Promote Parent Voices

The Alliance’s BPNN recruits parents, individual stakeholders and organizations that work with parents to join together to promote and support the voices of parents to inform policies and practices that effect children and families. The dynamic BPNN membership consists of:

Parents who:

• Are committed to a strength-based, preventative approach for systems that interact with families
• Have high interest in engaging in policy work and drawing on their life experiences to inform and educate policymakers and other stakeholders
• Have experienced challenges and have been at risk of child welfare involvement
• Have been previously involved with the child welfare system

Organizations that:

• Are committed to identifying and supporting parents as strategic partners in policy work and system reform
• Have an interest in sharing materials and resources with their peers and colleagues nationally

BPNN Members meet four times a year by webinar for policy updates and information sharing. Also, the BPNN holds an annual virtual convening.

The Children’s Trust Fund Alliance joined with a group of parents from the BPNN to produce these publications. They include the perspectives of parents with life experiences in using services to strengthen their families and focus on timely and important topics.

• What Parents Say About…Advancing Equity and Support for Underserved Communities
• What Parents Say About…Supporting Families to Provide a Strong Start for Their Young Children
• What Parents Say About…Building a 21st Century Community-Based Approach to Strengthening Families
• What Parents Say About…Keeping Families Together and Strong Through Prevention and Early Intervention Strategies
• What Parents Say About…Prevention Strategies that Work to Keep Families Together, Resilient and Strong
• What Parents Say About…Using the Protective Factors to Understand Substance Abuse and Recovery
• What Parents Say About…What Works in Substance Abuse Recovery to Strengthen Protective Factors in Families and Ensure Children’s Safety and Well-Being

To download one or all seven of the popular What Parents Say About… issue briefs, click on the button below:

Download ALL 7 What Parents Say About…Publications

The Birth Parent National Network (BPNN) 8th Annual Virtual Convening examined how racism shows up across the social ecology of children and their families’ lives. The June 23 convening was led by Dr. Charlyn Harper Browne and Cailin O’Connor from the Center for the Study of Social Policy (CSSP). They explored the many ways that racism permeates our lives, and how we can take active, anti-racist steps as individuals and within systems.

The virtual convening ended with participants sharing how we, as individuals, can implement anti-racist strategies, policies and practices in our relationships, organizations, communities and society.

The following materials are available to download:

• 8th Annual Virtual Convening Slides (PDF)
• Promotional Convening Flyer
• Social Media Image/Meme

Many families across our nation struggled – and are still struggling – because of the evolving impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. To support parents during this national crisis, the Children’s Trust Fund Alliance developed the Alliance Resiliency Project. We are partnering with Casey Family Programs to provide a trusted and supportive resource to almost 400 parents who are members of the Birth Parent National Network (BPNN), the Birth Parent Advisory Committee (BPAC) and the Birth and Foster Parent Partnership (BFPP).

Families are doing their best to manage their fear and stress and to reduce the trauma being experienced by their children – but they need help. Flexible funding through the Alliance Resiliency Project helped support families and filled gaps not met by other resources. The importance of the support for concrete needs cannot be overstated. Often, these funds provided safety and security when all other options had been exhausted and the ability to help stabilize family situations has made a powerful, lasting and important difference in the lives of many families. 

TouchPoint Parents

TouchPoint Parents work with and support parents in the BPNN, the BPAC and the BFPP. They help parents with such concrete needs as accessing technology, financial assistance and linking to resources in their community or state. Parents are encouraged to join the Caring Conversations to connect with other parents for information and support.

Caring Conversations

Although the Alliance Resiliency Project grant period ended June 30, 2021, the Alliance is continuing to hold Caring Conversations every Monday at Noon CT for parents to share with each other how they are getting through this time of COVID, what supports they need and what creative ways they have found to make the most of this trying situation. Register HERE to participate in the next Caring Conversation.

Register for Caring Conversations

Alliance Resiliency Project Report

The Alliance compiled a full report on the project when the grant period ended June 30, 2021. The report – Alliance Resiliency Project: A Model for Flexible Funding to Support Families – contains lessons learned and was featured during the Alliance presentation at the PCAA virtual conference in August.

Download Project Report