Foster Youth Voice Whisperer
Follow the Love
→ Permanent → Connections → Scaffolding
“Alright, brace yourselves for this wild tale of connection and collaboration!”
Picture this: a lived experience expert, a child welfare leader, and a graduate researcher walk into a virtual bar, better known as LinkedIn. But hold on, this is NOT the beginning of a corny joke, my friends. No, no, it’s the beginning of something extraordinary!
Book Reviews
Dr. Elizabeth Wynter – Foster Youth Voice Whisperer
Jerry Milner
Family Justice Group, Co-Founder & Director, Former Associate Commissioner at the Children's Bureau
In Follow the Love, the authors bring home the critical importance of relational health for youth in foster care. It recognizes that relationships are the real permanency, more so than legal arrangements, and that belonging is what leads to well-being. It invokes the essential truth that children and youth have people who know and care for them already and asks the question of why we are placing them with strangers. It raises one of the biggest challenges in child welfare, that is allowing the voices of those with lived expertise to tell us who and what they need and putting them in the driver’s seat.
Dr. Lisa Schelbe
Associate Professor at Florida State University, College of Social Work, Author of Some Type of Way: Aging Out of Foster Care
Follow the Love challenges all of us to reflect on how we can best work with young people in foster care. It argues the importance of working with young people to construct their scaffolded support system. Through the extended metaphor of scaffolding, the book presents the planks, base plates, guide rails, and poles that people, programs, policy, and practice should embrace. The pragmatic, detailed recommendations in Follow the Love have the potential to revolutionize working with young people in foster care and, ultimately, promote their well-being.
Dr. Patricia Nellius-Guthrie
Florida Coalition for Children, Executive Vice President and Chief Knowledge and Innovation Officer
Dr. Wynter/the authors skillfully combine personal stories, experience, research findings, and policy recommendations to shed light on the gaps and opportunities to construct a youth centered pathway to permanency by following the love. The authors provide a sound scaffolding framework and series of recommendations to be easily adopted to promote positive change in this practical guide.
Follow the Love is a must-read for anyone who cares about the well-being of youth in transition. Great read!
Annette Semanchin Jones, PhD
Associate Professor, University at Buffalo School of Social Work
Kelly McGrath
Selfless Love Foundation, Senior Director of Program Operations
Imagine a world where people who leave foster care have a strong network of support around them, and where the outdated idea of independence is replaced by interdependence, resulting in a more connected society. Dr. Wynter leads the way for an improved child welfare system that goes to the heart of what youth in foster care truly need – support, love, and agency. The scaffolding framework clearly explained in this book is the instruction manual for how to change outcomes for youth and young adults impacted by foster care.
You’ll come away feeling excited, hopeful, and clear on what needs to be done and why. A must-read for every child welfare professional.
Olivia Snoke
Lived Experience Expert, Owner of Emerging Phoenix
Follow the Love lays out the system of care that I dreamt of as a ward of the state, foster parent and social worker. Gaelin’s perspective provided validation and motivation to making a positive change to a system that told me “Happy Birthday, You’re on your own”.
I am hopeful the methodology of Social Scaffolding Permanent Connections spreads like wild fire in the foster care world from the policy makers, social workers, youth to the public.
Brandie McCabe
Interdependence Advocate
Dr. Elizabeth Wynter’s long-standing commitment to improving the lives of transition age youth and young adults continues to be highlighted by her literary work. She leverages her extensive professional history and elevates the voices of people who have been impacted by the foster care system to propose practical solutions for all those who have a stake in making the child welfare system better. If you think you’ve read or heard it all when it comes to comprehensive and holistic approaches to systems work, Follow the Love, Scaffolding Permanent Connections, invites you to consider centering your policy, programs, and practice, around relational permanency.
Marcy Bursac
Adoptive Mom, Author, Podcaster App Designer and Founder & CEO of The Forgotten Adoption Option
This book will open your eyes to see the needs of the exponentially growing population of individuals that have aged out of the foster care system without being adopted.
Elizabeth provides guidance and support for youth, case workers, and the broader community on how we can be part of the solution towards scaffolding the strong relationships these individuals need to be connected, feel loved, and thrive into and through their adult lives.
Kalise Gilmore
Lived Experience Expert
Child welfare professionals should read “Follow the Love “ because it highlights some of the biggest issues in child welfare while also shining a light on personal experiences. As a lived expert myself this book is empowering and I truly believe children in care will be pleased with the outcome of this book. My favorite part of the book was reading “building a permanent connection scaffold “.
This approach to youth will be sure to create lifelong relationships that most of our youth want.
