Welcome
Tens of
thousands of American parents and children become involved with the child
welfare system every year. The situation is similar the world over. For most, this involvement is not voluntary,
though infrequently some do approach requesting assistance. Whatever the circumstances that initially
brought about this involvement, these families usually find that major aspects
of their lives begin to change once this involvement commences. Some children find themselves living away
from their parents. A big question is
this, does child welfare intervention constitute the best way to stop child
maltreatment and does it provide an appropriate framework conducive to positive
behavioral change.
There
is much to say about the goings-on of the child welfare system and, believe me,
I’m not sure that even several life-times would suffice to merely superficially
peruse all that has already been said and written. But what has long baffled me is, how, after
so much verbiage, have we still missed some of the most vital and pressing
issues that get to the very philosophical premise of child welfare
intervention. And why after all these
years of conferences, academic papers, and promises of change have we not seen
real and substantial change after all.
The purpose of this website is to provide an opportunity for those of us with progressive ideas to not only present and discuss them but to also put our heads together to make these ideas heard to finally foster real change. I imagine that there are caseworkers throughout the world who have wished for a way to be heard and parents whose child welfare involvement has shown them that there must be another way. Anyone who would like to contribute his or her thoughts and ideas, I hope will do so.
Dan Duell, a former longtime New York City Ballet principal dancer, founder and now artistic director of Ballet Chicago, suggested, after reading my Tikkun magazine article, that I establish a website devoted to child welfare. I came to know Dan in the 1990’s when Ballet Chicago began teaching for the program for children living in foster care that I created and ran. I am grateful to Dan because his idea has given me hope that there remains a way for me to continue to do what I can to bring about real and substantial change in the child welfare system.
The purpose of this website is to provide an opportunity for those of us with progressive ideas to not only present and discuss them but to also put our heads together to make these ideas heard to finally foster real change. I imagine that there are caseworkers throughout the world who have wished for a way to be heard and parents whose child welfare involvement has shown them that there must be another way. Anyone who would like to contribute his or her thoughts and ideas, I hope will do so.
Dan Duell, a former longtime New York City Ballet principal dancer, founder and now artistic director of Ballet Chicago, suggested, after reading my Tikkun magazine article, that I establish a website devoted to child welfare. I came to know Dan in the 1990’s when Ballet Chicago began teaching for the program for children living in foster care that I created and ran. I am grateful to Dan because his idea has given me hope that there remains a way for me to continue to do what I can to bring about real and substantial change in the child welfare system.
Sidney Goldberg