What is Forced Marriage? Forced marriage occurs when one or both parties do not or cannot give consent to be married and in which there is force, fraud, or coercion. This coercion can manifest as physical, emotional, psychological, cultural, or … Read More
Judicial
An Approach to Mandatory Child Abuse Reporting in Cases of Questionable Confessions
Introduction The hypothetical case introduces the complex ethical and legal implications of physicians as mandatory reporters when treating patients with mental illness. When a patient with reality challenges (e.g., psychosis, mania, or delirium) endorses having sexual contact with minors, how … Read More
Rethinking Protection: Innovating to Advance Safety, Well-being, and Justice
Child welfare system responses to families experiencing domestic violence (DV) and child maltreatment are based largely on the premise that children need to be rescued from the parent(s) who have “failed to protect” them. This understanding of the problem justifies … Read More
Rethinking Protection: Keeping Domestic Violence Survivors Out of Child Welfare
In many states, mandated reporters are trained to report any and all concerns about a child’s exposure to domestic violence (DV) to the child protection system. Even in states where reporters have somewhat more discretion, child protection systems accept large … Read More
Audit of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Handling of Tips of Hands-on Sex Offenses Against Children
Introduction In July 2021, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) Office of the Inspector General (OIG) released a report on the Investigation and Review of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s (FBI) Handling of Allegations of Sexual Abuse by Former USA … Read More
Coordinating Integrated Prevention Approaches to Serve the Whole Person
OVERVIEW Supporting families and individuals means understanding that their needs are complex, interrelated, and affected by the particular opportunities available in their environments. Integrated service approaches to prevent homelessness or involvement in systems like child welfare may be best positioned … Read More
Case Studies in Supporting Prevention Through Human Services Program Integration
OVERVIEW Human services have an opportunity to build and enhance people’s strengths and resilience by shifting services from responding to crises like eviction to preventing these crises by reducing risk factors, promoting protective factors, and creating the safety and stability … Read More
KIDS IN CARE: Unaccompanied Children in Federal Government Custody
When established in 2003, the Office of Refugee Resettlement’s (ORR) Division of Unaccompanied Children’s Services cared for roughly 6,000 children in thirteen facilities. Twenty years later, ORR’s program has grown to over 240 facilities and programs spread across 23 states. … Read More
Feds Clarify Rules on Family First Act, Background Checks, Tribal Child Welfare
The White House used a four-hour public convening on child welfare last week to announce some clarifications to federal policy for the field. Those were made by updating the Child Welfare Policy Manual (CWPM), an online reference presented in a “Q&A” fashion. … Read More
The Rising Movement to Divert Youth Out of the Justice System
Jurisdictions are increasingly exploring ways to divert youth accused of delinquent behavior from the justice system. Compared to young people who are arrested and prosecuted in juvenile court, young people who are diverted from formal court processing are less likely … Read More