Power in Partnership: Elevating Shared Parenting Policies and Practices Through The Lens of Lived Experience

Youth Law Center’s Quality Parenting Initiative has created a national movement to change the policies, practices, and culture of foster care systems by putting children’s relationships first. While over 100,000 children, 25% of children in care in the United States, are affected by the QPI approach, sometimes the impact can best be understood through the story of one child and family. To that end, YLC is proud to share the release of the Quality Parenting Initiative’s (QPI) Power in Partnership: Elevating Shared Parenting Policies and Practices Through The Lens of Lived Experience, a series of stories that highlight the policy and practice impact of YLC’s Quality Parenting Initiative on supporting birth parent and foster parents working together for what is in the best interest of each child and youth. 

“We want (the biological parents) to feel as comfortable and as safe as they can, and be reassured that their child is safe… The system looks at people as numbers, but we want people to understand, we don’t — you’re family. I don’t want a stigma on anybody.” – Daniel Mesa, resource parent in CA

These stories are powerful tools for child welfare agencies to understand their role in supporting birth and foster parent partnerships, and can contribute to changing the narrative of foster care. While focusing on the lens of a birth and foster parent, each story addresses the policy and practice changes necessary to promote and support these relationships. 

The series includes these impactful stories:

• Redefining ‘Family’: California
• Empowering Change: Minnesota
• Changing the Culture: Louisiana
• Changing the Training: Nevada
• Policy to Practice Implementation: Florida

QPI, a strategy of YLC, was launched in 2008 in Florida, and as of 2022, over 80 jurisdictions in 12  states have participated in the QPI approach. QPI is a national movement committed to ensuring that all children in care have excellent parenting and lasting relationships so they can thrive and grow. This series was developed by Youth Law Center’s Quality Parenting Initiative in collaboration with the Birth and Foster Parent Partnership and the Children’s Trust Fund Alliance, with support from Casey Family Programs.