Resource Library

Identifies common challenges agencies face in building the evidence required by the Family First Prevent Services Act related to kinship navigator programs. Suggests ways to address these challenges, including defining the program model, selecting a comparison group, ensuring an adequate sample size, selecting appropriate outcomes and reliable and valid measures, and collecting data.

Offers four strategies from ninth grade students about how to design programs that will appeal to youth and encourage engagement. Includes strategies such as diversifying program activities to engage different types of learners and creating environments that are inclusive and judgment-free.

Provides an overview of key issues and strategies for residential leaders regarding how to engage and support families formed through adoption, who have a child in residential. The content of this document was developed based on a literature review, as well as consultations and interviews with adoption experts, practitioners, residential leaders, parent advocates, adoptive parents with residential experience, and youth who have been adopted. The purpose of the document is to raise awareness regarding the unique needs and concerns of families formed by adoption whose children are using residential interventions, and to promote tips and strategies for enhancing the responsiveness [...]

Designed to provide child welfare supervisors, managers, and related professionals with examples of States’ efforts to strengthen supervisory capacity and with tools and resources to enhance supervisory skills.

Provides an overview of six guiding principles for sites working to improve adoption and guardianship preservation and support.

Helps administrators and other leaders assess and improve the services offered to foster, adoptive, and kinship families. Offers a tool to bring stakeholders together for an assessment of services’ quality and accessibility, identify gaps and areas for improvement, and create and action plan based on the results. Includes the assessment tool and a companion guide.

Addresses what adoption professionals should know about supporting families in crisis who may be considering disruption or dissolution. The speakers help professionals identify and secure appropriate resources while prioritizing adoptive families’ safety and stability. Users will need to create an account and use the code NCEPSFREE to access webinar. A training certificate is available.

Addresses what adoption professionals should know about supporting families in crisis who may be considering disruption or dissolution. The speakers help professionals identify and secure appropriate resources while prioritizing adoptive families’ safety and stability. Users will need to create an account and use the code NCEPSFREE to access webinar. Training certificate is available upon completing all requirements.

Explains that the Supporting America’s Children and Families Act (H.R. 9076)—signed in January 2025—updates federal child welfare and child support programs. It extends funding through 2029, increases resources for states and tribes, expands services for families and older youth, and adds new requirements aimed at preventing family separation and improving mental‑health support. It also gives tribal child support agencies access to federal tax information, aligning them with state programs.

Discusses ways that professionals outside of child protective services can act to support children and their caregivers and connect them with appropriate resources that may mitigate any risks for harm during crisis situations. This article is organized by five protective factors that build on family strengths to foster child and youth well-being and development. Each section contains questions that professionals can address with parents/caregivers with children/youth in the course of their work with families.