Homeless toddlers inspired the child welfare laws

Woman stands in front of a poster with smiling children.

Lisa at the awards ceremony. Photo courtesy of Lisa Blackburn Ullven

The idea of toddlers being homeless ignited three local Florida leaders to draft one of the first pieces of legislation to advocate for children. The intense drive for change started in 1945 when troubled and dependent minors and children as young as three and four years old were housed in adult jails with no place to go. A judge, an attorney, and the founder of the St. Petersburg Junior League put their minds together to champion legislation to protect children in need of someone to look out for them. 

The three champions (Juvenile Judge Lincoln Bogue, St. Petersburg Junior League Founder Mailande Holland Barton, and attorney Leonard Cooperman) drafted the Juvenile Welfare Board (JWB) Special Act. On Nov. 5, 1946, Pinellas County, Florida citizens voted to be the first in the nation to create an independent board charged with guarding the rights and needs of children. Along with the six governor-appointed members, the board has five expert roles (state attorney, public defender, juvenile judge, county commissioner, and school superintendent). 

Together, they guide community investments in partnerships, innovation, and advocacy to strengthen Pinellas County children and families. The six strategic result areas include early childhood development, school readiness, school success, prevention of child abuse and neglect, strengthening community, and organizational capacity. They also partner to address childhood hunger, grade-level reading, and preventable child deaths. In 2023, their 100 quality programs have strengthened the lives of 70,000 children and families. 

As we talked with a sampling of the 53 nonprofit agencies as well as the families they serve, a common theme was a focus on keeping families together. A first-time mom who faced domestic violence now has a fresh start with her baby girl. A man, once labeled as homeless, is building a career and has regained custody of his two young children. Today, they are quite happy in their new home. When a single grandmother suddenly found her half dozen grand-children in need of a home, the kinship program of the Children’s Home Network was there to offer them the support and services to stay together as a family. 

The improvements made over the 75 years that followed are a reminder of the possibilities ahead. Prevention is a key focus to strengthen communities. In the 1950s, JWB established a marriage and family counseling program as a preventative service to help children by stabilizing their families. In the 1960s, JWB was one of the first organizations in the U.S. to fund foster care and adoption services for children with disabilities. 

Their success in community engagement inspired statewide change. In the 1970s, JWB organized its first annual legislation workshop for community dialogue. In the 1980s, Florida passed a bill to enable other counties to establish Children’s Services Councils, similar to the JWB. In the 1990s, JWB paved the path with the creation of a network of eight Neighborhood Family Centers (NFCs) to serve the unique needs of their community. While the city of Largo offers tutoring and social opportunities for hearing impaired children and parents, the Tarpon Springs Citizen’s Alliance for Program offers youth development and cross-cultural programs.

In the 2000s, public defender Bob Dillinger and state attorney Bernie McCabe joined JWB with a quest to contribute their skills to further help children. This year’s 2024 DillingerMcCabe Putting Children First Leadership Award, created in their name, has special significance as the Pinellas community grieves the recent loss of Dillinger. The speakers teared up as they shared how he spent his final days preparing for the ceremony. The screens lit up as Carol Cook of the Pinellas School Board received the award for her five decades of being a champion for children. 

The award event took place at the historic St. Petersburg Coliseum. There were elegant strings of lights spanning the entire ceiling, a visual of the power of connection. And in the center of it all, a bright-eyed baby girl sat silently at a table as a reminder of Dillinger’s litmus test, “Is it good for the kids?” 

During the ceremony, JWB honored nominees from parks, police, schools, camps, faith organizations, and various other community-minded organizations, illustrating how each does their part to do what is “good for the kids.” Nominees like Family Support Services Vice President Jennifer Pendergraph and STEPS Family Advocate Corey Givens Jr. represented a focus on case management and family support. It was inspirational to listen to how advocates are leveraging their strengths for children.

 It almost seemed that JWB assigned seats to encourage connection. At Lisa’s table, preschool leader Tabree Fort was recognized for “Inspiring excellence and a love for learning in children.” Dina Ramos, an organizer of Clearwater Hispanic Farmers Market, was recognized for “Creating a safer and more nurturing environment for Hispanic youth.” When Lisa was recognized for “Protecting and empowering the world’s children and families through strategy and prevention,” Ramos and Fort were inspired to brainstorm with her on ways to magnify their positive impact on children. 

Reflecting on how nearly 80 years of change started with the initiative of three people is a reminder of the power of “We the people.” Our nation and history are built by the actions of forward-thinking people who combine their strengths to stand up for what is right. This story is a great example of how we have the power to spread good within our community or state. For the video stories, please feel free to check out https://www.youtube.com/@GuidedResults


Issues |Family|Poverty|Youth


Region |National

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