Child Protection Insights from Our Team
YSO Insights is where our team writes about the child protection policy, organizational culture, and sector news your work depends on. New posts come from the same practitioners who lead your engagement.
The Best Supervision Is Not Always the Most Supervision
Research on overparenting gives youth administrators a useful program design too. Peer-reviewed evidence suggests that age-appropriate independence is not a supervision gap.
What 250 Years Can Teach Us About Child Protection Policy
The Declaration of Independence gets remembered as a single dramatic signing. The more instructive story for child protection policy is what happened next.
How to Build a Staff Supervision System That Actually Protects Your Organization
Most youth-serving organizations have a supervision policy. Far fewer have a supervision system that generates information, gets it to someone with authority to act, and creates a record of the response.
Our Podcast
Cultivating a Culture of Safety
A free 6-part series on building the policies and culture that keep children safe in your organization.
Books From Our Team
Raising Other People’s Children
This book is drawn from Debbie’s own experience raising children who came from hard places, and is written for foster parents and stepparents building a blended family.
Protecting Other People’s Children
A practical, step-by-step blueprint for building a strong child safety policy in 120 days.
Finding Hope
Twelve practical keys to healing hardship, hurt, and sorrow, from a foster care alumna and licensed social worker.
About YSO Partners
Practical ideas and resources on child protection policy and culture for youth-serving organizations, written by Debbie Ausburn, J.D., Donna Caudell, Ed.D., Gena Hood, Ed. Spec., Amber Jewell, LSCSW, and Tom Rawlings, J.D.
→ YSO Academy – Online courses and CE credits→ YSO Insights – Evidence-based ideas and resources for youth-serving organizations
→ Child Protection & Well-Being Trends — Tom Rawlings’ Substack about policy and best practices in child protection
→ Caudell Educational Solutions – consultation and testing for public, private and homeschool students
→ Hood Educational Services, LLC – training for teachers and student teachers
→ Amber Jewell – blog and speaking/training services
→ Youth Services Law -legal insights from Debbie Ausburn for youth-serving organizations
Frequently Asked Questions
Are the books required before working with YSO Partners?
No. The books are standalone resources. They’re a useful foundation, but not a prerequisite for any consulting engagement.
What is YSO Academy and how is it different from YSO Partners?
YSO Academy is the online training platform offering IACET-accredited courses and short-term group coaching for YSO staff. YSO Partners is the consulting practice for organizations that need hands-on policy development, culture change, or leadership training. They share the same team but serve different needs and are separate services.
Are the online courses and group coaching accredited?
Yes. As an IACET Accredited Provider, YSO Academy offers IACET CEUs for its learning events that comply with the ANSI/IACET Continuing Education and Training Standard. See ysoacademy.com for current course listings and continuing education credit details.
Can I buy the books directly from this site?
No. The books are available through YSO Academy, Amazon and other retailers, with links provided above. They are not sold directly through this site.
Do I have to be a YSO Partners client to read YSO Insights?
No. YSO Insights is free and open to anyone working to protect the children in their care. It’s written by the same team behind YSO Partners, so the perspective is consistent whether you’re a client or just a reader.
How can I stay updated on new YSO Insights content?
Subscribe to the free newsletter for guidance delivered every other week, or follow Cultivating a Culture of Safety, our six-part podcast series on building a child protection program from the ground up.