Robert Wood Johnson Foundation: Why Solving the Caregiving Puzzle Must Include Families

In a blog post authored by Trene Hawkins of Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, Ascend’s Managing Director Marjorie Sims shares how Ascend harnesses parent and caregiver leaders’ expertise to create policy and systems change in communities and organizations.

Families have invaluable expertise and experience, but they are usually not included in developing and making decisions about policies and practices that are “designed to support them.” How can anything designed without you support you? We must partner with parents and caregivers to identify factors that undermine their wellbeing and engage them to co-create effective programs and solutions that actually reflect the needs and aspirations of their family.