance, Youth Law Center’s Quality Parenting Initiative, and Casey Family Programs.