This webinar will discuss how the Cultural Broker program raises awareness of disproportionality and disparities that exist in the child welfare system. Furthermore, Family Advocates increase the quality of the relationships between County Department of Social Services child welfare staff and the families they serve. The Family Advocate provides brokering, advocacy and support to families who are involved, or at risk of involvement, with the child welfare system.
Presenter:
Margaret Jackson, MSW, LCSW is a licensed clinical social worker committed to providing practice approaches and treatment interventions that are culturally congruent and specific to the individual needs of children and families. She currently serves as the Executive Director of Cultural Brokers Inc., which administers the Cultural Broker Family Advocate Program, Parent Partner Program, and a Foster Care Home Visitor in Fresno County. Margaret designed the Cultural Broker Family Advocate Program which utilizes a model approach that has been recognized by both the California Evidence-Based Clearinghouse for Child Welfare and California State Department of Social Services as a promising approach to community engagement. She participated in the 93706 West Fresno Community Collaborative which birthed the Cultural Broker Program in Fresno County. Margaret has 30 years of child welfare experience as a line worker, Supervisor, Coach, Trainer, and Consultant and has written, developed, and trained curriculum for multiple stakeholders. She has also served as an Adjunct Faculty member at California State University of Fresno’s social work program for more than 12 years. She served as a Facilitator for the African American Nurturing Parenting Program and for Team Decision Making meetings. Margaret is a certified trainer in Safety Organized Practice, Attachment and Bio Behavioral Catch-up (ABC) Intervention, California Child Welfare Core Practice model, Effective Black Parenting, and Racial Sobriety for the National Training Center in Washington DC.