What is the Quality Parenting Initiative?

June 26, 2019

The Quality Parenting Initiative - or QPI - is an approach to strengthening foster care by refocusing on excellent parenting for all children in the child welfare system.

It was launched by the Youth Law Center in 2008 in Florida, and is now in more than 10 states and 75 jurisdictions. The initiative is an approach and a philosophy, but it is also a network of sites that share information and ideas about how to improve parenting as well as recruit and retain excellent families.

Communities Connected for Kids is one of those sites, and we are committed to fully supporting excellent parenting by prioritizing the needs of the child - first by defining and communicating the expectations of caregivers and then by aligning system policy and practice to those expectations

When QPI is successful, caregivers receive the support and training they need to work with children and families, understand what is expected of them, and know what to expect from the system.

In return, our system is able to select and retain enough excellent caregivers to meet the needs of each child for a home and family. When these changes are accomplished, outcomes for children, youth and families improve.

For more information about the initiative, visit QPI4Kids.org

Pictured above are members of the Circuit 19 Quality Parenting Initiative Committee, including Jamie Averett and David Brown, who are with the Youth Law Center. Brown has served as the local site leader for five years but is leaving the Law Center for other opportunities. Averett will replace Brown as local site leader, beginning this summer.