When Systems Fail the Children They Were Built to Protect

At Touch Foundation for Change, we believe every young person deserves the chance to heal, grow, and thrive. Founded by Carolyn White, whose journey from homelessness and gang involvement to legal advocacy and mentorship inspires everything we do, our mission is rooted in lived experience, compassion, and the unwavering belief that no child should be defined by their past.

We exist to support youth who are too often mislabeled, misunderstood, and left behind by broken systems that punish instead of uplift.

We see the same story over and over again. A child cries out for help, but no one truly hears them.

There are so many systems and organizations that are supposed to protect children, yet too often they make things harder instead of better. Layers of red tape and confusing procedures create barriers instead of safety nets. What should be a pathway to healing becomes another source of pain.

Child Protective Services, schools, and the courts were all created to help, but they don’t always work together. When that happens, kids slip through the cracks. A cry for help can quickly turn into a court case. A child who needs stability and care can end up labeled, punished, or forgotten. This is how too many young people end up caught in the school-to-prison pipeline.

We’re not just asking for small improvements. We’re calling for real change. The systems that serve children need to work together, not against each other. Bureaucracy should never stand in the way of safety, compassion, or healing.

Even as an attorney, it can be overwhelming to navigate CPS or the child welfare process. If it’s this hard for professionals, imagine how it feels for a scared parent or caregiver trying to protect their child.

That’s why we’re speaking out. We’re pushing for legislative reform and accountability in the way CPS and related agencies operate. Children deserve better, and families deserve a system that helps them heal instead of tearing them apart.

At Touch Foundation for Change, we believe it’s time to move beyond patching broken systems. It’s time to build new ones that truly protect, support, and nurture every child.

Every child deserves a chance to heal and thrive, but it takes all of us to make that possible. Whether you’re a parent, advocate, policymaker, or community partner, you have a role to play in transforming the systems that shape children’s futures.

Touch Foundation for Change is committed to standing in the gap — not just for one child, but for every child caught in cycles of neglect and injustice. Together, we can reform outdated laws, rebuild broken systems, and restore the hope every young person deserves.

Change begins when we listen, when we act, and when we refuse to accept that bureaucracy should decide a child’s future. Let’s make sure every cry for help is met with action, compassion, and lasting change.