The first of these three conversations should be about the role of poverty and race in the lives of so many families we serve. Are we serving the right people, offering the right levels of support, in the most effective and respectful way possible? Is our agency making the appropriate distinction between poverty and neglect? And the most difficult, nuanced question: even if we backed a dump truck full of money to a home, will that financial security improve parental capacity, child safety and family well-being outcomes? Are there points of intersection with poverty, race, generational trauma, parental substance use and mental health disorders and our responsibility for child safety, permanency and well-being? Every agency should assess and have a clear view of the acceptable balance between parental responsibility and the social forces that impact child safety and family well-being.
