Ep. 17 - More Courage at the Capitol, Less Caskets for Kids (feat. Rep. Josh Penner)

Representative Josh Penner joins us on the podcast today!A lifelong resident of Washington State, Penner has served formally served as mayor of Orting, WA from 2018 until the end of 2025, when he was elected to the Washington House of Representatives. He is also a US Marine Corp veteran and father of 4 children, two of which have special needs.In our conversation today, we covered the topic of the "boy in the tent", the heartbreaking news story that took Washington by storm, exposing what is really going on in the child welfare system and what the real implications of our current policies are. We dive into what is preventing policy reform from happening, how our child welfare system compares to other similar states, and what we hope to accomplish this current session.We urge you to take a listen; this conversation is so important. We cannot have more "caskets of children" just to appease political parties.Thank you, Representative Josh Penner, for all the work you are doing and for coming on the podcast today. We truly appreciate it.……………………………..Our mission is to make a real change in Washington state for those most vulnerable. Through this channel, we aim to give a voice to the voiceless, share the stories of those who often go unseen, and inspire people to make a difference. We want views and comments to become action that will save lives. Want to know more about Fostering Change WA? Visit our website: https://fosteringchangewa.org/Learn more about our history, our mission, or make a donation to sponsor an episode.To follow us and the work we are doing, check out our social media channels: Instagram: @fosteringchangewa TikTok: @fosteringchangewa Facebook: Fostering Change WAWant to catch up on the story? All our 'Change The Story' episodes are available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, iHeart Podcasts, and on our YouTube channel.#joshpenner #fosteringchangewa #fostercare #adoption