Justin Brown
Former Oklahoma Secretary of Human Services
Transformation of the incredibly complex world of child welfare requires a foundational framework that allows for all stakeholders to engage in concert, with proper roles defined, in contribution towards achieving the true north goals of child wellbeing and success. Dr.Wynter’s book, Follow the Love, provides those engaged with the Child Welfare system a structure to which they can apply their concepts and from which tangible action can develop. By aligning system participants across the nation to a conceptual scaffolding for child welfare modernization, she proposes common language, shared values and the building blocks of strategy that can be adapted by those with direct experience navigating the system.
Tewabech Genet Stewart
Former Child Welfare Leader
Dr. Elizabeth Wynter does a phenomenal job utilizing the metaphorical representation of a scaffold to demonstrate the importance of authentic and loving relationships for our foster youth. The solid structure of the scaffold is not only needed by children and families served by the foster care system, but for all of us to ensure wellbeing for future generations.
Diamond Whitley
Lived Experience Expert
I think that system professionals should read this book because it establishes the basis of an authentic youth-adult relationship. There is a lot of nuance in relationship building especially with foster youth.
This book and the scaffold model are wonderful tools for any professional!
Writing this book to help agencies improve the lives of transitioning youth has been a labor of love, and I can’t wait to share it with you all.
Book Synopsis
Follow the Love
Alright, brace yourselves for this wild tale of connection and collaboration! Picture this: a lived experience expert, a child welfare leader, and a graduate researcher walk into a virtual bar, better known as LinkedIn. But hold on, this is NOT the beginning of a corny joke, my friends. No, no, it’s the beginning of something extraordinary!
You see, these three unlikely heroes joined forces not to order drinks or tell puns, but to build a scaffold! Wait, before you think they’re constructing a wobbly DIY shelf, let me clarify. This scaffold is the foundation for an epic plan to boost youth voice and provide unwavering support for young people making that epic transition to adulthood.
So there they were, armed with their unique powers: the lived experience expert, who had seen it all and was ready to share the wisdom of their adventures; the child welfare leader, who had a heart of gold and knew how to champion the cause of the youth; and the graduate researcher, whose nerdy skills could turn data into magic!
Their mission starts with an environmental scan, checking out the lay of the land, followed by an overview of policies and practices. And hold tight, because this blueprint they’re envisioning is going to move mountains! Along the way, you might find yourself laughing or shedding a tear, learning something new, or confirming your own knowledge. Brace yourself to dive deep into your soul and feel inspired to engage with youth like never before!
So there you have it, a one-of-a-kind adventure fueled by passion, expertise, and a sprinkle of magic. Get ready to join in on the fun and let the journey begin! Who knows what amazing things these three will achieve together? It’s going to be a rollercoaster, and you won’t want to miss a single moment!
About & Bio of Dr. Elizabeth Wynter
“Follow the Love: The path to happiness, one heart at a time.”
Meet Dr. Elizabeth Wynter, a remarkable visionary and tireless advocate committed to transforming the lives of young people in care. With an unwavering dedication and boundless energy, she fearlessly challenges the norms, reshaping the future for the better.
Awards, Certifications & Honors
- Licensed Mental Health Counselor & Qualified Supervisor
- Former Board Chair for the Florida Coalition for Children (FCC) Foundation
- FCC Administrator of the Year award in 2017
- FLITE Center TIL System of Care Lifetime Hero Award in 2020
- FCC Champion for Children award in 2022
- FSU Florida Institute for Child Welfare Community Leader of the Year in 2023
Dr. Wynter Bio
Meet Dr. Elizabeth Wynter, a remarkable visionary and tireless advocate committed to transforming the lives of young people in care. With an unwavering dedication and boundless energy, she fearlessly challenges the norms, reshaping the future for the better.
Over the span of two decades, the award-winning Dr. Elizabeth Wynter has been an unstoppable force driving policy reform, tirelessly working to make a difference. Her unwavering determination inspires others to join the fight for a more inclusive and supportive child welfare system.
The spark that ignited the National Foster Youth Voice Month came from Dr. Wynter’s indomitable spirit, refusing to settle for anything less than a complete transformation in how society views young people in care. With unyielding resolve, she leads an army of supporters, united in the quest to empower these young individuals as powerful contributors to the world, not mere recipients of care.
Completing her doctoral studies in Organizational Leadership with a dissertation focused on transitioning youth was not merely an academic achievement for Dr. Wynter; it symbolized a journey of self-discovery and dedication to empowering others. Equipped with research and lived experiences, she dismantles barriers hindering a brighter future for foster youth.
