There’s no such thing as a bad child

Get ready for a whole host of  insights and inspiration in this finale episode of "A Flourishing Start: ABC's of Child & Family Well-being," Season 1! We're diving headfirst into the world of the “preschool-to-prison pipeline,” unpacking the complexities and shining a light on the resources and systems that can help our little ones break free from this cycle.

Buckle up as we hear from the dynamic Tori Porell, the brain behind the Strong Beginnings program at East Bay Children’s Law Offices (EBCLO). As the current Education Attorney at EBCLO, Tori is on a mission to bridge the educational gap for youth experiencing foster care, and she's here to share her wisdom and warrior spirit with us!

Also joining us is Sara Guillermo, the CEO of IGNITE. From being a pioneering employee to leading the charge as CEO, Sara's journey is nothing short of awe-inspiring. She's a powerhouse of resilience, juggling roles as an immigrant, first-gen college grad, youth organizer, educator, foster parent, and a breast cancer survivor. 

Highlights:

7:50 - Sara’s Epic Foster Parent Journey

17:40 - Unraveling the Preschool to Prison Pipeline

20:27 - Navigating Child Entitlements & Support Systems

35:30 - Sara's Time Machine

40:28 - Power-Up for Parental Advocacy

42:57 - The Role of an Education Attorney

NOTE: In this episode, one of our speakers is an attorney, and may reference laws and legal information related to early childhood education and mental health. Please know that this is shared only as general information, and is not legal advice.

Source: In this episode, we shared that preschool children are expelled at three times the rate of children in Kindergarten through 12th grade. The source for this information comes from Gilliam WS, Shahar G. Preschool and child care expulsion and suspension: rates and predictors in one state. Infant Young Child. 2006;19(3):228–245.

Resources:

California Foster Youth Education Law Fact Sheets:

English - http://www.cfyetf.org/publications_34_2864360923.pdf (see fact sheet #3 for early child education, specifically)

Spanish - http://www.cfyetf.org/publications_36_3026627512.pdf (see fact sheet #3 for early child education, specifically)

0-5 Advocacy Resources

Local Parent Training and Information Center Database

And remember, this isn't "goodbye," it's "see you soon," as we gear up for Season 2 coming your way in February. Stay tuned, subscribe, and follow us to catch every exciting moment!

Love our podcast? We want to hear from YOU! Join our feedback squad for Season 1 by emailing [e-mail] or send a text to your favorite podcast host at [phone]. Let's make Season 2 even more epic together!

A Flourishing Start Podcast is hosted by the National Center for Youth Law and supported through a grant from the Resilience Effect, a philanthropic initiative of Genentech, a member of the Roche Group.