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Archive for the ‘Child Welfare Information Gateway’ Category

Adoption Disruption and Dissolution

August 2, 2012 Comments off

Adoption Disruption and Dissolution
Source: Child Welfare Information Gateway

A small percentage of adoptions disrupt (end before finalization) or are dissolved (ended after finalization). This factsheet looks at the statistics for adoption disruption and dissolution, examines the associated factors, and reviews trends. Factors associated with the child, family, and agency are explored.

The Risk and Prevention of Maltreatment of Children with Disabilities

May 19, 2012 Comments off
Source:  Child Welfare Information Gateway

This bulletin for child welfare professionals describes child abuse and neglect of children with disabilities in terms of the scope of the problem, risk factors, and strategies for prevention. The background section looks at statistics and research and highlights what might be happening with families that come into the child welfare system. The second section offers tips to identify and assess abuse and neglect in children with disabilities, respond collaboratively, and locate training resources.

Immunity for Reporters of Child Abuse and Neglect

May 12, 2012 Comments off
Source: Child Welfare Information Gateway

This factsheet summarizes State laws on immunity from liability for persons who in good faith report suspected instances of child abuse or neglect. Immunity statutes protect both mandatory and voluntary reporters from civil or criminal liability that they might otherwise incur.

Adoption and Foster Care — Concurrent Planning: What the Evidence Shows

May 6, 2012 Comments off
Source: Child Welfare Information Gateway
Concurrent planning is an approach that seeks to eliminate delays in attaining permanent families for children in the foster care system. Concurrent planning involves considering all reasonable options for permanency at the earliest possible point following a child’s entry into foster care and concurrently pursuing those options that will best serve the child’s needs. Typically the primary plan is reunification with the child’s family of origin. In concurrent planning, an alternative permanency goal (e.g., adoption) is pursued at the same time rather than being pursued sequentially after reunification has been ruled out.

Helping Your Foster Child Transition to Your Adopted Child

April 23, 2012 Comments off

Helping Your Foster Child Transition to Your Adopted Child
Source: Child Welfare Information Gateway

This factsheet summarizes how foster/adoptive parents can help their child make the emotional adjustment to being an adopted child. Children and youth may not clearly comprehend the difference between being a foster child versus being an adopted child in the same family. This factsheet provides specific steps parents can take to help children understand these changes along with helpful resources.

See also: Foster Parents Considering Adoption

Home Study Requirements for Prospective Parents in Domestic Adoption

April 19, 2012 Comments off
Source: Child Welfare Information Gateway
This factsheet summarizes State laws and policies for approving prospective adoptive homes. The process includes an assessment or home study of the prospective adoptive parent or parents, preparation of the prospective parents, gathering information about the family to better match the parent and child, and evaluating the fitness of the adoptive family.

How Federal Legislation Impacts Child Welfare Service Delivery

April 14, 2012 Comments off

How Federal Legislation Impacts Child Welfare Service Delivery

Source: Child Welfare Information Gateway

This factsheet provides an overview of the process by which legislative actions and policy changes at the Federal level impact State and Tribal child welfare systems and service delivery. Links to pertinent resources are provided for each step of the process; however, the steps described do not always occur in the sequence in which they are listed below.

Full Document (PDF)

Searching for Birth Relatives

March 5, 2012 Comments off

Searching for Birth Relatives
Source: Child Welfare Information Gateway

This factsheet provides guidance to adopted persons and birth families on the search process and information access, as well as resources for further help in conducting a successful search. This factsheet is designed to address the concerns of both adopted persons who are searching for birth parents or other birth relatives, as well as birth parents (both mothers and fathers) who want to locate a child who was adopted. While not a complete “how to” guide to searching, this factsheet provides information on the different types of searches, issues that might arise during searching, and additional resources.

See also: Searching for Birth Relatives: Adoption General Information Packet 3

See also: Searching for Birth Relatives – Related Organizations List

How Many Children Were Adopted in 2007 and 2008?

January 6, 2012 Comments off
Source:  Child Welfare Information Gateway
There is no single source for the total number of children adopted in the United States, and no straightforward way to determine the total number of adoptions, even when multiple data sources are used. This report gives best estimates of the numbers of children adopted in each of the States for 2007 and 2008 and uses these numbers to estimate the composition and trends of all adoptions in the United States. Data for this report were collected primarily by the following sources: State courts, State bureaus of vital records, the Adoption and Foster Care Analysis and Reporting System (AFCARS) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, and the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Consular Affairs.

