Arrow is overjoyed that the Harvard Kennedy School invited our Texas Foster Care Kinship Leadership Team to participate in their Government Performance Lab.
The national cohort brings together child welfare and foster care agency teams committed to building kin-first systems that prioritize family connections and long-term stability for children.
“This collaborative learning environment offers a unique opportunity to engage with peers from across the country who are implementing innovative kinship care strategies,” Senior VP of Programs in Texas Carolyn Bishop said.
Through its kinship-focused initiatives, the Lab helps leaders reduce entries into the system, improve equitable access to services, and enhance support that keeps families together.
The Harvard Kennedy School Government Performance Lab cohort provides a collaborative learning environment for teams across the country who are implementing innovative kinship care strategies.
Participants engage in biweekly 75-minute sessions to share ideas, explore new approaches, and exchange best practices.
Between sessions, teams complete reflective assignments that help assess their own programming and identify opportunities for growth.
The Arrow team looks forward to collaborating with peers from across the country
“We are incredibly excited to learn from other jurisdictions, explore new approaches to strengthening kinship programming and bring back best practices that can further enhance the work we’re doing in Texas to support kin caregivers and the children in their care,” Bishop said.
The team was invited to apply through the Texas Alliance of Child and Family Services (TACFS) after Arrow’s Director of Kinship learned of the opportunity through participation in the Alliance’s Kinship Advocates of Texas work group.
Representing Arrow in the Texas Kinship Leadership Team are Scott Batson, AVP of Capacity Development; Leah Wilson, Director of Kinship; Trashaunda McBride, Family Engagement Supervisor; and Carolyn Bishop, Senior VP of Programs in Texas.
Participation in the Harvard GPL cohort is free of charge and runs through November.
By investing in these learning opportunities, Arrow continues to advance its mission of supporting kin caregivers and ensuring children can thrive within their families whenever possible.