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June 2020Vol. 21, No. 5Parent Partner Programs Instill Hope and Support Prevention and Reunification

Parent partner programs can be a valuable resource to parents who become involved with child welfare services or who have recently lost custody of their children. A brief by Casey Family Programs, How Do Parent Partner Programs Instill Hope and Support Prevention and Reunification?, explains the benefits of parent partner programs, potential structures and funding sources, and implementation considerations.

Parent partner programs can help agencies meaningfully engage parents and provide them with an extra layer of support from someone who has been involved with child welfare themselves. Parent partners give birth parents direct support to help them overcome barriers and reunite with their children. They also teach parents the essential skill of self-advocacy, help them navigate an often-complex system, and connect them to the information and services they need.

The brief provides examples of different parent partner programs, such as Parents Anonymous and Iowa's Parent Partner Program. Explore appendix A for a look at additional parent partner programs and the research behind them.