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2011 Policy to Practice Dialogue "Making it Work in Child Welfare"
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The following Information Gateway materials were made available at the 2011 Policy to Practice Dialogue "Making it Work in Child Welfare" held October 12 to 13, 2011, in Arlington, VA.
About CAPTA: A Legislative History | |
Series Title: | Factsheets |
Author(s): | Child Welfare Information Gateway |
Availability: | View Download (PDF - 94KB) Order (Free) - Add to Cart |
Year Published: | 2011 - 3 pages |
Summarizes the legislative history and purpose of the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act (CAPTA), the key Federal legislation addressing child abuse and neglect. CAPTA was originally enacted in P.L. 93-247 and was most recently amended and reauthorized on December 20, 2010, by the CAPTA Reauthorization Act of 2010 (P.L. 111-320). |
Abuse-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Child Physical Abuse | |
Series Title: | Issue Briefs |
Author(s): | Child Welfare Information Gateway |
Availability: | View Download (PDF - 209KB) Order (Free) - Add to Cart |
Year Published: | 2007 - 11 pages |
Abuse-focused cognitive behavioral therapy (AF-CBT) has been found to improve functioning in school-aged children who have experienced physical abuse, as well as in their parents, caregivers, and families. This issue brief explores the characteristics and benefits of AF-CBT to help child welfare caseworkers, other professionals who work with at-risk families, and caregivers make more informed decisions about family participation in AF-CBT. It includes information about what makes AF-CBT unique, key components, target populations, effectiveness, and what to look for in an AF-CBT therapist. |
Addressing Racial Disproportionality in Child Welfare | |
Series Title: | Issue Briefs |
Author(s): | Child Welfare Information Gateway |
Availability: | View Download (PDF - 391KB) Order (Free) - Add to Cart |
Year Published: | 2011 - 28 pages |
Focuses on some promising practices from around the country that agencies and jurisdictions have implemented to respond to racial disproportionality in child welfare. The brief looks at the various decision points in the child welfare process where overrepresentation (or underrepresentation) of different racial or ethnic groups may occur and notes promising programs that address disproportionality at those decision points. The issue brief explores disproportionality in terms of prevalence, community development and prevention, reporting and screening, investigation and assessment, service provision, permanency for children in out-of-home care, across the stages of child welfare, States' efforts, and strategies and research. |
Adoption Assistance for Children Adopted From Foster Care | |
Series Title: | Factsheets for Families |
Author(s): | Child Welfare Information Gateway |
Availability: | View Download (PDF - 369KB) Order (Free) - Add to Cart |
Year Published: | 2011 - 5 pages |
In every State there are children with special needs waiting in foster care for adoptive families. The most recent data estimate that 126,000 children are available to be adopted from foster care. In the past, the costs of care and services were major obstacles to parents who would otherwise adopt and love these children, and most were not placed for adoption. The Adoption Assistance and Child Welfare Act of 1980 provided the first Federal subsidies to encourage the adoption of children from the nation's foster care system. These subsidies, known as adoption assistance, serve to minimize the financial obstacles to ... |
The Adoption Home Study Process | |
Series Title: | Factsheets for Families |
Author(s): | Child Welfare Information Gateway |
Availability: | View Download (PDF - 1,553KB) Order (Free) - Add to Cart |
Year Published: | 2010 - 9 pages |
This fact sheet describes the types of information that will be collected from prospective adoptive parents during the home study process. The following elements are addressed: autobiographical statement, health statement, income statement, child abuse and criminal clearances, and references. Tips for the interview and home visit also are provided. |
Adoption Options | |
Series Title: | Factsheets for Families |
Author(s): | Child Welfare Information Gateway |
Availability: | View Download (PDF - 1,542KB) Order (Free) - Add to Cart |
Year Published: | 2010 - 8 pages |
There are many different types of adoption and choices to be made in adoption. Find information in this factsheet to help you understand the various options and determine the best route to building your family through adoption. |
Adoption USA: A Chartbook Based on the 2007 National Survey of Adoptive Parents | |
Author(s): | U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation. Vandivere, Malm, Radel |
Availability: | View Order (Free) - Add to Cart |
Year Published: | 2009 - 91 pages |
The National Survey of Children's Health (NSCH) is a nationally representative survey of U.S. children under age 18. In each sampled household, one child under age 18 was randomly selected. A parent or guardian knowledgeable about the child's health answered questions by telephone regarding the child's and the family's health and well-being and provided information about demographic characteristics. The 2007 NSCH includes information on 91,642 focal children, representing 73.8 million children throughout the United States. |
The Basics of Adoption Practice | |
