How states can reach families earlier and match services to need. AUTHORS: Cody Inman, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary and Commissioner of the Administration on Children, Youth and Families (dlg.) Alex J. Adams, Assistant Secretary, Administration for Children and Families Introduction … Read More
Foster Care
How Can Child Protection Agencies Promote and Support Joint Sibling Placements and Adoptions?
When Mars Presswood was 15 years old, he and his younger sibling were placed together in foster care. Despite being moved from an urban setting to a small rural town and enduring many other changes and uncertainties over the next … Read More
ACF Adds New Suite of Prevention Services to Strengthen Families and Reduce Foster Care Entries
The Administration for Children and Families (ACF) at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services today announced new evidence-based interventions will be added to the Title IV-E Prevention Services Clearinghouse. This expansion of services builds on ACF’s ongoing efforts … Read More
Public-Private Child Welfare Partnerships Can Facilitate Beneficial Kinship Placements for Children in Foster Care
In 2022, more than 2.5 million children were being raised in kinship care (i.e., by a grandparent, other relative, or close family friend), with the vast majority in informal care arrangements—in other words, they were being raised outside of the foster care system. Despite … Read More
Supporting The Health and Wellbeing of Young People Transitioning out if Foster Care: Consistent Health Coverage and Care
WHY CONSISTENT COVERAGE AND CARE MATTER Children and youth who experience the child welfare system have greater health care needs than their peers. They have needs when entering foster care and those that arise while in care, often from trauma … Read More
Kin Engagement Toolkit
About this Toolkit Youth in care do better when they’re placed with family members or other adults they know and trust, also known as “fictive kin.” But identifying and connecting with extended kin can be a challenge for child welfare … Read More
Promoting Reunification as a Foster Parent
As a foster parent, your role goes beyond supporting the children in your care—it extends to supporting their families as a whole. Collaborative partnerships between foster caregivers and a child’s family can help promote timely reunification, improve family engagement, build … Read More
Workforce Analytics — What is it?
The phrase “workforce analytics” can be confusing. At its core, however, it is simple: using data to better understand and improve how people work. Let’s break it down: READ MORE
Building an Understanding of Supervision in Child Welfare: Perspectives from the Field
Supervision in child welfare plays a critical role in enhancing job satisfaction, retention, and client outcomes. Understanding how supervisors can best perform their roles is essential. This study draws on Kadushin and Harkness’s (2014) framework for social work supervision, which … Read More
Essential Skills for Intergenerational Practice
Introduction Intergenerational practice brings together people of different ages to promote mutual understanding, learning, and support. Effective intergenerational programs rely on skilled practitioners who can navigate the unique needs, abilities, and perspectives of multiple generations. The following essential skills outline … Read More