Reframing Child Welfare: Strengthening Right Relationship and Relational Support for Youth in Care

Natalie Thoreson

Training Description

Many aspects of the child welfare system shape how system-involved youth experience care, stability, and connection. These structures influence placement decisions, support networks, and relationships with families and communities, often determining whether youth feel empowered or disconnected from their identities and cultural roots. Prioritizing right relationship—focusing on ethical, accountable, and community-centered approaches—can help participants strengthen stability and long-term well-being for system-involved youth.

This training will examine how historical policies and institutional structures continue to impact child welfare today. Participants will explore how relationship-building, cultural connection, and decision-making frameworks influence youth experiences. Through discussions and practical tools, participants will gain strategies for ensuring system-involved youth experience care that respects their identities, strengthens relational support, and enhances long-term stability.

Learning Objectives