impact

Advocacy

FOSTER YOUTH VOICE MONTH

National Designation for Foster Youth Voice Month

Our advocacy team has been working to gain national recognition for Foster Youth Voice Month. Congressman Zach Nunn from Iowa has submitted a resolution to designate October as Foster Youth Voice Month. The United States Congress is set to discuss the resolution in 2025.

Selfless Love Foundation initiated and spearheads Foster Youth Voice Month each October to elevate the voices of youth impacted by foster care. The resolution would create a lasting place for the voices of young people in policy and systems change, helping embed their perspectives in child welfare work. Foster Youth Voice Month highlights the positive changes young adults with lived experience have already inspired while opening even more doors for them to be heard.

selfless love foundation advocacy win

Advocacy Leads to new law!

Florida is leading the nation to protect the privacy of children in foster care who are available for adoption. As of July 1, photos of adoptable children are no longer publicly available. Selfless Love Foundation advocated for the Permanency for Children law which requires security credentials to access the statewide adoption portal. It is the strongest step to safeguarding children in the country.

The legislation also gives youth ages 12 and older input on the descriptions and photos of them that are posted on adoption sites. Permanency for Children demonstrates Selfless Love Foundation’s priority to include youth voice in every aspect of child welfare, ensuring policies and procedures honor the needs of the population they serve.

Learn more.
selfless-love-foundation-think-tank
Breaking barriers for youth

national think tank report

Selfless Love Foundation hosted a National Think Tank in October 2023, bringing together youth with lived experience and child welfare professionals from 28 states to explore policies and practices to better support youth aging out of foster care. 

The goal was to emphasize the importance of intentional permanency planning for older youth and collaborate to build long-term support systems for youth.

Chapin Hall produced a report detailing the discussions and highlighting effective strategies.

impact

Advocacy

Selfless Love Foundation advocates for current and former foster youth. We advocate for policy changes and practice improvement to streamline the foster care adoption process and improve self-sufficiency outcomes for transitioning youth.

We believe each of us has a role in enhancing the lives of children and youth in foster care. We work with child welfare agencies across the state, state leadership, legislators, adoptive families, and former foster youth to create change for children in care today and for generations to come.

Here’s how.
Thanks to Selfless Love Foundation’s generous supporters

We work with child welfare professionals, youth with lived experience, and legislators to drive policy changes.

Meeting with Leaders

Include
youth

Creating Change

Meeting with Leaders
We meet with heads of state and high-level officials, policymakers, families, and child welfare specialists to create and improve policies that promote adoption and permanency.
Including youth in the conversation

Youth impacted by foster care from across the state are provided opportunities to enhance their leadership skills and use their voice to change the foster care system. We invite them to attend annual leadership summits and youth voice seminars.

Awareness Campaigns

Selfless Love Foundation is committed to educating the public, increasing awareness about the needs of youth in foster care, and encouraging action with national and statewide campaigns. Selfless Love Foundation founded Foster Youth Voice Month and leads the national campaign to elevate youth voice every October. Selfless Love Foundation spearheads the National Adoption Month campaign in Florida each November.

advocacy leads to new law!

Florida is leading the nation to protect the privacy of children in foster care who are available for adoption. Starting July 1, photos of adoptable children will no longer be publicly available. Selfless Love Foundation advocated for the Permanency for Children law which requires security credentials to access the statewide adoption portal. It is the strongest step to safeguarding children in the country. 

The legislation also gives youth ages 12 and older input on the descriptions and photos of them that are posted on adoption sites.  Permanency for Children demonstrates Selfless Love Foundation’s priority to include youth voice in every aspect of child welfare, ensuring policies and procedures honor the needs of the population they serve.

The work Selfless Love Foundation does through advocacy creates change for children in foster care today, and for generations to come.
"During my time in foster care, I was moved 5 times. This instability really impacted my education and well-being. It was hard for me to make friends in school while always being the new kid and it was difficult to adjust to new people, places, and expectations every time I was given up on. I am so grateful to be part of the OVI Youth Voice Movement. I get to use my lived experience to influence policy changes to improve placement stability."
Rayla
Transitioning Foster Youth
our focus

Adoption

our focus

Independent living

selfless-love-foundation-advocacy
our focus

Advocacy

m

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Fusce neque purus, eleifend vel sollicitudin ut.

Instagram

@ My_wedding_day

Follow Us

[email protected]