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Home > Glossary - C
Glossary - C
Many child welfare terms are subject to interpretation. The Glossary identifies commonly held definitions for terms that can be found on the Child Welfare Information Gateway website. It defines common acronyms and includes links to information on major Federal legislation and related child welfare terms. The Glossary will be updated as new terminology emerges in the field, as new legislation is enacted, and as child welfare terms take on new meaning.
caregiver
One who provides for the physical, emotional, and social needs of a dependent person. The term most often applies to parents or parent surrogates, child care and nursery workers, health-care specialists, and relatives caring for children, elderly, or ill family members.
CASA (see court-appointed special advocate)
case closure
The process of ending the relationship between the caseworker and the family. This often involves a mutual assessment of progress and includes a review of the beginning, middle, and end of the helping relationship. Optimally, cases are closed when families have achieved their goals and the risk of maltreatment has been reduced or eliminated or the child has achieved his/her permanency goal.
case management
Coordination and monitoring of services on behalf of a client. In general, the role of the case manager does not involve the provision of direct services but the monitoring of services to assure that they are relevant to the client, delivered in a useful way, and effective in meeting the goals of the case plan. A key element of case management in child welfare is the ongoing assessment of the client's needs and progress in services.
case plan
The casework document that outlines the outcomes, goals, and tasks necessary to ensure child safety, permanency, and well-being.
case registry
In compliance with the Intercountry Adoption Act of 2000, the U.S. Secretary of State and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security jointly established the Case Registry, an adoption records system.
case review system
A system that ensures the periodic review of the status of children and youth in the child welfare system. Federal law requires States to have a case review system that includes processes for (1) the development of a written case plan for each child jointly with the child's parent(s) that includes the required provisions; (2) periodic review of the status of each child no less frequently than once every 6 months, either by a court or by administrative review; (3) a permanency hearing (for each child in foster care under the supervision of the State) in a qualified court or administrative body no later than 12 months from the date the child entered foster care and no less frequently than every 12 months thereafter; (4) termination of parental rights proceedings in accordance with the provisions of the Adoption and Safe Families Act; and (5) notification of foster parents, preadoptive parents, and relative caregivers of children in foster care so that they have an opportunity to be heard in any review or hearing held with respect to the child.
caseload
Individuals (usually counted as children or family units) for whom a social worker is responsible, as expressed in a ratio of clients to staff members.
casework
Method of social work intervention that helps an individual or family improve functioning by changing internal attitudes and feelings, behaviors, and external circumstances directly affecting the individual or family. This contrasts with community organization and other methods of social work intervention that focus on changing institutions or society. Casework relies on a relationship between the worker and client as the primary tool for affecting change.
central authority (in intercountry adoption)
The U.S. Department of State has been designated as the United States Central Authority for the Hague Adoption Convention. As the U.S. Central Authority, the Department of State facilitates, oversees, and regulates Hague Adoption Convention cases in the U.S.
central registry
A centralized database of child abuse and neglect investigation records. Reports contained in central registries are typically used to aid social services agencies in the investigation, treatment, and prevention of child abuse cases and to maintain statistical information for staffing and funding purposes. In many States, central registry records are used to screen persons who will be entrusted with the care of children.
CFSR (see Child and Family Services Review)
child abuse and neglect
Defined by the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act (CAPTA) as any recent act or failure to act on the part of a parent or caretaker that results in death, serious physical or emotional harm, sexual abuse, or exploitation, or an act or failure to act that presents an imminent risk of serious harm. Child abuse and neglect are defined by Federal and State laws. CAPTA is the Federal legislation that provides minimum standards that States must incorporate in their statutory definitions of child abuse and neglect.
Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act (CAPTA) (see Major Federal Legislation Concerned With Child Protection, Child Welfare, and Adoption)
child advocacy center
Community-based, child-friendly, multidisciplinary service center for children and families affected by sexual abuse or severe physical abuse. These centers bring together, often in one location, child protective services investigators, law enforcement, prosecutors, and medical and mental health professionals to provide a coordinated, comprehensive response to victims and their caregivers.
Child and Family Services Review (CFSR)
Federal quality assurance review of State child welfare policy and practice. The review focuses on how well States perform in achieving positive outcomes in the following three domains for children and families engaged in child welfare services: safety, permanency, and child and family well-being. The CFSRs also examine seven State and local child welfare agency systemic factors that affect the achievement of positive outcomes by the children and families that agencies serve. Also see systemic factors.
child fatality review
A review of child abuse and neglect fatalities and suspicious child deaths conducted by child death review teams (also known as child fatality review teams), which exist in most States. Results of these reviews may be used to improve services, advocate for change, and conduct public awareness activities, ultimately for the purpose of preventing future child maltreatment deaths.
child maltreatment (see child abuse and neglect)
child protective services (CPS)
The social services agency designated (in most States) to receive reports, conduct investigations and assessments, and provide intervention and treatment services to children and families in which child maltreatment has occurred. Frequently, this agency is located within larger public social service agencies, such as departments of social services.
child welfare reform
Formal efforts to make fundamental changes to achieve set outcomes, usually focusing on enhancing safety, permanency, and well-being for children and families. Such efforts may encompass changes in policies, procedures, funding, or service delivery structure and may be undertaken in a local agency, a statewide child welfare system, or at a national level. They may address the entire child welfare system or major parts of the system, such as child protective services or out-of-home care. Child welfare reform efforts are intended to improve service delivery and achieve better outcomes.