Series Title: | Bulletins for Professionals |
Author(s): | Child Welfare Information Gateway |
Availability: | View Download (PDF - 307KB) Order (Free) - Add to Cart |
Year Published: | 2006 - 13 pages |
Adoption is a highly specialized field that focuses on placing children with families and providing services to ensure that these placements are permanent. In recent decades, the emphasis of adoption practice has shifted from helping families find children to finding safe and permanent families for children. Adoption workers are now expected to have extensive knowledge and understanding of the recruitment and assessment of adoptive families, the placement of children with a variety of strengths and needs, and supportive postadoption services to promote attachment and permanency for children. This bulletin provides an overview of the basics of adoption practice and the ... |
Child Maltreatment Prevention: Past, Present, and Future | |
Series Title: | Issue Briefs |
Author(s): | Child Welfare Information Gateway. |
Availability: | View Download (PDF - 272KB) Order (Free) - Add to Cart |
Year Published: | 2011 - 14 pages |
Discusses the importance of prevention as a critical component of the nation's child protection system and examines the history of child abuse prevention, the scope of the problem today, ways in which quality programs are identified and implemented, promising prevention strategies, and issues for future prevention efforts. It outlines programs and strategies that are proving beneficial in reducing the likelihood of child maltreatment, such as public awareness efforts, parent education, home visitation, and community prevention efforts. |
Child Welfare Casework With Nonresident Fathers of Children in Foster Care | |
Author(s): | United States. Administration for Children and Families., United States. Dept. of Health and Human Services. Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation |
Availability: | View Download (PDF - 163KB) Order (Free) - Add to Cart |
Year Published: | 2006 - 8 pages |
Most children in foster care are not living with their fathers at the time they are removed from their homes, and once in substitute care, these children may experience even less contact with their nonresident fathers. Yet fathers and their relatives represent half of a child's potential family connections and kin resources. If ignored, important social or financial support for the child may be missed as permanency planning is conducted. Fathers or their relatives may be potential substitute caregivers for the child, may support a reunification plan with child support, respite or other assistance, or may voluntarily relinquish parental rights ... |
The Children's Bureau | |
Author(s): | United States Children's Bureau |
Availability: | |
Year Published: | 2006 - 12 pages |
The Children's Burea administers a range of services designed to protect children and strengthen families. With an annual budget of more than $7 billion, the agency works with States, Tribes, and communities to plan, manage, coordinate, and support child abuse and neglect prevention, foster care, child welfare, and adoption programs that improve outcomes for children. and families. |
Drug Testing in Child Welfare: Practice and Policy Considerations. | |
Author(s): | National Center on Substance Abuse and Child Welfare., United States. Children's Bureau., United States. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. Center for Substance Abuse Treatment. Young |
Availability: | Download (PDF - 904KB) Order (Free) - Add to Cart |
Year Published: | 2010 - 49 pages |
The purpose of this paper is to guide child welfare agency policymakers in developing practice and policy protocols regarding the use of drug testing in child welfare practice. This guidance describes the practice and policy issues that policymakers must address to include drug testing in the comprehensive assessment and monitoring that child welfare agencies provide. The paper focuses primarily on drug testing of parents who come to the attention of child welfare agencies and courts through reports of child abuse or neglect. However, court practices and policies might use testing in other child welfare contexts. For example, drug testing might ... |
Enhancing Permanency for Older Youth in Out-Of-Home Care | |
Series Title: | Bulletins for Professionals |
Author(s): | Child Welfare Information Gateway |
Availability: | View Download (PDF - 258KB) Order (Free) - Add to Cart |
Year Published: | 2006 - 14 pages |
Finding permanent families for older children and youth in out-of-home care continues to be a challenge for child welfare professionals. Many States and local jurisdictions have begun to implement programs specifically designed to help these youth establish permanent connections. This bulletin addresses the specific challenges of permanency planning with older youth, discussing the importance of focusing on older youth, barriers to permanency, strategies for successful permanency planning, and promising programs. A list of resources for further information is provided. |
Family Engagement | |
Series Title: | Bulletins for Professionals |
Author(s): | Child Welfare Information Gateway. |
Availability: | View Download (PDF - 328KB) Order (Free) - Add to Cart |
Year Published: | 2010 - 17 pages |
Describes the benefits of family engagement in the child welfare system. This bulletin for professional child welfare caseworkers discusses ways to achieve meaningful family engagement, specific strategies that reflect family engagement, and examples of State and local child welfare programs that have achieved success with engaging families. |
