Today, First Lady Melania Trump joined President Donald J. Trump and Vice President Mike Pence in the Oval Office for the signing of the Executive Order on Strengthening the Child Welfare System for America’s Children.
Today’s Executive Order signing is particularly relevant to the mission and values of the First Lady’s Be Best initiative. Mrs. Trump continues to advocate for supporting child welfare in order to improve the lives and well-being of children and youth in foster care throughout the country. In May, The First Lady joined a call with our nation’s governors where she asked them to designate child welfare staff as first responders so they have access to Personal Protective Equipment when face – to – face intervention is needed to protect a child’s physical health during the coronavirus. In addition to the call-to-action, the First Lady and the Trump Administration have made child welfare a priority by providing guidance and best practices for remote and virtual court hearings in child welfare cases and supporting caseworkers by allowing videoconferencing for monthly visits.
Today’s Executive Order aims to strengthen America’s child welfare system through three key actions: improving partnerships, improving resources and improving oversight. “With more than 400,000 children in foster care, there is a critical need for these children to have safe, stable homes,” said First Lady Melania Trump. “It is my hope that this Executive Order will provide reforms, which directly improve the child welfare system and further establish this administration’s commitment to the health and safety of children throughout the country.”
Read President Trump’s historic child welfare executive order.
