In this episode of Torn, Classie and Sonia are joined by Roxanne Logan—attorney, clinical social worker, and longtime advocate—for a conversation about how parenting classes are used in the child welfare system. Together, they examine why these classes are often mandatory, rarely relevant, and disconnected from the realities of Black and Brown families.

They share firsthand stories from the field, discuss how culture and survival shape parenting, and call out the deeper issue: a system more focused on compliance than care. From court orders to funding streams, this episode takes a critical look at how the system fails to meet families where they are—and what needs to change.

In this episode of Torn, Sonia Johnson and Classie Colinet focus on mental health in Black communities and what it means for advocates to support their clients with care, context, and cultural understanding. Drawing from personal experience and community history, they talk about how mental health has been treated in Black families, the stigma that still exists, and the slow shift toward healing and openness.

They also speak directly to advocates working in the child welfare system, offering concrete ways to check in with Black and Brown clients, ask meaningful questions, and connect them with resources that reflect their realities. Throughout the episode, they make the case that tending to mental health isn’t a luxury—it’s a necessary part of advocacy, especially in systems that often ignore or pathologize the communities they claim to serve.

When children enter foster care, they lose more than just their homes—they lose their family connections, cultural identity, and access to their history. In this episode, we speak with Shanika Bynum about what it means to truly support children in care, beyond just placement.

Shanika shares insights on how foster care often erases a child’s sense of self, why maintaining family ties and cultural traditions is essential, and how both biological and foster parents can help children navigate these challenges. She also discusses the importance of culturally competent caregiving and how foster parents can embrace a child’s background rather than expecting them to conform.

Listen as we discuss:

• Why children in foster care seek out their biological families—no matter what
• The role of cultural competency in foster parenting
• How separation impacts a child’s sense of identity and belonging
• Ways to keep family connections strong, even during separation

This episode is for advocates, social workers, foster parents, and anyone committed to a child welfare system that centers family preservation and cultural identity.

Substance use is one of the most common reasons families become involved with the child welfare system. Advocates and professionals often face challenges in balancing child safety with the need to support parents in recovery.

In this episode, Dr. Bertie Thomas Jr., a licensed professional counselor and founder of Creative Change Counseling, joins the conversation to discuss substance use and its impact on families. He explains the importance of cultural competency in treatment, the role of harm reduction, and how the system can better support families without unnecessary separation.

Listeners will gain insight into how advocates can approach these cases with empathy, encourage meaningful engagement in treatment, and challenge punitive responses that may do more harm than good.

Tune in to learn more about how child welfare professionals can help families navigate recovery while working toward lasting solutions.

In Part 2 of our discussion on the family regulation system, we continue exploring the ways policies like theChild Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act (CAPTA) have shaped child welfare into a system of surveillance, control, and punishment—particularly for Black families.

Angela Olivia Burton and Angeline Montauban return to share their insights on how compliance is often prioritized over family well-being, the role of psychological evaluations in prolonging separation, and the ways parents who assert their rights are often penalized. This conversation also touches on the growing calls forabolition and reinvesting in communities rather than foster care institutions.

Listen in as we discuss:

• The consequences of challenging the system as a parent
• How psychological evaluations are used to control outcomes
• Why compliance, not child well-being, is often the focus
• Steps toward dismantling harmful practices and building family-centered alternatives

This episode is foradvocates, legal professionals, and anyone working toward systemic change in child welfare.

🎧Tune in now. #FamilyPreservation #RepealCAPTA #AbolishASFA #ChildWelfareReform

In this episode of TORN, we’re joined by Angela Olivia Burton and Angeline Montauban to discuss the history and impact of the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act (CAPTA). Angela and Angeline unpack how CAPTA laid the groundwork for today’s family regulation system and share personal experiences that highlight its harmful effects on families, particularly in marginalized communities.

This conversation explores how CAPTA expanded the definition of child maltreatment, allowed poverty to be criminalized, and incentivized the removal of children from their homes. The discussion also touches on the carceral nature of the system and its parallels to the prison industrial complex.

This is the first part of a two-part conversation.

Listen now and join the conversation about creating a more equitable future for children and families.

#ChildWelfare #CAPTA #Abolition #FamilySupport #SocialJustice

This episode of Torn examines how the child welfare system addresses domestic violence and the challenges faced by families, particularly in Black and marginalized communities. Host Sonia Johnson is joined by Lisa Armstrong, Licensed Clinical Social Worker, and Roxanne Logan, Licensed Clinical Social Worker and Attorney to discuss:

• The systemic inequities that shape how child welfare approaches domestic violence.
• The impact of intimate partner violence on children and the importance of trauma-informed care.
• The role of cultural competency in providing effective interventions and support.
• Insights into batterer intervention programs and their effectiveness.

This episode offers practical perspectives for child welfare professionals, advocates, and others seeking to better understand the complexities of domestic violence and its intersection with systemic bias.

In this episode, Sonia and Classie sit down with Brian and Tiana, a military couple whose lives were upended when they became involved with the child welfare system. Despite their deep family values rooted in faith, education, and resilience, they were forced to fight to keep their family together.

Through their story, we explore the systemic challenges Black families face, the racial biases embedded in child welfare practices, and the emotional toll of being judged by a system that claims to protect but often does the opposite.

Brian and Tiana share their journey of resilience, the support of their community, and the lessons they’ve learned about advocating for their family. Their story reminds us of the power of standing strong in the face of injustice and the urgent need for systemic change.

Join us for this powerful conversation that sheds light on the intersection of family, race, and child welfare.