Florida State University's Stoops Center for Communities, Families, and Children (Stoops CFC Center) recently unveiled a traveling exhibit showcasing and amplifying the experiences of mothers impacted by substance use and involvement with the child welfare system at a reception at the Palm Beach County Library.
The exhibit, "Photovoice Study on the Intersection of Substance Use, Child Welfare, and Family Preservation," marked the beginning of a broader public education campaign across Palm Beach County, which highlighted a participatory research method known as Photovoice.
"Using photography and storytelling empowers individuals, particularly from vulnerable communities, to document their experiences and share their perspectives," said Ellen Piekalkiewicz, principal investigator for the project and director of Stoops CFC Center.
For the exhibit, mothers served as co-researchers and documented their journeys through photography and dialogue.
"Their reflections surfaced urgent themes around supportive care, collaborative practices, coordinated services and relational healing - each highlighting the human stories often obscured in systems-based conversations."
- Ellen Piekalkiewicz, Stoops CFC Center director
"Their reflections surfaced urgent themes around supportive care, collaborative practices, coordinated services and relational healing - each highlighting the human stories often obscured in systems-based conversations," Piekalkiewicz said. The study involved mothers primarily from Palm Beach County, whose experiences will inform its findings and recommendations.
The study's findings underscore the critical importance of trauma-informed, flexible and family-centered approaches in child welfare policy and practice. The 21 participants shared their hopes, struggles and insights, contributing invaluable recommendations to inform systemic improvements.
The exhibit features photographs from two of the women who participated in the project.
Heather Howard, chief strategy officer at the Hanley Center and an associate professor at Florida Atlantic University, helped launch the project alongside the center's staff.
"The results demonstrated the importance of supportive, collaborative, coordinated care and relational care between the child welfare worker and the mother-infant dyad," Howard said. "When a safety plan is conducted, the child welfare worker can work collaboratively with the mother to support motherhood and provide hope for recovery and family preservation."
The exhibit, supported by the FSU Florida Institute for Child Welfare and FSU Stoops CFC Center, will continue to travel throughout Palm Beach County, fostering dialogue and empathy among community members, service providers and policymakers alike.
"The kick-off event drew a large crowd of supporters and researchers, all committed to advancing family well-being through research-informed practice and human-centered care," Piekalkiewicz said. "Our hope is that the traveling exhibit will inform an even broader audience about the lived experiences of mothers who have children involved with the child welfare system."