As the author of “Follow the Love,” Dr. Wynter introduces a groundbreaking connections scaffold, empowering young individuals aging out of foster care. Her visionary approach emphasizes the power of love and care, fostering self-confidence and a strong sense of identity among transitioning youth.
Through her blog (coming soon), “Foster Youth Voice Whisperer,” Dr. Wynter shares her research-based perspective, aiming to reshape how child welfare and the public perceive and support young people in care. With each post, she ignites hearts and sparks conversations that resonate across the nation. Her unwavering advocacy has become a rallying cry for justice and equity for foster youth.
As a captivating keynote speaker, Dr. Wynter enthralls audiences at conferences, symposiums, and workshops. Drawing from her vast expertise and personal experiences, she delivers powerful speeches that inspire action and drive positive change. Her message transcends boundaries, touching the hearts of policymakers, child welfare professionals, and young people with lived experiences alike.
Beyond her inspirational speeches, Dr. Wynter’s role as a child welfare consultant is equally transformative. Armed with strategic thinking and a deep understanding of the complexities faced by transitioning youth, she collaborates with organizations and agencies to design innovative solutions. Dr. Wynter’s consulting approach fosters a collaborative environment, empowering stakeholders to identify strengths, weaknesses, and opportunities for improvement. Her goal is to create lasting and meaningful change in policies, programs, and practices to better support youth people aging out of care.
In her words, actions, and interactions, Dr. Elizabeth Wynter stands as a force of nature—a visionary leader with an untamed heart. Her relentless advocacy and dedication to a cause greater than herself continue to inspire change-makers worldwide. Dr. Wynter’s work is a testament to the power of collective impact for transitioning youth. Her unwavering commitment serves as a beacon of hope for vulnerable young individuals, reshaping the world for the better.
Keynote Speaker
Dr. Wynter is a renowned keynote speaker with a passion for making a difference. Dr. Wynter’s dynamic presentations are thought-provoking and soul-stirring, leaving a lasting impact on audiences of all backgrounds.
With a focus on permanency and building lasting connections, Dr. Wynter’s keynote titles, “Follow the Love, Permanent Connections Scaffolding” and “Placement Stability, Co-Designing a Path to Permanency,” explore innovative approaches to creating stable and supportive environments for individuals in need.
Engaging and empowering the next generation is at the heart of Dr. Wynter’s mission. Through presentations such as “Youth Engagement Community Café, Building Strategy to Imbed Youth Voice,” Dr. Wynter demonstrates how to amplify the voices of young people and involve them in shaping their futures.
Dr. Wynter’s expertise extends to advocacy as well. “Foster Youth Voice Month, From Concept to National Campaign” showcases the journey from a simple idea to a nationwide movement, emphasizing the power of collective action in creating lasting change.
If you’re ready to be inspired and seek new perspectives, fill out the contact form to schedule a chat with Dr. Wynter. Unleash the potential for transformation and empowerment in your organization or event by inviting Dr. Wynter as your keynote speaker. Together, let’s create a brighter, more inclusive future.
Keynote Titles
- Follow the Love, Permanent Connections Scaffolding
- Placement Stability, Co-Designing a Path to Permanency
Presentations
- Youth Engagement Community Café, Building Strategy to Imbed Youth Voice
- Foster Youth Voice Month, From Concept to National Campaign
Child Welfare Consultant
Welcome to the world of Dr. Wynter, Child Welfare Consultant – a guiding light for transitioning youth and a catalyst in the development of a youth well-being system. Driven by a passion for elevating youth voice and establishing permanent connections, Dr. Wynter specializes in independent living and clinical services, transitioning and high-needs youth, and the development of youth councils.
With a keen focus on relational permanency, strategic planning, policy development, and program design, Dr. Wynter’s role as a child welfare consultant is nothing short of transformative. By collaborating closely with organizations and agencies, she pioneers innovative solutions to address the complexities faced by transitioning youth.
Her consulting approach fosters a truly collaborative environment, empowering stakeholders to identify strengths, weaknesses, and opportunities for growth. Dr. Wynter’s ultimate goal is to create lasting and meaningful change in policies, programs, and practices, all aimed at providing exceptional support to young people aging out of care.
Whether it’s hourly consultations, project-based engagements, or long-term retainer packages, Dr. Wynter offers a flexible and personalized approach to meet the unique needs of her clients. Join her on the journey to empower youth and revolutionize the world of child welfare.
Researcher
- Permanent Connections Literature Review
Services
Contact & Subscribe
If you’re ready to be inspired and seek new perspectives, fill out the contact form to schedule a chat with Dr. Wynter.
