Save the Dates for BPNN’s 2022 Webinars and Virtual Convening

Working together through the Birth Parent National Network (BPNN) we can make a difference for children and families. The BPNN will hold quarterly webinars in 2022. BPNN members – parents and organizational leaders – will guide us through these 90-minute interactive educational sessions. Save these dates and join us for policy discussions and developments affecting children and families:

• Thursday, February 17, 2022 
• Thursday, May 26, 2022
• Thursday, August 25, 2022
• Thursday, October 27, 2022

The BPNN’s 8th Annual Virtual Convening has been set for Thursday, December 1, 2022.

Both the webinars and the virtual convening begin at 10 am PT, 11am MT, 12 pm CT and 1 pm ET.

• Download the 2022 BPNN Membership Recruitment Flyer and Calendar for more information about how you can make a difference by joining the BPNN.
• Download the 2022 BPNN Webinars meme/image, and share on your social media networks to help us promote the quarterly webinars and 8th annual virtual convening.

Visit the EVENTS section to see the 2021 webinars and the virtual convening on race equity.

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
• Interested 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 in December.

Many families across our nation are struggling during this COVID-19 pandemic. At the Children’s Trust Fund Alliance, we have spoken to parents who have lost their jobs, and are anxious about providing for their families. This pandemic has created a common denominator of stress and challenge for most families. The Alliance is working tirelessly to provide information, support and opportunities for action to strengthen and promote the well-being of children, families and communities.

Help Us Make the Case for Continued Support

At a time when there is such critical need at every turn, we need to make the case for additional support for children and families dealing with the challenges of COVID-19. Collecting and sharing the stories of families during the pandemic is one way to put a face on these real and everyday challenges to help systems leaders and policymakers prioritize the needs of families.

We have created a short questionnaire to give families a way to share your stories with the media. The questionnaire is simple and submission will be followed up by a contact from the Alliance. Stories are powerful – so if you have a story to share or know of a family that you work with that might be willing to share their story, please complete the questionnaire HERE or share this link with others: https://tinyurl.com/y6cel9g2

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) 7th Annual Virtual Convening examined core concepts related to race/ethnic equity and inclusion issues. The December 2 convening was led by the W. Haywood Burns Institute (BI) which is a black-led national, nonprofit that works to transform the notion of what justice means.

We heard from Michael Finley and Samantha Mellerson about the historical perspective of structural racism on the development of human services work. They also discussed what we need to consider to eliminate racial and ethnic disparities within systems. They also shared strategies and tactics to establish a community-centered approach of justice administration that is anchored in structural well-being.

The following materials are available to download:

• 7th Annual Virtual Convening Slides (PDF)
• Michael Finley Biography
• Samantha Mellerson Biography
• Promotional Convening Flyer
• Social Media Image/Meme