This year’s KIDS COUNT Data Book presents a picture of child well-being as the nation recovered from the COVID-19 pandemic. Comparisons are made between 2019 and 2023 where possible. During this time, six indicators worsened, while three stayed the same and seven … Read More
Child Well-Being
Judge’s Action Alert: Using the Family First Prevention Services Act to Strengthen Reasonable Efforts Determinations
This judge’s action alert highlights:– how reasonable efforts findings support children and families in the child welfare system.– how the Family First Act strengthens judges’ reasonable efforts findings.– how to use the Family First Act to strengthen reasonable efforts to … Read More
Children’s Rate of Entry Into Foster Care Has Declined Over Time
A new Child Trends analysis has found a decrease in the rate of foster care entries, from 3.5 per 1,000 children entering care in 2018 to only 2.9 per 1,000 children entering care in 2021. The Family First Prevention Services … Read More
Gen z Characteristics: Who They are & What Defines Gen z
What is Generation Z? Generation Z has emerged as a population increasingly worthy of attention, especially now as its older members are in their 20s and have become a politically engaged force in recent elections. Born after 1996, Generation Zers made up one-tenth of the 2020 electorate and … Read More
Keeping Children Safe with Families
Sowing the Seeds of Hope As the 2025 Signature Report from Casey Family Programs explains, keeping children safe has been the core responsibility of child welfare programs for decades, but what we’ve learned over that time about the best ways … Read More
Judge’s Action Alert: Using the Family First Prevention Services Act to Strengthen Reasonable Efforts Determinations
Reasonable efforts determinations are a valuable tool judges can use to assess a child welfare agency’s efforts: Though “reasonable efforts” requirements have existed in federal law for over 40 years, the Family First Prevention Services Act of 2018 (Family First … Read More
How Are Some Jurisdictions Transforming Mandated Reporting?
Jurisdictions, lived experts, community partners, and advocates around the country are using data and research to explore what works best to ensure child safety and keep families safely together. Deep-dive examinations into the long-standing practice of mandated reporting are important … Read More
How Can The System of Care Approach Improve Outcomes For Children and Families Involved With Child Welfare?
Introduction In a System Of Care (SOC) approach, leaders work across systems to improve behavioral health and related outcomes for children and their families by ensuring strategic, coordinated, effective upstream service delivery. Cross-system collaboration — developed in partnership with children, … Read More
Change Collaborative on Trauma-Informed Suicide Prevention and Healing
Overview and Background To prevent the suicide of young people and promote healing, we must strengthen community- and clinic-based healing, connection, and wellbeing. This highlights the importance of the community in driving the direction for, and positive changes to, suicide … Read More
Why Is It Imperative To Minimize Children’s Time Away From Family?
There is no substitute for family. Progress has been made over recent years in reducing the number of children placed in foster care, increasing the number of children placed with kin, and decreasing the number of children in group placement. … Read More