Kinship diversion, an alternative to foster care, is a common response to allegations of child abuse and neglect, yet little research has been conducted on this practice. An estimated 100,000 to 300,000 children are diverted from foster care to live with relatives each year. However, few jurisdictions collect data on the practice, making it challenging to understand these children’s experiences—and to decide whether kinship diversion is beneficial. For several years, with the support of the Annie E. Casey Foundation, Child Trends has sought answers to key questions about kinship diversion…
This action plan reviews both federal and state barriers to identifying and serving children of incarcerated parents, and offers policy recommendations for the U.S. Congress and the Administration. The action plan is designed to help federal leaders improve policies for children of incarcerated parents, but also includes recommendations of value to states and local governments that can facilitate and complement federal initiatives and result in better responses to this population. (Author abstract)
This report begins by urging support for the reauthorization of the federal Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act (JJDPA), legislation that will encourage communities to engage juvenile offenders in programs proven to help steer them away from a life of crime. The report then reviews the current situation resulting from placing juvenile offenders in residential facilities with other troubled youth, including a cost of more than $5 billion to keep juvenile offenders in facilities. The benefits of providing community services and family coaching to juvenile offenders is discussed, and…
Over the last year, the Center for the Study of Social Policy (CSSP), which manages the Alliance for Racial Equity in Child Welfare, has reviewed data and research literature, talked to young African American men who are in - or had been in - foster care and identified initiatives and strategies that are showing promise. This paper is a product of that work and is intended to: Summarize what we know about the situation of African American males involved with the child welfare system; Outline an approach to more effective action to improve outcomes for these boys and young men; and…
Juvenile court judges are uniquely able to influence the health and well-being of children in foster care by asking about a child's health status and special needs, ordering appropriate assessments and services, and ensuring that identified needs are addressed through the child's court-ordered case plan. Judges can require that attorneys, caseworkers, and caregivers bring detailed information about a child's health to court. This booklet provides an overview of important health issues for children and youth in foster care. The appendix provides three downloadable age-appropriate forms that…
This final report presents information on the outcomes and accomplishments of the African American Male Adoption Project, which used an innovative approach to find adoptive homes for African American boys in Minneapolis and St. Paul, MN. The report describes the accomplishments of the project, including the development of specialized and ongoing family recruitment strategies, such as announcing the project in church bulletins, airing radio public service announcements, providing materials at African American community events, and compiling photo albums of targeted children. Other activies…
This guide offers preliminary policy and program recommendations for State, local, and tribal administrators and practitioners committed to addressing the complex needs of pregnant and parenting youth in foster care. It is designed to help child welfare systems and their partner agencies and organizations assess strengths and gaps in their current array of policies and services, and to determine priorities to achieve better results for pregnant and parenting youth in foster care and their children. The guide is divided into five domains: State infrastructure for service delivery, financing,…
The purpose of this guide is to provide a comprehensive set of resources for jurisdictions interested in addressing the needs of pregnant and parenting youth in foster care.The guide is organized into three major program categories: 1) Parenting Supports; 2) Developmental Supports for Children and Parents, including Health Care and Trauma-Informed Supports; and 3) Preparation for Adulthood, including Education and Housing. Evidence of effectiveness is listed in each of the program descriptions, which includes rating information from Evidence-Based Clearinghouses or any other information of…