Community In-Site is a multimedia approach dedicated to amplifying the stories and lessons from the growing family well-being movement. What started as a podcast has expanded to include a blog, offering even more ways to learn from what's happening at the grassroots and the grasstops.
The blog is produced by Imagination Factory with funding support from the Annie E. Casey Foundation. It is not a project of Thriving Families, Safer Children and views expressed are those of the authors, and are not representative of the funders, TFSC partner organizations or the Thriving Families, Safer Children movement.
By: Valerie Frost
Families need money to raise their children, but too often, lack of financial resources leads to unnecessary family separation. These children are removed from their homes not because their parents don’t love them, but because systemic barriers make it impossible to meet basic needs. The Mother’s Outreach Network’s “Mother Up” guaranteed income pilot is showing … More →
By: Valerie Frost
Family well-being doesn’t start with services, systems, or policies; it begins with something much more personal and powerful: hope. Hope is often treated as a soft word, a vague feeling, or an empty wish. But in reality, hope is one of the most important predictors of well-being for both children and adults, according to over … More →
By: Valerie Frost
Each year in the United States, more than 3 million children and their families are involved with Child Protective Services (CPS). Of those, approximately 2.5 million children are investigated but ultimately not removed from their homes, while about 200,000 are taken into foster care each year. Most of these removals are not due to abuse, … More →
By: Valerie Frost
A Thriving Families, Safer Children 5-Year Reflection, From a Parent’s Perspective “Some say life is about the journey, not the destination. But when it comes to family well-being, we must be clear about both the path and the destination.” Over the past five years, Thriving Families, Safer Children (TFSC) has worked to chart a new … More →
By: Valerie Frost
When we talk about helping families, we often focus on tools, trainings, and systems. But rarely do we ask: Who is the helper? What stories do they carry? What healing have they done, or still need to do? And what happens when our unhealed parts lead us to cause harm, even as we try to … More →
By: Valerie Frost
Parenting isn’t meant to happen alone. We’re wired to be relational creatures, and raising children without a strong network of support is incredibly challenging. Yet far too often, child welfare interventions focus on compliance and punishment instead of investing in the relationships that help families heal and thrive. Research shows that the primary factors contributing … More →
By: Valerie Frost
Parenting is a journey full of highs and lows, but for some families, the lows come with serious repercussions. In the U.S., lack of access to affordable housing is a key factor in family instability and child welfare involvement. In fact, inadequate housing contributes to at least 10% of foster care removals, delaying reunification and … More →
By: Valerie Frost
Parenting can be incredibly rewarding, but it’s also tough. We need to invest in parents so they have access to the essential support services they need. We also need to invest in community-based solutions that reduce stress and empower parents to connect more deeply with their children. By the time the workday starts, I’ve already … More →
In addition to our site partners across the country, the following people and organizations have come together to show that it is possible to fundamentally rethink how America protects children and supports families.
