Nothing beats a good podcast. The new-ish format (the first ever podcast was started in 2003) brings an opportunity to hear stories from every nook and cranny of our continuum. We asked a few members of our team what podcasts they love from the world of child welfare. Here’s what they said:

Megan Recommends: Born in June, Raised in April and One in Ten

Megan Ransom, TACFS Chief of Staff

Megan is the TACFS Chief of Staff. She came to TACFS from Partnerships for Children where she was Director of Foster and Adoption Services. Megan worked closely with DFPS and many Central Texas child placing agencies and nonprofits on community education/outreach initiatives built around children in the foster care system who are waiting for adoption.

Megan and her husband are parents to two boys, both adopted through the Texas foster care system.

Born in June, Raised in April: What Adoption Can Teach the World

Best episode to start on: Fatherhood, Trauma, and Resilience with Derek Clark “The Rapping Dad” (June 2022)

“April is amazing, not to mention she was our conference keynote speaker back in 2020! Her podcast brings the adoptee perspective to the forefront of conversations around adoption, foster care, grief, loss, and race. I think it is critical that we child welfare professionals take time to hear from different perspectives, especially those with lived experience.”

One In Ten

Best episode to start on: Season 4, Episode 6: Reframing Childhood Adversity

“This episode features Julie Sweetland. TACFS has worked with Julie through the Change in Mind grant with Social Current. Julie shares a wealth of knowledge around messaging and reframing how we talk about childhood adversity.”

Tina Recommends: Moms Talk Autism

Tina Williams, TACFS Director of Finance and Administration

Tina joined TACFS in 2022 as the Director of Finance and Administration after 13 years with the Make-A-Wish Foundation at the national and local levels. She has always worked in non-profit accounting and is passionate about missions that help children.

Moms Talk Autism

Best episode to start on: Autism Acceptance Month (Episode 12)

“Autism is present throughout all communities and can sometimes be a reason that children are harder to place. Understanding ASD and how it makes a child unique and special versus how it makes them broken can be a giant step forward in acceptance and inclusion.”

Tiffany Recommends: Crucial Conversations

Tiffany Greco, TACFS Vice President of Learning

Tiffany joined TACFS as the Director of Learning in 2020 after serving as the Project Coordinator for Community Partnerships for Protecting Children in Southern Maine. She developed and managed the network‘s strategic learning initiatives, facilitated cross-sector partner meetings, and supported community-based child welfare reform efforts.

CRUCIAL CONVERSATIONS

Best episode to start on: Trabian Shorters – A Cognitive Skill to Magnify Humanity (Episode 1,030)

“Trabian Shorters offers a fresh and nuanced take on what it really means to be “strengths-based.” He uses brain science and story-telling to make a compelling case for why asset framing matters, and the impact it can have.”