Casey Family Programs' 2020 Strategy calls for a 50 percent reduction in the number of children in foster care nationwide by the year 2020.
What strategies are safe? What works?
One of the key knowledge gaps in this area is information about what works to safely prevent child placement or to reunify children with families.
This report from the Washington State Institute for Public Policy was commissioned by Casey Family Programs. It identifies some of the most cost-effective prevention strategies in child welfare.
Homebuilders®
The report features Homebuilders®, an intensive family preservation and family reunification service.
The report reviews recent results from studies of Homebuilders® as part of:
- Family Enhancement Program (Oregon)
- Intensive Family Preservation Services Program (North Carolina)
- Families First Program (Michigan)
Challenges
The report underscores the difficulty of identifying which families to serve (targeting), ensuring treatment fidelity, and employing rigorous and appropriate evaluation methods.
Positive findings
Positive findings from this report include the replicability of the intervention and evidence of effectiveness with child welfare populations.