Building Systems of Hope, Not Harm: Returning to the Kempe Call to Action Conference 2025

This was my second year attending the Kempe Call to Action Conference. (Check out my blog from last year!) Once again, I left with both urgency and hope. As a social emotional learning coach in Rhode Island and a national trainer in trauma-informed practices with the AFT, I see every day how systems shape the lives of children and families. Kempe reminded me again: The systems we have are choices, and we have the power to choose differently.

The Kempe Center hosts a virtual international conference annually titled “A Call to Action to Change Child Welfare.” People show up from around the world to hear about what’s happening in government agencies and programs focused on addressing child neglect, abuse, foster care and more. Most of the conference participants have direct experience with the system—as attorneys, advocates, parents, foster youth and social workers, among others. The AFT asked educators to join the conference and to share lessons learned to inform the union’s approach to mandated support. 

I want to share insights I gleaned from conference sessions as well as the takeaways that inspire me to forge forward with thriving kids and families.

Play Changes the Brain: Healing and Resilience

Michelle Miller’s session reminded us that play isn’t just fun—it’s healing! Neuroplasticity means the brain can change, even in the face of trauma and substance use. Just 15 minutes of play a day reduces stress, builds resilience and creates joy for parents and children alike. Practices like Notice, Share, Explore lift up parents’ strengths and grow confidence, though they must be offered gently for those with trauma histories. Educators can borrow this practice to encourage consistency and help parents build on their strengths beyond play:

• Notice a parent’s strengths.
• Share what they’re doing well with clear, descriptive words.
• Explore the positive impact, like connection, stress relief or confidence. 

What inspires me: Play is the most natural therapy we have. It doesn’t take hours of programs; it takes presence, connection and joy.

Family Resource Centers: A Proven Strategy

Andrew Russo’s session on Family Resource Centers showed the power of giving families what they truly need: stigma-free spaces to connect, learn and belong. FRCs provide workshops, home visits, food and diaper pantries, and most important, dignity. Data proves their impact: Alabama reported nearly five dollars returned for every dollar invested, and Colorado saw a 26 percent drop in abuse and neglect. Families thrive when they’re seen as partners, not cases.

What inspires me: If we want maltreatment prevention that works, we need to invest in judgment-free wraparound services everywhere, including in FRCs and community schools. They don’t just meet needs—they build community strength and resilience.

Reimagining Child Welfare in Illinois

The Illinois Bias-Free Child Removal Pilot takes direct aim at racial disproportionality. Black children are more than twice as likely to be reported and investigated for alleged maltreatment; child removals carry trauma that lasts a lifetime. Illinois is disrupting this by removing bias from one key decision point: Case reviewers don’t see a family’s race, ethnicity, ZIP code or socioeconomic details. They focus only on safety—and they must ask, “Is custody truly urgent? Have all in-home supports been tried?”

What inspires me: This is systemic accountability in action. By stripping away bias and requiring support before separation, Illinois is showing us how to keep more families together while restoring trust in child welfare.

The AFT is also tackling bias in child welfare outcomes at an earlier step in system engagement: educators’ reporting behaviors. We can reduce unnecessary harm by asking key questions, such as, “How do racial and cultural difference influence my observation? Would I report this if the family looked like mine?”

Exploring Alternatives to Mandated Reporting

A panel—with Kathryn Krase, AFT’s Chelsea Prax, Dr. Matthew Holm and Brandy Cooper—challenged us to rethink mandatory reporting, which too often harms more than it helps. Over 70 percent of reports in New York come from mandated reporters, yet most are unsubstantiated. Reported families, especially Black families, carry stigma and fear, while educators often feel trapped into reporting when poverty, not neglect, is the issue. But there are alternatives: Rochester’s Hope 585 is working to place resource navigators in schools and to create toolkits to help professionals distinguish poverty from neglect. Medical models treat parents and children together, focusing on support over punishment. These efforts shift the culture from surveillance to care.

What inspires me: Educators and professionals want to help, not harm. If we give them pathways to connect families with real supports, we can break the cycle of fear and create a system rooted in healing. Get AFT resources on mandated support on Share My Lesson.

A Call Forward

Attending Kempe’s conference for a second year deepened my conviction: Families don’t need more scrutiny—they need more support. Trauma grows in systems built on punishment, but healing happens in systems built on trust.

What inspires me: In Rhode Island, across the nation, and in every space we touch, we can choose differently. By embracing connection, dignity and hope—and by integrating trauma-sensitive practices with strong family support—we can create a future where every child and family has the safety, strength and belonging they deserve.