Child welfare and the power of parent voice

A group of dedicated parents with lived experience of the child welfare system now work with ODHS to improve outcomes for children and families

A group of parents in Douglas County are turning some of their darkest days into a beacon of hope for families interacting with the Oregon Department of Human Services. The Douglas County Parent Advisory Council (PAC), working with ODHS leaders and child-focused organizations, is using lived experience to help make systemic change in the child welfare system.​

By listening to parents who have moved from crisis to healing and reunification with their children, child welfare workers are gaining valuable insights on how best to support family preservation, resilience and safety in the communities they serve.

A new guidebook tells the story of this first county-level PAC in Oregon. The Power of Parent Voice: How a parent advisory council is transforming the child welfare system in Douglas County also provides concrete suggestions, actionable resources and next steps for organizations seeking to improve child welfare in their community.

“By sharing our stories with ODHS and standing alongside families, we are bridging the gap between parents’ needs and the resources available to them. It’s not just about improving services — it’s about fostering a sense of belonging, empowerment and even hope,” the parent advisors share in their introduction to the publication.

The origin story: Learn about how the Douglas County PAC was born.

Parent advisory councils are not new in Oregon – a state-level PAC has been in place since 2015. Douglas County launched the first county-level PAC in February 2023, after local ODHS leaders listened to a presentation by the statewide group that brought home the effects of the agency teaming with law enforcement to remove children from the home.

“Nothing had the impact that I experienced that day when we heard directly from those parents,” says Jessica Hunter, manager of the child welfare program in Douglas County.

Seeking that kind of rich insight from parents in her own county, Hunter worked with other ODHS leaders, parents with experience in the system, The Ford Family Foundation and Morrison Child and Family Services to convene the local PAC.

Ingredients for success: Discover the lessons we learned along the way.

Today, the group of 5-6 parents meet monthly with ODHS leaders to share their stories on how child welfare has affected their lives. These stories are intimate and often painful, but always powerful. With the support of Morrison Child and Family Services, county partner Creating Community Resilience provides a facilitator and meetings are guided by trauma-informed practices.

“We have leadership who are so supportive — they always ensure we have a safe space,” says council member Diane Deleon. “That’s important when dealing with trauma and sharing your lived experience. There’s gonna be a lot of tears, a lot of emotion.”

Where this leads: You, too, can form a PAC!

ODHS staff are finding that the way they interact with families is undergoing a fundamental shift. Listening to parents has expanded their understanding of how child welfare actions affect families and helps inform agency practice.

For example, at one meeting, parent advisors noted that the experience of being escorted through a series of locked doors for family decision meetings was stressful and intimidating. Today, ODHS staff are making plans to host these meetings offsite in a family-friendly environment.

“I don’t think that there’s a time that we meet with this group that I don’t learn something new or see something from a different perspective,” says Desta Walsh, ODHS district manager for Douglas County.

The role of the council has expanded beyond monthly meetings. Parent advisors attend professional conferences side by side with agency staff, serve on work groups for new programs, and share their insight and experiences with agencies beside ODHS.

“Every day brings us closer to our shared vision of improving outcomes for children and families in the communities where we all live,” says Lee Ann Grogan, program officer at The Ford Family Foundation.

For questions or opportunities to engage, please reach out to parentvoice@tfff.org.