Family Reunification: What the Evidence Shows | |
Series Title: | Issue Briefs |
Author(s): | Child Welfare Information Gateway |
Availability: | View Download (PDF - 257KB) Order (Free) - Add to Cart |
Year Published: | 2011 - 20 pages |
Family reunification, the process of returning children in temporary out-of-home care to their families of origin, is the most common goal and outcome for children in out-of-home care. This issue brief examines States' successes and challenges related to family reunification, as documented in the Federal Child and Family Services Reviews; reviews research regarding factors contributing to timely, stable reunifications; offers specific program examples that illustrate these factors; and uses all of the above to suggest several guiding principles for practice in this critical area of permanency planning. |
Foster Parent Adoption | |
Series Title: | Bulletins for Professionals |
Author(s): | Child Welfare Information Gateway |
Availability: | View Download (PDF - 313KB) Order (Free) - Add to Cart |
Year Published: | 2006 - 9 pages |
This paper discusses issues related to the increasing importance of foster parents as permanency resources for children in foster care. In order to facilitate adoptions by foster parents, professionals should be knowledgeable about the benefits, costs, and practice issues surrounding foster parent adoption. Practice issues include assessment, adoption preparation and postadoption support, and facilitating ongoing connections with birth families. |
Foster Parents Considering Adoption | |
Series Title: | Factsheets for Families |
Author(s): | Child Welfare Information Gateway |
Availability: | View Download (PDF - 512KB) Order (Free) - Add to Cart |
Year Published: | 2012 - 9 pages |
Summarizes what foster parents should consider while deciding whether to adopt their foster child or youth. This factsheet does not address the specifics of how to adopt; it provides information on the differences between foster care and adoption, advantages of foster parent adoption, strategies for foster/adoptive families, and useful references. |
Frequently Asked Questions From Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender (LGBT) Prospective Foster and Adoptive Parents | |
Series Title: | Factsheets for Families |
Author(s): | Child Welfare Information Gateway |
Availability: | View Download (PDF - 281KB) Order (Free) - Add to Cart |
Year Published: | 2011 - 5 pages |
This factsheet answers questions that many prospective lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender (LGBT) parents ask. |
Helping Your Foster Child Transition to Your Adopted Child | |
Series Title: | Factsheets for Families |
Author(s): | Child Welfare Information Gateway |
Availability: | View Download (PDF - 255KB) Order (Free) - Add to Cart |
Year Published: | 2012 - 12 pages |
Summarizes how foster/adoptive parents can help their child make the emotional adjustment to being an adopted child. Children and youth may not clearly comprehend the difference between being a foster child versus being an adopted child in the same family. This factsheet provides suggestions for talking with children about the changes from foster care to adoption, helping them understand their own histories and losses, helping them cope with trauma and transfer attachments, and useful resources. |
Honor National Adoption Month All Year /Honre el mes nacional de adopción durante todo el año | |
Author(s): | |
Availability: | Download (PDF - 0KB) Order (Free) - Add to Cart |
Year Published: | 2010 - 2 pages |
2010 National Adoption Month Poster Honor National Adoption Month All YearHonre el mes nacional de adopción durante todo el año English at: http://www.childwelfare.gov/adoption/nam/nam_poster_english.pdf Spanish at: http://www.childwelfare.gov/adoption/nam/nam_poster_spanish.pdf |
How to work with your court : a guide for child welfare agency administrators. 2nd ed. | |
Author(s): | Hardin, Rauber |
Availability: |
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Year Published: | 2004 - 168 pages |
Federal laws such as the Adoption Assistance and Child Welfare Act of 1980 and the Adoption and Safe Families Act increased the role of courts in the implementation of child welfare cases to ensure that agencies are achieving permanency for children. This book for child welfare administrators explains how to establish effective and efficient relationships between their agency and the courts. Tips are provided for meeting with judges to resolve administrative problems, cooperating with other key court staff, working on joint projects with the court, and informing judges and agency attorneys about child welfare service delivery issues. Supervisors also must ... |
Impact of Adoption on Adoptive Parents | |
Series Title: | Factsheets for Families |
Author(s): | Child Welfare Information Gateway. |
Availability: | View Download (PDF - 401KB) |
Year Published: | 2010 - 14 pages |
This factsheet explores some of the emotional ups and downs that adoptive parents may experience as they approach the decision to adopt, during the adoptive process, and after the adoption. It explores some stresses that adoptive parents may experience, including depression, issues related to identity and attachment, and issues related to the child's adjustment, such as contact with the birth family. Useful resources and suggestions for finding help are included. |
