The Caregiver Advocacy Circle
Children Now supports caregivers in bringing their lived experiences to drive meaningful policy change for children and families.
In response to the needs of caregivers advocating for better state health policies, we’ve partnered with fellow caregiver advocates to create a peer-driven Caregiver Advocacy Circle. The Circle will allow caregivers to join forces and collaborate on policy issues together, as well as get needed support and technical assistance for their advocacy. All members are compensated, as we believe caregivers should be paid for their time, energy, and expertise.
The Caregiver Advocacy Circle was created to address the ongoing need for meaningful caregiver engagement in children’s health policymaking. While progress has been made through advisory committees like the Medi-Cal Children’s Health Advisory Panel (MCHAP), caregiver advocates expressed that these opportunities need to be strengthened for caregivers to have a real say in policy decisions and that there is a need for more resources and support for their advocacy.
Research by the California Research Bureau (CRB) revealed that caregiver involvement in the state’s child-serving departments and agencies was often inconsistent, with caregivers lacking the necessary tools, compensation, and logistical support. Children Now, with support from Lucile Packard for Children’s Health, analyzed these findings and provided recommendations for enhanced caregiver engagement.
The Caregiver Advocacy Circle, created by and for caregivers, fills this gap by providing resources, advocacy support, and a community of peers to help caregivers turn policy ideas into action. The Circle empowers caregivers by providing key information on current policy issues, regulations, and legislative changes. We ensure members are well-prepared and effective in their advocacy roles on groups such as advisory committees and state-level health policy groups. Whether families are already serving or interested in joining these groups, we offer guidance on navigating discussions and decision-making processes, ensuring their voices are heard and impactful. We strive to empower caregivers to become effective advocates and make a lasting impact on children’s health policies and systems of care in California.
The Circle supports the work of its caregiver members while also being designed to document what authentic caregiver engagement and support looks like to inform future best practices for advocacy organizations and state policymaking bodies alike. Plus, with a special focus on children and youth with special health care needs, the Circle supports caregiver-led policy work in children’s health and related areas like developmental disabilities.
The Circle meets quarterly, with more resources available based on each caregiver’s needs and schedule. Caregivers’ time and expertise will also be compensated.
We urge members to provide feedback throughout. We want to make this space work best for caregivers!
- Access peer-to-peer advocacy support and policy mentoring.
- Elevate, amplify, and support caregivers’ policy and advocacy priorities by building strong relationships with decision-makers and organizations making change on the state level.
- Use our resources to elevate caregiver expertise in policy narratives, such as, helping to develop content (talking points, briefs, testimonies, op-eds, etc.).
- Attend quarterly meetings to connect with fellow advocates and build partnerships. Caregivers co-create agendas with Children Now and lead meeting discussions.
- Impact specific policies and regulations through caregiver experiences.
- Gain hands on guidance and coaching on navigating current policy and advocacy complexities, including the latest research and data on children’s health policy.
- Receive stipends to support caregiver time and expertise.
A space by caregivers, for caregivers! We’re co-creating the table with caregivers to speak truth to power, ensuring that caregiver voices and expertise shape the health policies and programs that impact our children’s lives.
Interested in joining the Circle or want to learn more?
Connect With Our Parent Partner
Nancy Netherland is working with Children Now to help us ensure the Circle is best designed for caregivers and to facilitate peer-to-peer support. She is a mother of, and advocate for her daughters, two former foster children living with rare, chronic medical complexities.
Nancy founded Kids and Caregivers; a nonprofit that provides wellness and navigation resources for families, caregivers, and providers of children living with chronic illnesses. She also works with the California Children’s Trust on caregiver engagement and serves on a variety of committees including; the California’s Medicaid Children’s Health Advisory Panel (MCHAP), CCS Monitoring Workgroup, the Cal-AIM Workgroup for Foster Youth and Families, and the Family Advisory Council at UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospitals.
Our Values:
At the heart of the Caregiver Advocacy Circle is the belief that caregivers who use their love, time, and skills to make sure their children grow and thrive should have a real say in the healthcare policies affecting children in our state. We recognize the role Children Now has as a professional advocacy agency and are committed to bi-directional work and authentic engagement in centering caregiver narratives and expertise. Together, we are speaking truth to power and making sure it’s heard loud and clear across California.
Your voice matters. We can’t wait to work together!
Interested in joining or have questions about the Caregiver Advocacy Circle? Contact the project leads, Tamira Daniely, Health Policy Associate and Kelly Hardy, Senior Managing Director, Health & Research.
Support for this work was provided by the Lucile Packard Foundation for Children’s Health, Palo Alto, California.
