The development of trauma-informed child welfare systems (TICWSs) that advance individual agency practice to target transformation of the system as a whole has been conceptualized but not documented. A grassroots effort to build a TICWS with key participants (e.g., Department of Human Services, Community Mental Health, Family Court, schools) in…

There is limited research assessing the effectiveness of family engagement for improving permanency for children. An important challenge is that randomized designs are not feasible for evaluating these practices because effective implementation of family engagement requires systemic change. Findings from a national evaluation are presented to…

An estimated 50 to 60% of children from typical families develop secure attachment relationships with their parents (Ainsworth, Blehar, Waters, & Wall, 1978; Van IJzendoorn & Kroonenberg, 1988); however, intervention research has focused primarily on interventions for high-risk clinical samples (Berlin, Zeanah, & Lieberman, 2008). In this project,…

This study assessed the effectiveness of building partnerships with community resources and systems for court-referred clients and their families through a participant outcome evaluation. Specific variables studied included change in substance abuse patterns, family well-being, child safety, and recidivism. Results from pre-post testing revealed…

Children of color are overrepresented in child welfare in Iowa at a rate double their percentage of the population. In 2005 the Iowa Department of Human Services implemented two pilot demonstration projects to address overrepresentation of Native American and African American children in the child welfare system. The projects, called the Minority…

Describes and assesses the impact of the Friends of Black Children project which enlists the aid of local communities and public adoption agencies to further the adoption of black children by black families. (Author/NH)

Contrasts urban and rural community perceptions of neglect by lay citizens and protective service workers. Even though citizens in both types of communities generally agreed as to what they would report, workers did not agree about the likelihood of substantiating cases in the different communities. (GH)

While the existence of racial disproportionality has been well documented, the causes of disproportionality are less clear. Studies identifying contributing factors have relied largely on analyses of state and national data sets, which may lack the robust data necessary to fully explain the factors related to this issue. Further, a limitation of…

Analyzed the relationship between elements of child welfare and an index of social well-being in Minnesota counties. Found that all except two rural counties and only two urban counties had negative social well-being scores. Counties with low social well-being scores tended to have larger numbers of child welfare recipients. Findings suggest that…

This article presents results from an outcomes-based needs assessment in an urban child welfare service district. The assessment's methodology emphasized consistent data collection from actual case records and explicitly included line staff and clients in the planning process. It was concluded that such reviews could benefit a variety of…

This article examines the community-level impact of concentrated child welfare agency involvement in African American neighborhoods. Based on interviews of 25 African American women in a Chicago neighborhood, the study found that residents were aware of intense agency involvement in their neighborhood and identified profound effects on social…

Argues that culturally effective practice remains elusive within child welfare agencies. Presents specific strategies that enhance cultural effectiveness at the individual, interprofessional, middle management, and upper management levels. Highlights a five-stage model of change and explores barriers to culturally competent practice, focusing on…

Discusses facilitating opportunities for a grounded knowledge base, building culturally competent relationships, facilitating discussion of stereotyping, and forming collaborative alliances with culturally and ethnically diverse communities. Asserts that child welfare workers need to lay a foundation of excellence in these areas and presents child…

Hard-to-serve youth and families residing in high-poverty communities often have multiple, interlocking needs. These needs necessitate complex service models. The complex model described in this article combines a unique approach to wraparound services with a co-production framework and related theories. The model aims to improve outcomes for…

Summarizes findings of a survey of eight First Nation (Canada Native) communities concerning the provision of child and family services. The results identify important differences concerning the causality of child welfare problems, the definition of key child welfare concepts, and the place of cultural values and practices in intervention. (MDM)