Parents, Advocates, and System Leaders Call for Change in Child Welfare

April 13, 2026

The New York Daily News published an op-ed today co-authored by Joyce McMillan, co-chair of the NYC Narrowing the Front Door Work Group, and Kimberly Hardy Watson, president and CEO of Graham, that highlights the call to shift from intrusive, often traumatic child welfare investigations to community-driven, family-centered supports that aim to prevent unwarranted system involvement.

The Work Group is comprised of system-impacted youth, parents, and family members; community activists; lawyers for children and parents; academics; state and local government employees; and leaders of philanthropic and non-profit organizations who are committed to eliminating child welfare policies and practices that deeply harm and often separate families. These advocates are urging NYC officials to establish an Office of Family Well-Being outside of ACS that would strengthen child and family safety, avert reports and investigations for poverty framed as neglect, and invest in community-based resources that families want and need.

“Graham’s role within the system as an ACS foster care and family services provider gives us insights into both the system’s goals and the harms it can cause,” said Hardy Watson. “Our experience has made clear that separating community-based support from ACS is essential to truly supporting families.”

The piece features key data points that support the Work Group’s proposal, including the high volume and annual expense of thousands of unsubstantiated cases, as well as the disproportionate affect that unnecessary investigations have on Black and Latinx children in low-income communities.

Read:
Op-Ed | Support NYC Families and Keep Kids Safe
New York Daily News • April 13, 2026

Resource:
Proposal to Create a NYC Office of Family Well-Being
Narrowing the Front Door to NYC’s Child Welfare System Work Group