Call for evidence on parent advocacy with the child care and child welfare system

Andy Bilson and David Tobis

Andy Bilson and David Tobis are working with the Better Care Network to promote parent advocacy and activism in child welfare as a way to improve the care of children in low and middle income countries. We want to identify organizations or individuals in low or middle income countries that are working to increase the influence and power of parents in child welfare and child protection decision making at the case, program and/or policy levels. 

Although our main focus is child welfare or child protection, we are interested in parent advocacy at the interface with other systems such as early childhood development, developmental disabilities, mental health, sexual violence or health where child welfare or child protection issues (primarily child removal) are involved. 

We are asking you to help us identify people and organizations that currently are promoting parent advocacy and activism in low and middle income countries. If you know any such groups, please send us their names and contact information to DMTobis@gmail.com.

As there may be few groups of parents that are involved in parent advocacy or activism in child welfare, we are also interested in contacting groups of parents in low and middle income countries that are working to gain more support, assistance or justice for their families and their children in areas beyond child welfare or child protection. We are interested in these groups to help us understand what kinds of assistance might be helpful to support the work of parent groups in their countries. If you know any such individuals or groups, please send us their names and contact information.

If you’d prefer to talk about these issues, that would be fine. Let us know and we will set up a call by Skype, Zoom or phone.

Thanks for your help.

Andy Bilson and David Tobis