Home Study Requirements for Prospective Foster Parents

November 29, 2011 Comments off

Home Study Requirements for Prospective Foster Parents
Source: Child Welfare Information Gateway

This product presents State laws and policies for licensing or approving family foster homes. A licensed family is one that is approved by the State to provide care for children and that meets basic standards of safety set by law and regulation. These standards reduce predictable risks to the health, safety, and well-being of children in out-of-home care. The goal of foster care is to provide a safe, stable, nurturing environment until the child is able to return home or until a permanent family is found for the child.

Supporting Brain Development in Traumatized Children and Youth

November 28, 2011 Comments off

Supporting Brain Development in Traumatized Children and Youth (PDF)
Source: Child Welfare Information Gateway

This bulletin summarizes what child welfare professionals can do to support the identification and assessment of the impact of maltreatment and trauma on brain development; how to work effectively with children, youth, and families to support healthy brain development; and how to improve services through cross-system collaboration and trauma-informed practice.

The Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act: Including Adoption Opportunities & The Abandoned Infants Assistance Act (Updated)

September 26, 2011 Comments off

The Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act: Including Adoption Opportunities & The Abandoned Infants Assistance Act (PDF)
Source: Child Welfare Information Gateway

The basis for government’s intervention in child maltreatment is grounded in the concept of parens patriae—a legal term that asserts that government has a role in protecting the interests of children and in intervening when parents fail to provide proper care. Beginning in the late 19th century, States and local jurisdictions started initiating mechanisms to assist and protect children. Then in 1912, the Federal Government established the Children’s Bureau to guide Federal programs that were designed to support State child welfare programs as well as to direct Federal aid to families, which began with the passage of the Social Security Act (SSA) in 1935. The child welfare policy of the SSA layered Federal funds over existing State-supervised and administered programs that were already in place.

It has long been recognized that parents have a fundamental liberty, protected by the Constitution, to raise their children as they choose. The legal framework regarding the parent-child relationship balances the rights and responsibilities among the parents, the child, and the State, as guided by Federal statutes. This parent-child relationship identifies certain rights, duties, and obligations, including the responsibility of the parents to protect the child’s safety and well-being. If parents, however, are unable or unwilling to meet this responsibility, the State has the power and authority to take action to protect the child from harm. Over the past several decades, Congress has passed significant pieces of legislation that support the States’ duty and power to act on behalf of children when parents are unable or unwilling to do so. The Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act (CAPTA) is one of the key pieces of legislation that guides child protection. CAPTA, in its original inception, was signed into law on January 31, 1974 (P.L. 93-247). It was reauthorized in 1978, 1984, 1988, 1992, 1996, and 2003, and with each reauthorization, amendments have been made to CAPTA that have expanded and refined the scope of the law.

CAPTA was most recently reauthorized on December 20, 2010, by the CAPTA Reauthorization Act of 2010 (P.L. 111-320).

This booklet presents CAPTA as amended by the CAPTA Reauthorization Act of 2010. The booklet also contains the Adoption Opportunities program and Abandoned Infants Assistance Act, as amended. To view the full text of the Act, as well as other legislation relevant to child welfare policy and practice, visit http://thomas.loc.gov or the website of Child Welfare Information Gateway at www.childwelfare.gov/systemwide/laws_policies/federal.

Open Adoption: Could Open Adoption be the Best Choice for You and Your Baby?

September 22, 2011 Comments off

Open Adoption: Could Open Adoption be the Best Choice for You and Your Baby?
Source: Child Welfare Information Gateway

In an open adoption, contact among birth parents, adoptive parents, and often the adopted child allows these family members to communicate and stay connected. This booklet offers information on open adoption to women who are pregnant and considering placing their newborn for adoption.

Case Planning for Families Involved with Child Welfare Agencies

August 18, 2011 Comments off

Case Planning for Families Involved with Child Welfare Agencies
Source: Child Welfare Information Gateway

Since the passage of the Adoption Assistance and Child Welfare Act (P.L. 96-272) in 1980, Federal law requires the development of a written case plan for any child receiving foster care maintenance payments under title IV-E (42 U.S.C. 671(16)). This review of statutes and administrative codes shows that States are using a variety of approaches to address the issue of case planning. States generally require a case plan when a child is placed in out-of-home care or when a child and his or her family are receiving any kind of in-home services to prevent placement.

