Resource Library

Shares program evaluation techniques and strategies to help agencies get what they need from evaluation efforts; offers examples from the field that can be adapted.

Outlines key elements of an evaluation plan and offers links to additional resources about evaluating program effectiveness.

Highlights the evaluation of the National Quality Improvement Center for Adoption and Guardianship Support and Preservations work in Tennessee.

Outlines the approaches to therapy, finding the right therapist and working with a therapist.

Provides a framework describing the unique family dynamics of kinship families.  Child welfare professionals can use this framework when engaging families and developing kinship program and services.

Explores how the Winnebago Tribes implemented Family Group Decision Making. Enables other sites to determine if the intervention would work for their jurisdiction and prepare for implementation.

Provides an overview of adoption competent therapist. This article outlines various therapeutic approaches such as family therapy, play therapy and trauma-informed therapy. It also provides guidance on finding a therapist who is trained in adoption and working with a therapist to ensure the best outcomes for the child and family.

Explores the needs behind and principles for services agencies can provide during the pre-permanence timeframe, offering examples of promising programs.

Provides a clear snapshot of the latest AFCARS 2024 foster care and adoption data, highlighting continued declines across key areas. It reports that fewer children entered care, exited care, or were adopted than in previous years. The piece also breaks down who is awaiting adoption, who was adopted, and how long children spend in care.

Aims to help child welfare agencies use data effectively to improve outcomes for children and families. It highlights the five steps in the framework: defining an area of focus, using data to explain issues, selecting strategies /tools, designing and implementing a plan and monitoring/evaluating progress. It emphasizes collaboration with staff, community partners and stakeholders as well as discusses the need for ongoing assessment and adjustment to ensure data-driven improvements in child welfare practices.