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…

Recent federal legislation strengthens children's and families' rights to family-centered practice by increasing the responsibility of child welfare agencies to identify and engage extended family members in providing care and support to children placed out of the home. Preliminary results from an experimental study of a federally funded family…

According to international human rights treaties, what rights do family members, parents, and children have in family engagement in child welfare decision-making? A sociolegal analytical approach produces a typology of rights, then applies the typology to eight countries' approaches to family engagement to show that strong bundles of rights are…

Social support is needed by everyone, but particularly by vulnerable populations at times of transition. This study utilizes data collected from 96 former foster youth regarding supports they received during the transition from care. The report addresses three questions: (1) What types of supportive relationships did the sample report? (2) What…

Research on the disproportionate number of children of color in the child welfare system suggests that we should focus on key decision points such as investigations, substantiations, and placements to understand how experiences of children vary by race and ethnicity. This article describes one community's efforts to use Family Group Decision…

Describes the self-help movement in Britain among parents and relatives of children in public care and considers the achievements, problems, and hopes of local groups. (RJC)

Examined the effectiveness of a family-centered residential treatment model, Reasonable Efforts to Permanency through Adoption and Reunification Endeavors (REPARE), for achieving permanency outcomes for children. Found that the REPARE program achieved greater postdischarge stability for participants than the agency's standard residential treatment…

Evaluates the Family Program, a family-centered program in northern Virginia which provides intensive in-home support and treatment to families with children in the custody of county child welfare departments. The sample comprises 42 closed cases. Results show that families that are at risk benefit significantly from extensive support systems.…

Discusses the interdependence of criminal justice policy, welfare reform legislation, and kinship foster care in relation to the care of children with incarcerated parents. Explores the impact of these interdependent service organizations on these children, and discusses the characteristics of relative caregivers, their needs, and the support…

Describes efforts in Illinois to improve permanency outcomes for children in formal kinship care: the state developed Delegated Relative Authority (DRA) status for children in stable family foster care with relatives while maintaining state support in situations where adoption was unlikely. Presents findings from 1,116 feasibility assessments. (SD)

Reviews Michigan Kinship Project, a case management approach that is competency based and designed to assist child welfare staff members in working effectively with relatives as foster parents. Focuses on attention to culture, family participation and empowerment, systematic assessment, and individualized and comprehensive services. Provides case…

Introduces this special issue focusing exclusively on care for children by family relations separate from their parents (kinship care). Addresses kinship care issues of policy, practice, caregiver support and advocacy, and research. Contains general definitions, program history and development, and descriptions of the care issues explored in the…

Presents a framework for assessing kinship homes that differs from traditional family foster home evaluation due to the differences between kinship homes and those of other prospective foster parents. Argues that distinctive criteria for approving placement of children in kinship homes are needed in the areas of home evaluation before placement…

Proposed a conceptual framework for analyzing kinship care policy that uses five new permanency outcomes. Concluded that, in formulating their own policies, states must separate a caregiver's need for support (money and services) from a child's need for supervision (casework oversight). Concludes that states must proceed cautiously in altering…