Introduction to Cross-System Data Sources in Child Welfare, Alcohol and Other Drug Services, and Courts. | |
Author(s): | United States. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration., National Center on Substance Abuse and Child Welfare., Children's Bureau. |
Availability: | Download (PDF - 0KB) Order (Free) - Add to Cart |
Year Published: | 2011 - 48 pages |
This guide describes the primary data-reporting systems used in the child welfare, alcohol and other drug services, and court systems. The document describes 15 data-reporting systems, including 8 child welfare systems, 5 alcohol and other drug service systems, 2 initiatives to implement a national data reporting system in the courts, and 1 enterprise health information system for data on American Indian and Alaska Native families. (Author abstract) |
Kinship Caregivers and the Child Welfare System | |
Series Title: | Factsheets for Families |
Author(s): | Child Welfare Information Gateway |
Availability: | View Download (PDF - 335KB) Order (Free) - Add to Cart |
Year Published: | 2010 - 15 pages |
Informal and formal kinship care arrangements help to ensure stability and protection for children within their extended family. This fact sheet describes the benefits of kinship care as a child protection alternative and examines the agency's responsibility for the placement. The placement decision-making process, what to expect from the child welfare service and court system, and financial support, available services, and permanency planning are discussed. Questions for new kin caregivers to ask and a list of additional references are provided. |
Learning curves : education advocacy for children in foster care. | |
Author(s): | McNaught |
Availability: |
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Year Published: | 2004 - 151 pages |
A quality education can help foster children overcome adversities and achieve success in adulthood. This book explains federal laws that support education rights and describes the role of lawyers, judges, parents, and educators in ensuring that foster and adopted children receive necessary school services. The text emphasizes several key strategies for education advocacy: obtain accurate school records for all foster children; collaborate with school officials; maintain stability in the school placement; facilitate early education for preschool children; encourage high school completion and continued education; obtain extra support for children when necessary; and enroll qualified children in special education services. Benefits ... |
Parent-Child Interaction Therapy With At-Risk Families | |
Series Title: | Issue Briefs |
Author(s): | Child Welfare Information Gateway |
Availability: | View Download (PDF - 222KB) Order (Free) - Add to Cart |
Year Published: | 2007 - 14 pages |
Parent-child interaction therapy (PCIT) is a family-centered treatment approach demonstrated effective for abused and at-risk children ages 2½ to 12 and their parents or caregivers. This issue brief explores the characteristics and benefits of PCIT to help child welfare caseworkers, other professionals who work with at-risk families, and caregivers make more informed decisions about family participation in PCIT programs. It includes information about what makes PCIT unique, key components, effectiveness, and what to look for in a PCIT therapist. |
Parenting a Child Who Has Been Sexually Abused: A Guide for Foster and Adoptive Parents | |
Series Title: | Factsheets for Families |
Author(s): | Child Welfare Information Gateway |
Availability: | View Download (PDF - 240KB) Order (Free) - Add to Cart |
Year Published: | 2008 - 10 pages |
Many factors affect how children react to and recover from sexual abuse. Parents play an important role in their children?s recovery. This factsheet includes information to help foster and adoptive parents of children who have been sexually abused. It includes information about child sexual abuse, tips for establishing guidelines for safety and privacy in the family, and guidance on when and how to seek help, if needed. |
Postadoption Services | |
Series Title: | Factsheets for Families |
Author(s): | Child Welfare Information Gateway |
Availability: | View Download (PDF - 285KB) Order (Free) - Add to Cart |
Year Published: | 2006 - 10 pages |
It is common for adoptive families to need support and services after adoption. Postadoption services can help families with a wide range of issues. They are available for everything from learning how to explain adoption to a preschooler, to helping a child who experienced early childhood abuse, to helping with an adopted teen?s search for identity. Experience with adoptive families has shown that all family members can benefit from some type of postadoption support. Families of children who have experienced trauma, neglect, or institutionalization may require more intensive services. |
Postadoption Services | |
Series Title: | Bulletins for Professionals |
Author(s): | Child Welfare Information Gateway |
Availability: | View Download (PDF - 266KB) Order (Free) - Add to Cart |
Year Published: | 2005 - 14 pages |
All adopted children and their families can potentially benefit from services provided after the adoption is finalized. These services may include educational and informational services, clinical services, material services, and/or support services. This bulletin addresses: who benefits from postadoption services, how can postadoption services help, what postadoptive services do families need, what postadoptive services do States offer, how are postadoption services delivered, how are postadoption services funded, why evaluate postadoption services, what are the implications for practice, and what future research is needed This bulletin specifically focuses on the benefits for adopted people and adoptive parents. Includes resources. |
