How can child protection agencies respond to litigation?
Learn about strategies child protection agencies can pursue as they move through a consent decree litigation process.
Healthy organizations
We believe that a skilled and stable child welfare workforce supported by quality-focused agency environments are key to improved outcomes for children and families. Leaders from the field have asked for resources on building healthy organizations. The documents featured here reflect responses to inquiries about developing an effective workforce and building data-informed infrastructure so that child welfare agencies function at their best.
How can child protection agencies use safety science to promote a safety culture?
Explore ways that agencies can implement the principles of safety science in order to encourage a workplace culture of safety and trust.
How are child welfare leaders applying the principles of safety science to prevent harm to children?
Learn from the experiences of child welfare agency leaders who are applying the principles of safety science within their organizations.
How did Connecticut’s Department of Children and Families and the state Legislature advance a strong relationship to the benefit of children and families?
Learn about the partnership between Connecticut’s Department of Children and Families and the state Legislature, and why it is essential.
Are there parallels between hiring and child protection processes that can help reduce bias and narrow child welfare’s front door?
This brief examines the parallels that exist between strategies for hiring staff and decision-making processes in child protection.
How did Washington, D.C., develop its approach to meaningful continuous quality improvement?
Learn how D.C.’s child protection agency implemented a CQI system that focuses on family support and on preventing child removal.
How does mindful organizing support better outcomes for children and families?
In two videos, Tiffany Goodpasture explains how mindful organizing is being used at the Tennessee Department of Children’s Services.
Workforce
Explore our Questions from the Field resources to learn more about the child welfare workforce.
How can mindful organizing promote a safety culture in child protection agencies?
Mindful organizing supports better decision-making and service delivery, which lead to better child safety and improved family well-being.
How can child welfare leaders safely decrease investigation backlogs?
Learn how several agencies successfully reduced backlogs that resulted from overdue child protective services investigations.
How does Sweetser’s residential treatment approach promote family engagement and inclusion in Maine?
Learn how a residential treatment program for children with behavioral health challenges shifted its practice toward parent engagement.
How can child protection agencies deepen partnerships with birth parents to advance systems change?
In this Q&A, David Sanders is interviewed about how child welfare agencies can improve their partnerships with birth parents.
How can fathers and other constituent leaders inform Family First and other system change efforts?
In this Q&A, Timothy Phipps describes the importance of involving parents, especially fathers, in designing the child welfare system.
How does Children’s Village reflect the components of a Qualified Residential Treatment Program?
Learn how a residential treatment program changed its business model, practice, and culture to better serve youth and families.
How was Safety Organized Practice implemented in San Diego County?
San Diego County’s Safety-Organized Practice model builds partnerships between families and child welfare using a strengths-based approach.
How do parent partner programs instill hope and support prevention and reunification? (APPENDIX)
This appendix provides a brief summary of the research on individual parent partner programs.
How do parent partner programs instill hope and support prevention and reunification?
Parent partners can guide parents through a difficult time and instill hope. Learn more about parent partner programs in this issue brief.
How did Connecticut expand Family-Based Recovery using a social impact bond?
Pay for Success expands a recovery program that allows children to remain at home with parents undergoing treatment for substance use.
How did Allegheny County advance a kin-first approach?
Learn how Allegheny County achieved a kin-first culture shift in this Q&A with Marc Cherna, director of Department of Human Services.
How has stable, skilled leadership driven change in Allegheny County?
This Q&A with Marc Cherna describes how he developed his leadership style to achieve his vision and drive change in Allegheny County.