Resource Library

Focuses on the ways that developmental science points to changes that could improve the child welfare system and better support the children, families and communities that it serves. Recommendations and observations in this article apply to children and youth of all ages, from birth through adolescence and young adulthood.

Describes a promising trauma training curriculum for foster parents and kinship caregivers—ARC Reflections—and presents findings from an implementation evaluation conducted in five counties in North Carolina. Presents lessons learned from the evaluation and implications for future implementation and scale-up of ARC Reflections.

Examines guardianship as a legal option for children in foster care when going back to their birth parents or getting adopted is not possible or the right fit. The fact sheet includes information on how child welfare professionals can help caregivers navigate guardianship, navigate boundaries with birth parents, and the impacts that guardianship may have on the families lives.

Describes the benefits of conducting an assessment of families’ needs and describes common approaches to doing so.

Designed for child welfare agencies and post-permanency service providers, this comprehensive guide was developed to help agencies assess families’ well-being, stability, and satisfaction with services through structured questionnaires administered at intake and exit. The questionnaires are not clinical assessments but tools for identifying needs and tracking progress.

Explores 12 questions administrators can ask about their support services to ensure they are most effective for families, including: Are providers adoption-and permanency competent? Is the service trauma informed and responsive? Are parents, caregivers, and youth involved in service design and improvement? Offers additional resources for making improvements or conducting assessments.

Offers key considerations and practical strategies to assess an agency’s readiness and effectiveness in delivering support services to kinship caregivers post-permanency.  By using this tipsheet, agencies and organizations can better determine if they are equipped to meet the unique needs of kinship families over time.

Provides information from program and state leaders about implementing an intensive in-home program designed to support families of children who have more challenging needs.

Explores an intensive in-home program designed to support families of children who have more serious needs.

Shares general information about an intensive in-home program designed to support families of children who have more serious needs.