Child Welfare Archives - National Wraparound Initiative (NWI)
Study Examines Rates of Mental Health Issues Among Children in Child Welfare Custody
April 8, 2024 | NWI
A recent study of general hospital admissions among youth aged 12–17 years compared rates of mental health disorders among children who were in child welfare custody and a control group of children not in child welfare custody. The children and adolescents in the child welfare system had higher rates of problems across a wide variety of diagnoses.
Foster Care Disparities for Youth with Intellectual, Developmental Disabilities
April 8, 2024 | NWI
A new study describes racial and gender disparities in foster care involvement among young people with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
Giving Children a Voice in the Courtroom
April 8, 2024 | NWI
Two locations in Virginia are piloting programs through the National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges to improve the handling of child abuse and neglect cases, reduce the number of children in foster care and improve outcomes for children in care. The programs encourage children to attend court and share their own perspectives.
Georgia Will Pay for Foster Care Rather Than Provide Housing Assistance
March 8, 2024 | NWI
In more than 700 cases over five years, Georgia reported inadequate housing as the sole reason for taking a child into foster care, a recent analysis found. Advocates say it would be cheaper to help families get housing.
Research Documents the Importance of “Enduring Relationships” for Foster Youth
December 1, 2023 | NWI
Enduring relationships have real consequences for foster youth, reducing the risk of negative outcomes in early adulthood, such as food insecurity, economic hardship, and homelessness. They were also more likely to experience positive outcomes, such as having greater earnings and finishing some college. Surprisingly, the number of individuals the youth said they had in their network was not a key factor. What mattered was the enduring quality of the relationships – people that stuck with them, through thick and thin, over a period of time.
Kinship Navigator Programs in Child Welfare
October 30, 2023 | NWI
Kinship Navigator programs support the ongoing stabilization of kinship families by helping caregivers learn about and access resources that meet their evolving needs and those of the children they are raising. This report discusses the evidence for positive impacts from these programs, and envisions their future.
Foster Care’s Disruptive Impact on Sibling Relationships
July 23, 2023 | NWI
This short article discusses a study from the National Survey of Child and Adolescent Well-Being showing that foster youth that maintain quality sibling relationships while in foster care have lower depression symptoms.
Bringing Kinship Care Out of the Shadows
July 23, 2023 | NWI
Kinship diversion care is sometimes described as “hidden foster care” because it is complex and often operates outside the boundaries of the foster care system. Despite the positive aspects of kinship care, the parameters of kinship diversion are vague and these kinship families are not eligible for the same benefits as foster families. This brief provides a list of recommendations for those who are deciding how to explore, make meaning of, and implement changes to child welfare agencies’ kinship diversion practices.
Family First Reforms One Year Later
May 22, 2023 | NWI
The Family First Prevention Services Act contains a major child welfare policy allowing states to use federal funds to support the judicious use of congregate care. This report examines where states stand after one year, describes what was and was not working to date, and identifies early lessons learned to inform future implementation decisions and child welfare policy deliberations.
Proposed Rules Support Kinship Care in Foster Care
April 21, 2023 | NWI
ACF is proposing a new rule that would allow child welfare agencies to adopt one set of licensing standards for family members and kin that acknowledges the kinship relationship and differs from the licensing standards used for non-relative foster family homes.