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Strengthening Families Update: December 7, 2009
In this update:
From CSSP: Child Welfare - Early Childhood Linkages Paper
Young children who come to the attention of the child welfare system are not only more vulnerable to the experience of maltreatment (Children under five are disproportionally reported to child protective services for suspected abuse or neglect), they are also more vulnerable to the effects of maltreatment. For families at risk of child abuse and neglect (CAN), preventative services that build Protective Factors with families can help parents avoid situations that can lead to negative outcomes for their children. Among families with young children where maltreatment has already taken place, child welfare systems must engage in partnerships that ensure these young children are receiving appropriate interventions to keep their development on track. In a draft paper, Allied for Better Outcomes: Child Welfare and Early Childhood, CSSP argues for collaborative partnerships between early childhood and child welfare systems to support the well-being of the youngest children. Using Strengthening Families concepts, the paper argues that all families - birth, foster, adoptive, and kin - need support in building Protective Factors so they can meet the needs of their children. Because the early childhood sector is unqiuely positioned to support the families of young children, it can serve as a powerful partner to child welfare systems charged with serving members of this population. The paper proposes guiding principles for systems serving very young, vulnerable children, and outlines several goals and strategies for system improvement. Case studies from three states with ongoing work to better link early childhood and child welfare systems are included as appendices to the paper. Read Allied for Better Outcomes: Child Welfare and Early Childhood. Mapping State Strengthening Families Initiatives
In the months before the 2009 Strengthening Families Leadership Summit, state teams were asked to complete an analytic exercise that would allow them to “tell the story” of their Strengthening Families initiative. Each participating team mapped the development of their work, from “Getting Started” through finding partners, achieving successes, meeting obstacles, and adapting to become more effective. The exercise supports state teams in planning the ongoing growth of their work as well as contributes to the understanding of development of Strengthening Families as a nationwide approach. Of the nearly 30 states in the Strengthening Families National Network, 16 submitted maps. Visit the Strengthening Families Blog to view all of the state maps. You can also download materials for mapping. These tools were developed by CSSP’s Strengthening Families team for the purpose of mapping state Strengthening Families initiatives, but they can be used to map any initiative at the organization, community, or system level. Government Accountability Office Report on Rigorous Evaluation Methods
A new report from the Government Accountability Office, Program Evaluation: A Variety of Rigorous Methods Can Help Identify Effective Interventions, was released on November 23, 2009, at a time when the federal government is paying unprecedented attention to the use of evidence in selecting programs and practices to support. The report examines the protocols used by the Coalition for Evidence-Based Policy, an independent entity that has been helping the federal government determine which available interventions have been proven effective. Of 63 interventions reviewed, the Coalition only found that 6 met their strict criteria. Senate members requested the GAO report to understand whether the Coalition’s methods were transparent and whether it’s standards might be too narrow. Although the GAO makes no formal recommendations, it draws four conclusions:
The report also identifies several rigorous evaluation methods that can be used when randomized control trials are not feasible, including quasi-experimental comparison groups, statistical analyses of observational data, and in-depth case studies. Read summaries and the full report HERE. CSSP and Urban Institute Event Looks Back on 12 Years of ASFA
“The ground-shifting Adoption and Safe Families (ASFA) Act of 1997 was passed in response to growing concerns that child welfare systems across the country were not providing for the safety, permanency, and well-being of abused and neglected children. The ambitious new law aimed to reaffirm the focus on child safety in case decision making and to ensure that children did not languish and grow up in foster care but instead were promptly connected with permanent families. It declared that, in making decisions about foster care and adoption placements, ‘the child’s health and safety shall be the paramount concern.’ A dozen years after passage of this landmark legislation, the Urban Institute and the Center for the Study of Social Policy are publishing a comprehensive retrospective titled “Intentions and Results: A Look Back at the Adoption and Safe Families Act”. Its 14 papers, by a broad sweep of scholars and practitioners, probe the realities of ASFA’s implementation compared to the hopes and fears that attended its enactment; its effects on families facing specific issues such as substance abuse, mental health issues, or incarceration of a parent; the personal perspectives of youth and families involved with the child welfare system; the future agenda for adoption, guardianship, and reunification; and more. To mark the collection’s release, five panelists—each with a unique perspective on the child welfare system—will look back at the lessons of ASFA and assess what they mean for tomorrow’s vulnerable children and families, including opportunities presented by the new Fostering Connections to Success and Increasing Adoptions Act.” Panelists include:
Find out more and register to attend the event in person or via webcast at www.urban.org Follow us on Twitter, Join our Facebook Group, Read our Blog
Connect with Strengthening Families on the web in a variety of ways:
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