USC Media For Social Change Graduate Student Symposium

How does journalism, public policy, and social work come together?

Every five seconds a case of child abuse is reported in the U.S., amounting to 3.3 million a year. In America, five children die from abuse every day. Beyond the clear social and moral implications, this abuse comes at a financial cost. The amount spent on involvement with the child welfare system, special education, the criminal justice system, adult health care and reduced productivity is estimated at $124 billion a year. How do you solve a problem this immense? Think outside the box.

How does journalism, public policy, and social work come together?

Every five seconds a case of child abuse is reported in the U.S., amounting to 3.3 million a year. In America, five children die from abuse every day. Beyond the clear social and moral implications, this abuse comes at a financial cost. The amount spent on involvement with the child welfare system, special education, the criminal justice system, adult health care and reduced productivity is estimated at $124 billion a year. How do you solve a problem this immense? Think outside the box.

Over this year’s spring semester, in a class called Media for Social Change, students from USC’s Sol Price School of Public Policy, the Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism and USC’s School of Social Work worked together to use media and journalism to highlight solutions to the complicated problems that result in child maltreatment.
 
Throughout, students heard from top experts from the fields of journalism, public policy and child welfare research. Now, it is their turn to do the talking.

At this event, in honor of National Foster Care Month, USC graduate students shared solutions to some of the toughest problems facing children. The symosium included presentations on a series of topics including;

• How urban planning can improve the lives of children in foster care;
• Pregnant and parenting foster youth & sexual health education;
• “Child-Centered” vs. “Family Centered” child welfare practice;
• Girls in the juvenile justice system;
• Foster parent accountability; and
• Academic achievement for foster youth.

Special guests included, the Honorable Karen Bass, United States House of Representatives, Co-Founder of the Congressional Caucus on Foster Youth.

For more details on the event click here.