My name is Kayla. I went through Safe Babies court, and I’m writing this because I want people to understand what that program did for me — and what my coordinator, AJ, made possible.
There are things you go through that you don’t talk about easily. Moments where you feel like the ground has shifted under you and you’re not sure how to find your footing again. For me, that time was my experience with the child welfare system. And I want to be honest about how hard it was, and how much it mattered that I didn’t go through it alone.
Support that shows up
From the very start, AJ was there. Not in a check-the-box kind of way. She made sure I was fully prepared before I ever had to walk into a courtroom. She went over everything with me — every class I needed to complete, every responsibility I was expected to meet. She kept track. She followed up. She made sure nothing slipped through the cracks, and when it felt like it was too much to hold onto, she helped me hold it.
That’s what Safe Babies looked like for me — not just a court process, but a team built around my family. It meant having someone who understood the system, stayed connected to me, and helped ensure I could access the support I needed to move forward.
I didn’t deserve to be in the situation I was in. AJ saw that. She said so. And she helped me turn it around.
That might sound like a small thing, but when you’re in the middle of something that feels like it defines you —when a system is making decisions about your family and your children — having someone look at you and say, I see who you really are, is enormous. It changes what you believe is possible. It changes how hard you fight.
Because of AJ’s guidance, I was able to stay focused during the moments that could have broken my concentration. I felt stronger when I felt depleted. I was able to think clearly when everything around me felt uncertain. She didn’t do the work for me. She made it possible for me to do it myself.
Her professionalism was real. Her kindness was real. Her attention to every detail of my case, and her genuine investment in how things turned out for my family — all of it was real. You can feel the difference between someone who is doing a job and someone who cares. AJ cared.
A real chance to move forward
What I want people to understand about programs like Safe Babies is that they do something the system alone cannot do. They sit beside you.
They advocate for your children, yes — but they also hold space for the mother, for the family, at the exact moment when that family needs someone in their corner most.
When that kind of support is there, it doesn’t just help in the moment. It changes what’s possible for your family to move forward. It gives you a real chance to stay together, to grow, and to build something better.
I am grateful in a way I don’t have words for. AJ’s dedication, her sweet personality and the thoroughness she brought to every single step. I will carry that with me for the rest of my life.
