Understanding the Child Welfare Experience from the Birth Parent's Perspective

Understanding the Child Welfare Experience from the Birth Parent’s Perspective

We talk a lot about the child’s experience in foster care, but what is this experience like for the child’s birth parents? You may be surprised! Join our conversation with Dr. Darcey Merritt, a professor at the University of Chicago School of Social Work who researches this topic.

In this episode, we cover:

What is a typical scenario, if there is such a thing, of how a parent finds themselves connecting with the child welfare system?
What rights do birth parents have within the system?
What are some of the challenges families face before the child is taken into custody?
What are some of the challenges that they face once the child is in foster care?
How can you become an ally to the child’s parents?
How does poverty factor in?
Who most commonly reports birth parents to child welfare?
How does race factor in?
Research in the area of working memory on parental decision-making.