Real-World Strategies for Connecting with Children & Youth

Authentic engagement with children and youth is foundational to child welfare, yet in high-pressure systems, it is often treated as a procedural requirement rather than a relational practice. In this inaugural episode of the Elevating Engagement podcast, QIC-EY Project Director Leslie Cohen joins hosts Kyle Ferreira and April Dinwoodie to pull back the curtain on the mission behind the project.

Together, they explore the “Why” behind the QIC-EY, the importance of moving from “deciding for” to “deciding with” youth, and how the project’s seven pilot sites are redefining partnership across the country. This episode sets the stage for the series, introducing the “to/from” framework and the shared language necessary to move engagement from a check-box task to a human-centered practice that improves permanency outcomes.

What you’ll hear in this episode:

The Mission: Why authentic engagement is a learned skill and mindset that requires support at every level—from the caseworker to the courtroom.

The Opportunity: How professionals can interrupt the pattern of “doing for” youth to create space for true agency.

The Framework: A sneak peek at the five Key Messages that serve as practice anchors for the work ahead.