Lived Experience Guide to Fixing Foster Care: Recommendations from Youth, Caregivers, and Workers

This webinar will be led by Serita Cox, Co-Founder and CEO of iFoster, and centers on the release of the second annual Voice of the Foster Care Community research report and its companion piece, the Lived Experience Guide to Fixing Foster Care.

These crucial publications are the culmination of surveys and listening sessions conducted with over 4,500 youth, caregivers, and frontline workers within the child welfare system. Building upon last year’s report, this work now reflects insights from a total of 6,000 individuals with lived experiences, shaping the actionable recommendations in the Lived Experience Guide.

Serita will explore key findings and recommendations outlined in the guide including critical topics such as prevention, removal and entry into care, time in care, exit to permanency, and challenges to self sufficiency. Through the lens of youth and their personal journeys within the child welfare system, Serita will offer actionable recommendations and insights for child welfare law practitioners. 

Presenter

Serita Cox, MBA – Co-Founder & CEO, iFoster 

Serita Cox is the co-founder and CEO of iFoster, a national nonprofit serving children and youth in foster care and those aging out of care. iFoster works to ensure that every youth growing up outside of their biological home has the resources and opportunities they need to become successful, independent adults. iFoster is the largest community in foster care with over 70,000 members supporting over a quarter of a million system-impacted children and youth annually. Serita is responsible for iFoster’s strategy and programs.

She brings to bear her personal experience with foster care, devoted commitment to a number of youth development initiatives, and over a decade of experience in executive-level management in Silicon Valley, corporate strategy consulting, and nonprofit strategy consulting. Despite all this corporateness, she is also the person “most likely to be hugged” by a client. For her work with iFoster, Serita has been recognized as a White House Office of Social Innovation Citizen Innovator, an Echoing Green Fellow, and an American Leader of Change. Serita has an MBA from McGill University. 

CLE

California (60-minute hour) 

This participatory activity has been accredited by the State Bar of California for a maximum of 1.5 hours of General credit for live and on-demand participation. Attorneys must sign in for CLE. 

Colorado (50‐minute hour) 

This course is accredited by the Colorado Board of Continuing Legal and Judicial Education for a maximum of 1.8 units of General credit for live and on-demand participation. Attorneys must sign in for CLE. Colorado is a self-report state. 

Attorneys in all other jurisdictions must seek CLE accreditation individually if desired.