ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (April 3, 2025) – The Poynter Institute, in collaboration with Resolve Philly and funded by the Annie E. Casey Foundation, is proud to announce the launch of a new training program, “Covering Child Welfare: A Journalist’s Guide to Impactful Reporting.” This initiative is designed to empower journalists to effectively report on critical issues surrounding child protection and the foster care system. Reporter and editor teams will learn how to tell compelling, community-focused stories that resonate with readers and address the issues that matter most.
“The critical watchdog work of journalism matters on so many levels, including to children and families,” said Kristen Hare, Poynter’s director of craft and local news. “This program gives journalists the chance to build their skills to better serve some of the people who need them most.”
Through this series of six online group seminars, attendees will gain the knowledge and tools to build trust, engagement and increase readership while driving meaningful public discourse.
Steve Volk, co-lead for this program and investigative solutions reporter at Resolve Philly said, “I got an assignment to spend one year covering the foster care system in Philadelphia. It’s five years later, and I’m still here because I came to realize this subject had existed in kind of a vacuum, with very little coverage beyond the periodic stories about a child’s tragic death. There is a lot more going on here, and I’m really pleased to have this opportunity to talk about it with a great group of fellow journalists.”
Program highlights:
- Comprehensive Virtual Training: Two representatives from each selected newsroom will engage in six virtual sessions, focusing on creating consistent, ethical coverage that highlights challenges within the child welfare system and their impact on families.
- Personalized Coaching: Each team will receive one-on-one coaching from Volk, who brings firsthand experience in navigating the complexities of the child welfare system.
- Community-Centric Journalism: Participants will learn to build trust and readership by covering issues that directly affect families, fostering deeper community engagement.
- Ethical Reporting Practices: The course emphasizes best practices for reporting on vulnerable groups, including children and families, to ensure sensitive and accurate storytelling.
- Public Education: Journalists will be equipped to educate the public about the long-term effects of foster care on families, encompassing aspects such as mental health, education, employment and societal costs.
“This program goes beyond covering child welfare—it empowers journalists with the skills to tell stories that make a difference.” said Fernanda Camarena, Poynter faculty member. “By listening to families and examining the system’s impact, they can create ethical, thoughtful reporting that informs the public and sparks meaningful change. Journalists will have the chance to build connections, gain a deeper understanding and enhance their ability to report with accuracy and empathy.”
Meet the 2025 Cohort
The program has garnered significant interest, with 48 applications received from newsrooms across the country. Of these, 25 newsrooms from 22 different states were selected to participate, reflecting a nationwide commitment to improving coverage of child welfare topics.
Arkansas Democrat-Gazette Little Rock, AR
The Baltimore Banner Baltimore, MD
Cincinnati Enquirer Cincinnati, OH
City Bureau Chicago, IL
Connecticut Mirror West Hartford, CT
The Current/The Acadiana Advocate Lafayette, LA
Idaho Press Nampa, ID
Kentucky Lantern Louisville, KY
KTOO Juneau, AK
KWTV News 9 Oklahoma City, OK
MinnPost Minneapolis, MN
New Haven Independent New Haven, CT
North Carolina Health News Chapel Hill, NC
Oregon Public Broadcasting Portland, OR
Santa Fe New Mexican Santa Fe, NM
SDPB Sioux Falls, SD
Syracuse.com | The Post-Standard Syracuse, NY
The Daily Journal Franklin, IN
The News & Observer Charlotte, NC
The Sacramento Observer Sacramento, CA
The San Diego Union-Tribune San Diego, CA
Univision Austin, TX
WFTS Tampa, FL
WTHR (NBC- Indianapolis) Indianapolis, IN
WXIA – 11Alive News Atlanta, GA
For more information about the program, visit poynter.org or contact marketing@poynter.org.
About the Poynter Institute
The Poynter Institute is a global nonprofit working to address society’s most pressing issues by teaching journalists and journalism, covering the media and the complexities facing the industry, convening and community building, improving the capacity and sustainability of news organizations and fostering trust and reliability of information. The Institute is a gold standard in journalistic excellence and dedicated to the preservation and advancement of press freedom in democracies worldwide. Through Poynter, journalists, newsrooms, businesses, big tech corporations and citizens convene to find solutions that promote trust and transparency in news and stoke meaningful public discourse. The world’s top journalists and emerging media leaders rely on the Institute to learn new skills, adopt best practices, better serve audiences, scale operations and improve the quality of the universally shared information ecosystem.
The Craig Newmark Center for Ethics and Leadership, the International Fact-Checking Network (IFCN), MediaWise and PolitiFact are all members of the Poynter organization.
Support for Poynter and our entities upholds the integrity of the free press and the U.S. First Amendment and builds public confidence in journalism and media — an essential for healthy democracies. Learn more at poynter.org.
