In honor of Mother’s Day, we’re happy to share the story of a courageous woman who overcame great challenges and now uses her experiences to help other parents. She is the recipient of a 2016 Casey Excellence for Children Award for birth parent.

Toni Miner is a well-respected family advocate in Colorado and the mother of two daughters and a son. She also is the kinship caregiver and legal guardian for two grandchildren.

Toni was involved with the child welfare system due to drug addiction and parenting concerns, and her daughters were placed in out-of-home care. They were able to be reunited, and she has overcome her addiction and rebuilt family relationships. When she learned that her oldest daughter couldn’t properly care for her two children, she became a kinship care provider for them.

Using her own life experiences, Toni helps other parents involved in the child welfare system and serves on multiple commissions and task forces related to child welfare and other youth and family issues.

She works as a family support partner in the Child and Youth Leadership Commission in Jefferson County, where she assists youth and families in learning to advocate for needed services for themselves. She is working to develop a Parent Support Partner mentoring program, is a member of the Birth Parent National Network, and serves on the Casey Family Programs Birth Parent Advisory Committee, which advises key Casey Family Programs staff about making changes to child welfare services and systems.

Related links

Learn more about strong parents and families who were honored with Casey Excellence for Children Awards in prior years.