
On our blog site, we have addressed a range of child welfare issues. With so many issues being discussed in the media and brought to attention, it brings the question of what to do about them. At times, the world’s problems may seem overwhelming and when children are involved, heartbreaking. I thought I would use this blogging opportunity to bring some resources and things anyone can do to help address the many issues addressed by the media. But, always remember there are child welfare issues that do not catch our attention or make it into mainstream media and all of us should stay attuned to what those issues might be, too.
Resources:
As mentioned above, staying on top of child welfare issues can be overwhelming. Here are several resources you can access to stay on top of what is going on and how you can help:
Unicef.org or unicefusa.org- UNICEF (United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund)- UNICEF works in over 150 countries, working to provide children with health care, clean water, nutrition, education, emergency relief and much more. In the United States, there is also a fund supporting humanitarian relief through fundraising, advocacy, and education.
Childwelfare.gov- Child Welfare Information Gateway promotes the safety, permanency, and well-being of children and families by connecting child welfare, adoption and related professionals as well as the general public to timely, essential information.
Local Children’s Bureaus
New Orleans Children’s Bureau
Childrens-bureau.com
CWLA.org- (Child Welfare League of America)- The mission statement of CWLA is: CWLA will lead the nation in building public will to ensure safety, permanence, and well-being of children, youth, and their families by advancing public policy, defining and promoting practice excellence and delivering superior membership services.
Globalissues.org- Organized and maintained by Anup Shah he states “this web site looks into global issues that affect everyone and aims to show how most issues are inter-related.
There are over 550 articles on this site, mostly written by myself. The issues discussed range from trade, poverty and globalization, to human rights, geopolitics, the environment, and much more. Spread over these articles, there are over 7,000 links to external articles, web sites, reports and analysis to help provide credence to the arguments made on this web site.”
http://www.gocwi.org/resource_library/child_welfare.htm- This link is from the child welfare institute website and this link particularly offers a plethora of child welfare organizations that can be used as resources. The Child Welfare Institute is a nationally focused, nonprofit organization dedicated to providing quality consultation and training services to state, local and private child welfare and human service agencies.
Utilizing the abundance of resources available in the child welfare arena can help you stay informed about issues in this area and help you get connected to begin making a difference in children’s lives.
Advocate:
General Techniques for Effective Advocacy
1. Identify yourself
State your name and identify yourself as a constituent. Share other information about who you are if it is relevant to the issue (for example, if you are a parent, member of a civic organization, business owner, scientist, etc).
2. Be Specific
Include the name and number of the relevant bill. Clearly describe the issue and state your goals
3. Make it Personal
The best thing you can do as a citizen advocate is give the issue your individual voice. Use personal examples and speak in your own words.
4. Be Confident
Your official’s job is to represent you. You may also know more about the issue than your elected official. That is why it is a good idea to offer yourself as a source of information.
5. Be Polite
Always work on the basis that the government and your opponents are open to reason and discussion. If you are rude, your message will not be received
6. Be Brief
Communication that focuses strongly on one argument is the most effective. Keep it to one issue. Limit written documents to one page.
7. Be Timely
Your message is more likely to be considered if it is immediately relevant.
8. Be Factual
Use facts and statistics. Make sure the information you provide is accurate.
9. E-mail your elected officials NOW!
* Taken from: http://www.savethechildren.org/get-involved/advocacy/advocacy-techniques.html
And, of course, VOLUNTEER and DONATE!