Presented by the Center for New York City Affairs and the Parent Advocate Initiative.

Parent advocates are trained to support birth parents as they navigate the city’s complicated child welfare system. Research suggests they can help parents successfully move their child welfare cases forward. In June 2009, the Parent Advocate Initiative (PAI) was created to administer citywide support programs for supervisors of Parent Advocates in foster care agencies. What lessons can be garnered from the experiences of child welfare agencies and parent advocates in the PAI program? What challenges do parent advocates face within New York City’s child welfare system? How much value do parent advocates add to the child welfare practice?

Panelists: Commissioner John Mattingly, New York City Administration for Children’s Service Commissioner Gladys Carrión, New York State Office of Children and Family Services Jim Purcell, executive director, Council of Family and Child Caring Agencies

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This event is supported by the Parent Advocate Initiative, the Fund for Social Change, the Child Welfare Fund, the Warner Fund, New Yorkers for Children, the Annie E. Casey Foundation, the Marguerite Casey Foundation, the Ira DeCamp Foundation, the Sirus Fund, and the Milano Foundation.