At Pa Family Support Alliance (PFSA), we believe that real change is possible when professionals from across systems come together — child welfare, education, healthcare, the legal system, and community services. Our annual PA Child Abuse Prevention Symposium is one of the rare spaces where those connections happen in a meaningful, cross-disciplinary way.

To explore why this matters now more than ever, we sat down with PFSA President and CEO Angela Liddle to talk about the importance of shared learning, collective impact, and the central themes guiding the 2025 PA Child Abuse Prevention Symposium.

This year’s symposium theme is “Protection, Practices, and the Power of Families.” Why did you choose this as the theme?

This theme reflects what we believe is essential for safeguarding children and strengthening families. Protection is at the heart of our mission — not just responding to harm but preventing it. Practices reflect the tools, strategies, and innovations that professionals use every day to support children. And the power of families reminds us that families are not problems to fix, but partners to empower. When we focus on these three pillars together, we move toward stronger, more effective systems of care.

Why are these topics relevant across so many different professional fields?

No matter your role — in a school, hospital, court, nonprofit, or community organization — you’re supporting families. They face interconnected challenges that require coordinated responses. By grounding our work in strong practices, honoring the power within families, and aligning around a shared commitment to protection, we can build systems that actually serve the whole person. Families don’t live in silos. Neither should the systems that serve them.

How does PFSA’s symposium help move that alignment forward?

It brings people together who don’t often get the chance to be in the same room. The sessions are designed to be accessible and relevant across disciplines. So, a child welfare professional might gain insight from a school administrator’s perspective, and a healthcare provider might learn something new from a community-based advocate. These conversations help professionals see how their work connects and where collaboration can strengthen support for families.

Why is cross-system collaboration so urgent right now?

Because the needs are bigger than any one agency or system can meet. Families are navigating complex challenges, and they often interact with multiple systems at once. When those systems aren’t communicating or aligned, things fall through the cracks. Collaboration isn’t a luxury anymore; it’s a necessity. When we work together, we can intervene earlier, reduce harm, and offer more holistic support.

For someone who hasn’t attended the symposium before, what should they expect?

They should expect to leave with more than just information. They’ll leave with perspective, tools, and connections. It’s not about checking a box; it’s about growing as a professional and as a system partner. People often tell us they walk away feeling reenergized, more connected, and better equipped to serve.

What do you hope participants bring back to their teams?

A renewed sense of what’s possible. This work is hard, and it can be isolating, but being in a space where others share your values and your challenges can be transformative. It reminds us that we’re not alone and that change is happening — system by system, conversation by conversation.

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Ready to connect, learn, and lead alongside professionals from across Pennsylvania?

PFSA is proud to host the 2025 PA Child Abuse Prevention Symposium and to enable conversations that shape the future of child and family wellbeing. If your work touches the life of a child or family in any way, this is where you belong. Register today and take the next step toward stronger collaboration, deeper understanding, and lasting impact.