SPCC advocates for equity and justice, particularly for historically marginalized, disenfranchised, and oppressed peoples. We are committed to interrupting racism, bigotry, and prejudice whenever encountered through reflective and trauma-informed practices, cultural humility, and tenacious action for the well-being of all.

The value of equity is central to our agency. To us, equity means that all people — regardless of race, ethnicity, age, gender, sexual orientation, religion, zip code, health and ability status, or any other consideration — deserve equal respect, freedoms, opportunities, and equal access to justice, fairness and safety in all aspects of life.

Our agency’s home is in Western NY, a region with a long and proud history of fighting for equal rights. Abolitionists and suffragists, including Susan B. Anthony and Frederick Douglass did their lives’ work here.  But the region is also marred with institutional and systemic racism, including housing and employment discrimination, education, food access, financial disparities, and inequitable health and justice systems. As an agency tied directly to the formation of the national child welfare system in 1875, we are also aware of our direct links to this system that struggles with racial inequity. As such, while SPCC firmly defines equity as described above—and focuses on fighting inequity alongside all marginalized peoples, we are specifically committed to dismantling racial inequities.

We are committed to examining every opportunity wherein our agency’s work can repair, heal, and renew our community to be a place where diversity thrives, where equity in all its forms is the outcome, where the inherent worth of all individuals is recognized and valued, and where social justice prevails.

We know that this work of equity demands internal agency reflection and changes to our own inequitable policies, practices and communications—explicit and implicit, past and present; it also requires the personal commitment of each staff member. We welcome difficult conversations and commit to listening and learning and ensuring accountability. Through the regular examination of the values, implicit biases, policies, and practices that make up our agency culture and external engagements, we will strive to be an institution that mobilizes, rather than restrains health, healing, and equity for our staff and the children and families we serve.

SPCC’s commitment to equity is unwavering, and we firmly believe that this work demonstrates genuine care and protection for all children and families at the most fundamental level.