The Complexities of Child Welfare: The Importance and Challenges of Foster Parenting

Laurie Friedman

LCSW, MPA, Assistant Professor of Instruction at Temple University School of Social Work

Laurie Friedman’s dissertation focused on the experiences of prospective foster parents as they moved through the licensing process. She shares her perspective on the critical need for foster parents, focusing on the mixed messages they receive in terms of their roles as paraprofessionals and caregivers. The discussion will be situated in the larger context of racial disproportionality in our child welfare system and what it means to care for others. In addition to her professional work with children, Dr. Friedman and her partner are formerly licensed foster parents.