In May, we hosted several exciting events to engage youth who have had involvement in the foster care system to tell us about the impact these experiences have had on their lives.  PCSAO is sharing their input, experience and recommendations with our partners at the National Home at Last Initiative, with our membership, Ohio courts and other child advocates.   

PCSAO has summarized the input heard from our foster youth.  While these youth clearly stated foster care was a life saving experience for them, giving them safety, stability and opportunity for present and future success, they also had many specific recommendations for improving the foster care experience for both the juvenile court and children services practice side.   Please click here to read the youths recommendations.

•  Ohio Youth Visit DC to Raise Foster Care Awareness --Two Ohio foster youth and their caseworkers from Trumbull and Clark counties joined PCSAO’s Greg Kapcar and young people from across the nation in D.C. May 9-11 to raise awareness about the need for foster care reform.  The visit was in conjunction with leading national child welfare organizations which convened a series of Capitol Hill events to increase awareness of the need to improve outcomes for the nearly half a million children in our care. (photo slides)

•  Foster Youth Brown Bag Luncheons -- In May, Ohio judges and child welfare professionals were invited to participate in five My Voice, My Life My Future forums across the state during which panels of current and former foster children will participate in a moderated discussion about ways that the courts and child welfare system affected their lives.  (Photo slides)

•  My Voice, My Life, My Future Summit--Twelve youth participated in a My Voice, My Life, My Future Summit May 21 and 22 at Camp Joy in Warren County, where they participated in ropes course, learned more about the California Youth Connection, and developed specific recommendations for Ohio courts and child welfare systems.  PCSAO is sharing their feedback onto children services directors, courts and child advocates.  (Photo slides)

•  My Voice, My Life, My Future Artwork and Writing--In January, PCSAO invited current and former youth in foster care to participate in an art and writing contest.  We asked participants to represent, through art or writing, their experiences with the child welfare and court systems and how those experiences have impacted their lives and hopes for the future. Cash prizes have been awarded to the winners and selected entries may appear in a collection of foster youth art and writing from across the nation.  
  2006 Ohio Art and Writing Booklet (a copy of booklet is available by request)
  2005 California Art and Writing Contest Booklet