Sibling Issues in Foster Care and Adoption | |
Series Title: | Bulletins for Professionals |
Author(s): | Child Welfare Information Gateway |
Availability: | View Download (PDF - 356KB) Order (Free) - Add to Cart |
Year Published: | 2006 - 15 pages |
This bulletin explores research, intervention strategies, and resources to assist professionals in preserving connections among siblings placed in foster care. The importance and benefits of placing siblings together is discussed, and strategies are offered for addressing the barriers that often keep siblings apart. Ways to maintain sibling connections among siblings living in different homes are also described. A final section provides articles, curricula, sample State policies, and more resources to help professionals. |
"Special Needs" Adoption: What Does It Mean? | |
Series Title: | Factsheets for Families |
Author(s): | Child Welfare Information Gateway |
Availability: | View Download (PDF - 281KB) Order (Free) - Add to Cart |
Year Published: | 2010 - 6 pages |
This factsheet presents some common questions about adopting a child or youth with special needs and provides resources that will give you detailed answers. |
Substance Abuse Specialists in Child Welfare Agencies and Dependency Courts: Considerations for Program Designers and Evaluators. | |
Author(s): | National Center on Substance Abuse and Child Welfare., United States. Children's Bureau., United States. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. Center for Substance Abuse Treatment. Young |
Availability: | Download (PDF - 1,516KB) Order (Free) - Add to Cart |
Year Published: | 2010 - 58 pages |
This paper focuses on the placing of substance abuse specialists in either child welfare offices or dependency courts. The purpose of co-locating substance abuse specialists is to ensure that parents are assessed as quickly as possible, to improve parent engagement and retention in treatment, to streamline entry into treatment, and to provide consultation to child welfare and dependency court workers. In addition to briefly describing substance abuse specialist programs and their various components, this paper includes findings from eight qualitative interviews of programs that place substance abuse specialists in child welfare offices or dependency courts. The interviews highlight ways in ... |
Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy: Addressing the Mental Health of Sexually Abused Children | |
Series Title: | Issue Briefs |
Author(s): | Child Welfare Information Gateway |
Availability: | View Download (PDF - 217KB) |
Year Published: | 2007 - 14 pages |
Trauma-focused cognitive behavioral therapy (TF-CBT) has been found to reduce children?s negative emotional and behavioral responses after sexual abuse and other traumatic events. It also helps nonoffending parents cope with their own distress and develop skills to support their children. This issue brief explores the characteristics and benefits of TF-CBT to help child welfare caseworkers and other professionals who work with at-risk families make more informed decisions about when to refer children and their caregivers to TF-CBT programs. It includes information about what makes TF-CBT unique, key components, target population, effectiveness, and what to look for in a TF-CBT therapist. |
Understanding Child Welfare and the Courts | |
Series Title: | Factsheets for Families |
Author(s): | Child Welfare Information Gateway. |
Availability: | View Download (PDF - 305KB) Order (Free) - Add to Cart |
Year Published: | 2011 - 5 pages |
Serves as a quick guide to the general types of court hearings that family members may experience when they are involved with the child welfare system. The factsheet traces the steps of a child welfare case through the court system and includes information on who should attend hearings, State child welfare laws, sample questions a family member might ask a child welfare worker about court hearings, and resources for helping children or youth prepare for court hearings. |
Understanding the Effects of Maltreatment on Brain Development | |
Series Title: | Issue Briefs |
Author(s): | Child Welfare Information Gateway |
Availability: | View Download (PDF - 365KB) Order (Free) - Add to Cart |
Year Published: | 2009 - 17 pages |
This issue brief provides basic information on brain development and the effects of abuse and neglect on that development. The information is designed to help professionals understand the emotional, mental, and behavioral impact of early abuse and neglect in children who come to the attention of the child welfare system. |
Working With Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender (LGBT) Families in Adoption | |
Series Title: | Bulletins for Professionals |
Author(s): | Child Welfare Information Gateway |
Availability: | View Download (PDF - 315KB) Order (Free) - Add to Cart |
Year Published: | 2011 - 14 pages |
This bulletin is designed to help child welfare and adoption professionals expand their cultural competence and build their skills for working effectively and fairly with LGBT families as prospective adoptive parents. It examines issues, laws, and policies on LGBT families in adoption. |