Definitions of Child Abuse and Neglect (Updated)

August 11, 2011 Comments off

Definitions of Child Abuse and Neglect
Source: Child Welfare Information Gateway

Child abuse and neglect are defined by Federal and State laws. At the State level, child abuse and neglect may be defined in both civil and criminal statutes. This publication presents civil definitions that determine the grounds for intervention by State child protective agencies.

Fact Sheet: Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act (CAPTA)

July 28, 2011 Comments off

Fact Sheet: Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act (CAPTA)
Source: Child Welfare Information Gateway

This factsheet summarizes the legislative history and purpose of the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act (CAPTA), the key Federal legislation addressing child abuse and neglect. CAPTA was originally enacted in P.L. 93-247 and was most recently amended and reauthorized on December 20, 2010, by the CAPTA Reauthorization Act of 2010 (P.L. 111-320).CAPTA provides Federal funding to States in support of prevention, assessment, investigation, prosecution, and treatment activities and also provides grants to public agencies and nonprofit organizations, including Indian Tribes and Tribal organizations, for demonstration programs and projects.

+ Full Document (PDF)

Major Federal Legislation Concerned With Child Protection, Child Welfare, and Adoption

July 18, 2011 Comments off

Major Federal Legislation Concerned With Child Protection, Child Welfare, and Adoption
Source: Child Welfare Information Gateway

You may wish to review this introductory text to better understand the issues related to Federal legislation. To browse or search the acts included in this publication, visit the Major Federal Legislation Index and Search.

The primary responsibility for child welfare services rests with the States, and each State has its own legal and administrative structures and programs that address the needs of children and families. However, States must comply with specific Federal requirements and guidelines in order to be eligible for Federal funding under certain programs.

Beginning with the passage of the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act (CAPTA) in 1974, the U.S. Congress has implemented a number of laws that have had a significant impact on State child protection and child welfare services.1 Such legislation frequently requires Federal departments and agencies, such as the Children’s Bureau within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, to issue or amend Federal policy and regulation.2 New legislation also prompts responses at the State level, including enactment of State legislation, development or revision of State agency policy and regulations, and implementation of new programs.

The largest federally funded programs that support State and Tribal efforts for child welfare, foster care, and adoption activities are authorized under titles IV-B and IV-E of the Social Security Act (the Act). These programs are administered by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and include the title IV-B Child Welfare Services and Promoting Safe and Stable Families (formerly known as Family Preservation) programs, the title IV-E Foster Care Program, the title IV-E Adoption Assistance Program, and the title IV-E Chafee Foster Care Independence Program. The Social Services Block Grant (SSBG) is authorized under title XX of the Act and funds a wide range of programs that support various social policy goals.

To provide a framework for understanding the Federal legislation that has shaped the delivery of child welfare services, this publication presents a summary of Federal legislation since 1974 that has had a significant impact on the field. It provides an overview of each act and its major provisions. To browse or search the acts included in this publication, visit the Major Federal Legislation Index and Search.

Understanding Child Welfare and the Courts

July 16, 2011 Comments off

Understanding Child Welfare and the Courts
Source: Child Welfare Information Gateway

Families involved with the child welfare system may have some involvement with the court—in most States, this occurs in a family or juvenile court. This factsheet is designed to serve as a quick guide to the general types of court hearings that a family may experience, and it traces the steps of a child welfare case through the court system.

Family Reunification: What the Evidence Shows

July 16, 2011 Comments off

Family Reunification: What the Evidence Shows
Source: Child Welfare Information Gateway

Family reunification—the process of returning children in temporary out-of-home care to their families of origin—is the most common goal and outcome for children in child welfare. This issue brief looks at the impact of meaningful family engagement, assessment and case planning, and service delivery on family reunification. These strategies are explored through findings from the Child and Family Services Reviews, the literature, and child welfare practice examples.

Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act (CAPTA) Booklet

July 11, 2011 Comments off

Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act (CAPTA) Booklet
Source: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Children’s Bureau

The Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act (CAPTA) as amended by the CAPTA Reauthorization Act of 2010 is now available in a web-only booklet form on the Children’s Bureau website. The booklet also contains the Adoption Opportunities program and Abandoned Infants Assistance Act, as amended. The updated text is an unofficial version that has been prepared based on the changes to the Act in P.L. 111-320, the CAPTA Reauthorization Act of 2010, to help States and other organizations as they prepare budgets, reports, and applications.

+ Full Document (PDF)

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