UnSystem Roundtables

UnSystem Roundtables are a series of confidential, invite-only virtual conversations designed to bring together key leaders, decision-makers, and changemakers in child welfare. Each session convenes a small group of 6-10 individuals who have first-hand experience with the challenges and opportunities in reimagining the system.

UnSystem Roundtables participants are carefully selected through an application process. Sessions are confidential and not recorded.

Rooted in Alia’s commitment to co-designing UnSystems, roundtables serve as brave spaces for real conversations—where leaders share successes, failures, and innovative approaches that challenge the status quo. Each session is built around a singular, high-impact theme, providing an opportunity for deep engagement and peer-to-peer learning.

Following each conversation, unattributed key insights are shared through Alia’s website, email updates, and social media, ensuring that these discussions spark broader transformation across the health and human services sector.

Family Stability in the era of Budget Cuts (3)

Upcoming Roundtable

AI in Child Welfare

AI is already influencing child welfare, whether systems are ready for it or not—through predictive analytics, risk scoring, automated decision support, document review, call center tools, and vendor platforms that shape how information is collected and how decisions are made. Used well, these tools could reduce administrative burden, strengthen consistency, and help staff spend more time with families. Used poorly, they can amplify bias, increase surveillance of families experiencing poverty, and create opaque decision-making that is difficult to challenge or correct.

This UnSystem Roundtable will bring together child welfare system leaders for a confidential, solution-focused conversation on how to approach AI with clarity and caution. We will discuss implementation realities, governance and accountability, data quality, ethics and equity, procurement and vendor management, and what it takes to ensure AI strengthens family support rather than deepening system harm.

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Upcoming Roundtables

Stay tuned for our next conversation!

We host roundtables regularly, check back soon for upcoming dates.

If you have a topic idea or would like to host a roundtable, please click the link below.

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Each UnSystem Roundtable brings together child welfare leaders for honest, solution-focused conversations around the most pressing challenges in the field. After each session, we share a publicly available Insights Report—curated from the lived experiences, hard-won lessons, and bold ideas shared during the discussion.

You’re invited to download and share these reports, use them for strategic planning, leadership development, or simply as a reminder that you’re not alone in this work. While no comments are attributed to individuals, each report reflects the collective wisdom of peers navigating real-time transformation.

Family Stability in the Era of Budget Cuts

How do we build supports as demand rises—without expanding the system? Leaders from several jurisdictions to share what they are doing now to strengthen prevention, reduce unnecessary system involvement, support kin and families, and make better use of increasingly constrained resources.

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Addressing Workforce Turnover (and Retention) in Child Welfare

In this UnSystem Roundtable, child welfare leaders tackled the workforce crisis head-on—sharing what’s working now to reduce burnout, improve retention, and rebuild a culture where people stay because they want to.

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What Do We Do With “Unplaceable” Kids?

More and more children are being labeled “unplaceable”—youth with complex needs who cycle through shelters, detention centers, hoteling, or makeshift placements. This Roundtable centered around the difficult realities and the alternatives that are helping jurisdictions move from crisis-driven placements to belonging, stability, and healing.

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Rising to the Challenge

Across the country, association leaders are being asked to steady the field while the ground keeps moving. This Roundtable convened association executives and policy leads for a confidential, solutions-focused conversation on what’s working now—and how to help members adapt without losing the heart of the work.

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Protecting Families When Fear Runs High

Preparing agencies, staff, and communities for heightened disruption related to immigration enforcement and detention activity requires preparation on multiple fronts at once. In this Roundtable, leaders described strategies they used to protect children and families, reduce fear and confusion, and help staff stay grounded and safe while continuing to serve their communities.

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Driving Meaningful Change Amid Chaos and Uncertainty

In our inaugural UnSystem Roundtable, child welfare leaders from across the country came together to share how they’ve led through public pressure, political upheaval, and organizational crises—while staying true to their values.

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What are UnSystem Roundtables?

Upcoming Roundtable

AI in Child Welfare

Upcoming Roundtables

Stay tuned for our next conversation!

Roundtable Insight Reports

Family Stability in the Era of Budget Cuts

Addressing Workforce Turnover (and Retention) in Child Welfare

What Do We Do With “Unplaceable” Kids?

Rising to the Challenge

Protecting Families When Fear Runs High

Driving Meaningful Change Amid Chaos and Uncertainty

Sign up to participate or host an upcoming roundtable!