Consulting Services

Our consulting services empower your organization with the lived experience and professional expertise necessary to serve those impacted by family policing ethically and effectively. We offer tailored training, organizational audits, and strategic guidance to help you centre adoptee voices and transform your impact.

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Family Preservation & Systemic Accountability

  • We provide an independent, thorough review of a child's case file to uncover systemic failures, overlooked kinship ties, and alternative options to terminating parental rights.

  • We offer expertise and resources to legal professionals representing parents and to family defence organizations. Our goal is to strengthen arguments for family preservation by shifting the focus from individual parental "failings" to broader systemic neglect of family support.

  • Training for guardianship workers, social workers, and legal professionals on the long-term outcomes of adoption (including trauma, identity fragmentation, and the reality of family policing records) and the implicit bias that favours separation.

  • We support searching for and empowering kinship caregivers (grandparents, aunts, cousins, family friends) with the support and resources needed to keep the child within their natural family and community network, preventing the need for adoption by strangers.

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Research and Evaluation

  • We design and carry out studies on adoption outcomes, family preservation efforts, and the long-term effects of family separation. We use mixed methods and center the voices of adoptees and birth families.

  • We analyze and critique pro-adoption research for methodological flaws and biases. We provide alternative interpretations and highlight limitations.

  • We evaluate the effectiveness of family preservation programs and other child welfare interventions. We use participatory evaluation methods that involve stakeholders in the process.

  • We synthesize existing research to support policy and practice changes. We compile and analyze the evidence on specific topics (e.g., the outcomes of family preservation vs. adoption) to inform advocates and policymakers.

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Organizational Change Management

  • We conduct a comprehensive review of an organization's policies, procedures, and culture to identify biases towards adoption and family policing, as well as areas that require improvement. We utilize interviews, document review, and data analysis to establish a baseline report.

  • We create a detailed plan to refocus an organisation's efforts on family preservation and reunification. This involves setting objectives, determining key indicators, and developing a timeline for implementation.

  • We implement ongoing training for staff at all levels to adopt a family preservation mindset. Training covers topics such as trauma-informed care, implicit bias, and family systems.

  • We help organizations design and implement new programs that support family preservation, such as family resource centres or kinship navigation programs. We provide guidance on program design, implementation, and evaluation.

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Policy Reform & Legislative Advocacy

  • We advise lawmakers on the drafting and amendment of bills related to adoptee rights (e.g., access to original birth certificates), family preservation, and child welfare reform. We provide expert input to ensure legislation centres the voices of those most impacted.

  • We research and write policy briefs that critique current practices and propose alternatives. We analyze the impact of existing policies and develop new policy frameworks that support family preservation and adoptee rights.

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