Dear Friends,

This month and in the spirit of gratitude, we're reflecting on the generosity of our partners, friends and funders who help us bring to life the mission and goals of the UCLA Pritzker Center. Given the many activities and events of the year, we feel especially thankful to the community partners who lend us their insights and experience to inform our research and educational efforts. Community engagement is essential to all that we do and we look forward to extending our network in the coming year. We are equally thankful to our campus colleagues who share their time and expertise with us. Countless UCLA faculty, staff and students have put their hearts and mind towards helping us achieve our collective goal of supporting prevention and child welfare system reform. We are ever thankful for the support! 

As we prepare for December, we are eager to share a look back on the year! Stay tuned for our 2024 Year-End Report in December. Until then, we're grateful for you!

In community,

The UCLA Pritzker Center Team

UPCOMING EVENTS

RECAP

Photo of UCLA Pritzker Center research assistants, Isabella Reina, Brittney Hun, Sophia Dsouza, and Olivia Gilchrist at the Open House event on November 7

On November 7, the UCLA Pritzker Center hosted an Open House at our Westwood office. Our undergraduate research assistants and part-time research staff presented our work in the Antelope Valley, the intersection between child welfare and domestic violence, and racial equity, specifically our Barriers, Courageous Conversations, Blind Removal projects. In case you missed the event, watch the Open House presentations on our YouTube channel!

Countless children enter foster care due to allegations of domestic violence in the home. Often, these allegations fall under a finding of neglect for failure to protect. Yet removing children from their homes and placing them in foster care for an isolated allegation of domestic violence can result in further trauma for both the DV survivor and the children, and result in other harms, particularly in diverse communities of color. 

Our Executive Director, Taylor Dudley, JD, and Research Director, Brenda A. Tully, PhD, participated in Children Now's November Child Welfare Policy Roundtable, diving into the intersection of domestic violence and child welfare, survivor perspectives, and novel strategies to safely support families experiencing domestic violence. Additional speakers included Eve Sheedy (Sheedy Consulting), Fabiola Gonzalez (Children's Law Center), Jacqueline Herrera (Los Angeles Dependency Lawyers), Chris Negri (California Partnership to End Domestic Violence) and Arati Vasan (Family Violence Appellate Project). 

Watch the full webinar here.

Photo of Demontea Thompson and Junely Merwin at the 2024 Blueprint for Success Conference on October 28-29

Our doctoral student researcher, Demontea Thompson, attended the John Burton Advocates for Youth 2024 Blueprint for Success Conference on October 28-29, 2024 at the LAX Westin. The conference offered a powerful space for connecting with staff from community organizations, CSU, and community colleges.

"It was inspiring to witness the collaboration and shared vision for supporting youth, especially those from marginalized backgrounds. The event was punctuated by a keynote from Charity Chandler Cole, who spoke passionately about the urgency of achieving equity for our youth, emphasizing how systemic change must prioritize the needs of the most vulnerable." — Demontea Thompson

One of the standout moments was Sade Daniels’ session, “Black Former Foster Youth Hall of Fame,” where she shed light on the resilience and strength of those who have navigated a system that offered few opportunities. Through her leadership and personal journey, Sade amplified the voices of those who’ve found a way forward, creating pathways for others to follow. The session included slam poetry and a distinct audio conversation of her discussion her journey with her mother and family. The power of forgiveness and the ability to make the most of her grief filled the room with strength and love.

RESEARCH

Our Research Director, Brenda A. Tully, PhD, presented a informational webinar hosted by the Alliance for Children's Rights, where she highlighted recent research focused on evaluating the factors of perceived relationship quality with birth parents, economic social role transitions, and social stratification based on race as key factors in housing security during the transition to adulthood for youth exiting foster care.

The UCLA Pritzker Center’s newest research focuses on ENRICH, an 18-month guaranteed income-like stipend program for young adults, ages 18-20, in extended foster care in LA County. The program involves collaboration among the LA County Poverty Alleviation Initiative, Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS), and Strengths Based Community Change (SBCC). ENRICH provides enrolled participants with $500 (or the equivalent) per month on a program debit card. SBCC Coaches enroll participants, provide debit cards, and serve as ongoing resources for participants by supporting receipt of extended foster care and other benefits, with financial planning, education, training, and employment, and entrepreneurship opportunities. Building meaningful relationships and community are key to SBCC’s approach. The research is designed to measure the benefits of the regular stipend and coaching.

IN THE COMMUNITY

Photo of Jim Newton, UCLA Blueprint Editor and Karen Bass, Los Angeles Mayor

On November 13th, UCLA Pritzker Center's Executive Director, Taylor Dudley, JD, and Research Director, Brenda Tully, PhD, attended the "L.A. Confronts Homelessness: Are we on the right track?" event at the Ronald F. Deaton Civic Auditorium held by UCLA Government and Community Relations and Blueprint magazine in partnership with UCLA Health, Luskin School of Public Affairs, and CalMatters. It featured a compelling conversation between Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass and veteran journalist Jim Newton, editor of UCLA Blueprint, which shed light on the complexities surrounding homelessness in L.A., explored the city’s current struggles and proposed possible solutions through innovative collaboration.

UCLA Pritzker Center team members, Ana Rivera, Brenda Tully, and Taylor Dudley, and research consultant Carmen Noyola, supported Peace4Kids at KTGY's gift wrapping event at the UCLA Downtown campus!

Peace4Kids is a grassroots, non-profit organization supporting youth in foster care, with a commitment to each individual's well-being is reflected in their choice-based and youth-centric programs. Learn more about Peace4Kids here.

ON CAMPUS

Photo of UCLA Ties for Families and Ukrainian child welfare and parliament delegates at the UCLA Pritzker Center office in Westwood.

Since 2016, Kidsave has been deeply involved in reforming Ukraine’s overburdened child welfare system. Earlier this month, Kidsave and Ukranian child welfare leaders visited UCLA to learn more about providing trauma informed care to orphaned children. The UCLA Pritzker Center's co-director, Dr. Audra Langley, hosted the visit. 

"My goal is to shine a light on the urgent need for people to adopt and foster from foster care. I want to encourage every student, and every elementary school, high school, and college, to advocate for this cause in their communities." — Katerina Lutz, UCLA Women's Volleyball

In honor of National Adoption Awareness Month this November, UCLA Women's Volleyball held an Adoption Awareness Day at their October 26 game against Michigan State, and libero Katerina Lutz shared her adoption story.

In Winter quarter, UCLA Pritzker Center's Executive Director, Taylor Dudley, JD, will be teaching PUB AFF 124: Child Welfare Policy in America! The course will examine contemporary issues facing families exposed to the child welfare system, and students will learn the history of the child welfare system in the United States, and how this history has impacted modern-day practices.

IN THE NEWS

by Rodd A. Amos | Los Angeles Sentinel

"The UCLA Pritzker Center for Strengthening Children, the Los Angeles County Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS), and domestic violence service providers collaborated on a new study examining the ongoing trauma impacting survivors of domestic violence (DV) and their children in the Antelope Valley (AV)."

INSPIRATION & IDEAS

A curated selection of stories from across the UCLA campus spotlighting Native American voices, histories and research.

Have you used our research to support your work?

© 2024 UCLA Pritzker Center for Strengthening Children and Families. All Rights Reserved.

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