The child welfare system is not perfect. Not only is it subject to the types of challenges all government programs can face—such as a lack of funding, policy gaps, and inefficiencies—it’s also very overloaded. As a result, many biological parents don’t receive the best resources to help them navigate their circumstances, and often, they are confused about how to access the resources that are available.
Here at The Forgotten Initiative, we’re committed to advocating for the best interests of children and families while ensuring that the laws and procedures designed to protect them are upheld. This is exactly what Esther Sherrard, a dedicated private consultant, works to do every day!
Esther helps agencies, courts, and faith communities improve child welfare outcomes by preserving, restoring, and growing families. She was a licensed foster parent for older youth and has spent 10 years with the Federal Child and Family Services Review team. Esther is determined to see more children and families involved in the child welfare system experience positive outcomes.
In this episode, Esther shares some of the challenges biological parents face when trying to navigate the system, the importance of the local church standing in the gap to support children and families in foster care, why we should seek to show true compassion to biological parents, and much more.
This conversation was grounding and inspiring as we seek to fulfill God’s calling to promote justice and support families.
- Connect with Esther on her website or LinkedIn
- Give to The Forgotten Initiative
- Foster Care & the Church
TAKEAWAYS FROM TODAY’S CONVERSATION:
1. The system is imperfect.
Agency workers are often overworked and underresourced. The truth is, the child welfare system cannot achieve everything we need it to on its own. The local church can help stand in this gap to support agency workers, foster parents, vulnerable children and their families.
“The system in general is overburdened and it’s underresourced. And when that’s going on, with any system, things are going to get missed and the quality of work is going to be affected.”
2. We are equipped with love, compassion, and care.
Children have always been close to the heart of God. In Matthew 19:14 (ESV), Jesus says “Let the little children come to me and do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of heaven.” As Christians, we have a special calling to help the vulnerable in our society. Not only that, but God has equipped us with resources, talents, and the heart to walk out this calling.
“God’s people are called to promote justice and He has equipped us with love and compassion and care.”
3. Shift your perspective to enable compassion.
Imagine what it would feel like to be known only for your worst day. For many biological parents, this is what they experience when their children enter foster care. We must reserve judgment, have eyes to see the good in everyone, and lead with love. In every situation where it is safe for the children to do so, we should be rooting for reunification. Let’s consider how we can shift our perspectives, remove biases we may have previously held for biological parents, and instead treat them with compassion and understanding.
“We have a lot of research that shows it’s best for kids when we can preserve the attachment that God put there from the very beginning—when it’s safe to do so.”
Meet Our Guest
Esther Sherrard is a private consultant working to help agencies, courts, and faith communities improve child welfare outcomes by preserving, restoring, and growing families. She is a nationally certified trainer for Strengthening Families™ Protective Factors and a certified practitioner for Trust-Based Relational Intervention® (TBRI).
In addition to her professional experience, Esther was a licensed foster parent for older youth and she has been a parent advocate helping families achieve reunification. Esther is determined to see more children and families experience positive outcomes out of the child welfare system. She is an active member of her local church, the proud “Auntie” to eight nephews and nieces, and a forever big sister to one of the youths she fostered.
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