child welfare services
A continuum of services, ranging from prevention to intervention to treatment, for the purpose of protecting children and strengthening families to successfully care for their children, providing permanency when children cannot remain with or return to their families, and promoting children's well-being. Services should be family-centered, strengths-based, and respectful of the family's culture, values, beliefs, and needs.
citizen review panel
A panel of private citizen volunteers who review policies, procedures, and specific cases handled by State as well as local child protective services agencies to determine whether these agencies are effectively managing individual cases and/or child welfare systems.
closed adoption
An adoption that involves total confidentiality and sealed records.
community-based
Organizations that offer social services to community residents as a major part of their missions. They have firsthand knowledge of local problems and are committed to serving and improving the community.
competency-based practice
In social work, the demonstrated ability to fulfill the professional obligations to the client, the community, the society, and the profession. This demonstration occurs through acquisition of certification and licensing, keeping up with the knowledge base by fulfilling continuing education requirements, and participating in agency supervision and in-service training.
competency-based training
Training intended to ensure that staff has the ability to carry out work assignments and achieve agency and case goals while adhering to professional values and ethics. Competency-based training includes defining required staff competencies, assessing individual training needs, developing job-related training content, developing and certifying competent trainers, and ensuring transfer of learning through supervision and follow-up training, as needed. Competency-based training may be delivered through a statewide training delivery system, including a computerized system for administration, monitoring, and quality control.
complaint registry (in intercountry adoption)
As a source of accountability, the U.S. Secretary of State created the Complaint Registry as a tool to receive, distribute, and monitor complaints relevant to the accreditation or approval status of adoption service providers.
comprehensive family assessment
The ongoing practice of identifying and considering factors that impact children, youth, and families, including safety, the risk of maltreatment, ability to achieve permanency, and progress toward health and well-being. Comprehensive family assessment focuses not only on the presenting issues, but also on the underlying reasons for behaviors and conditions affecting children, and it includes recognizing patterns of parental behavior over time; examining the family strengths and protective factors to identify resources that can support the family's ability to meet its needs and better protect the children; addressing the overall needs of the child and family that affect the safety, permanency, and well-being of the child; considering contributing factors such as domestic violence, substance abuse, mental health, chronic health problems, and poverty; incorporating information gathered through other assessments; and focusing on the development of a service plan or plan for intervention with the family. Assessing needs and strengths of the child and family from the point of referral through case closure is essential to ensure positive outcomes.
concurrent planning
A case planning approach that involves considering all reasonable options for permanency at the earliest possible point following a child's entry into foster care and simultaneously pursuing those that will best serve the child's needs. Typically, the primary plan is reunification with the child's family of origin. This primary plan and an alternative permanency goal are pursued at the same time, with full knowledge of all case participants. Concurrent planning seeks to eliminate delays in attaining permanency for children.
confidential intermediary
A professional or volunteer granted access to confidential adoption records, who will search for adopted adults, birth parents, or other birth relatives at the request of a different party to an adoption to obtain consent to exchange information or make contact with the other party.
confidentiality
The legally required process and ethical practice of not disclosing private information about a client without the client's consent as well as not soliciting private information from a client unless it is essential in assuring safety, providing services, or achieving permanence for children. In specific circumstances, professionals may be compelled by law to reveal some information, such as a threat of harm, to designated authorities.
consent decree
A court approval to put an agreement between disputing parties into the form of a binding judgment or contract.
convention (in intercountry adoption)
The Hague Convention on Protection of Children and Co-operation in Respect of Intercountry Adoption signed at The Hague, Netherlands on May 29, 1993. The Hague Adoption Convention is the important treaty that governs adoptions among the United States and nearly 75 other countries.
convention adoption (in intercountry adoption)
Occurs whenever a child who is a resident of a Hague Convention country is adopted by a U.S. citizen. Another instance of a Convention adoption occurs when a child that is a U.S. resident, is adopted by an individual or individuals residing in a Convention country, when, in connection with the adoption, the child has moved or will move between the United States and the Convention country.
convention country (in intercountry adoption)
One of 75 nations that has ratified, entered into force, and are party to (members of) the Hague Adoption Convention along with the United States.
coparenting
A term traditionally applied to divorced or separated parents who are sensitive to their child's distress and who learn techniques that avoid putting the child(ren) in the middle. This term can also be applied to a relationship established between a biological parent and a foster and/or adoptive parent.
corporal punishment
Inflicting physical pain for the purpose of punishment in an effort to discipline a child.
country of origin (in intercountry adoption)
Is considered to be the country in which a child is a legal resident and will be emigrating from in conjunction with an adoption case.
court-appointed special advocate (CASA)
A person, usually a volunteer, who serves to ensure that the needs and interests of a child in child protection judicial proceedings are fully protected.
CPS (see child protective services)
criminal background check (see background check)
cultural competence
The ability of individuals and systems to respond respectfully and effectively to people of all cultures, classes, races, ethnic backgrounds, sexual orientations, and faiths or religions in a manner that recognizes, affirms, and values the worth of individuals, families, Tribes, and communities, and protects and preserves the dignity of each. Cultural competence is a continuous process of learning about the cultural strengths of others and integrating their unique abilities and perspectives into our lives.
custody
Refers to the legal right to make decisions about children, including where they live. Parents have legal custody of their children unless they voluntarily give custody to someone else or a court takes this right away and gives it to someone else. For instance, a court may give legal custody to a relative or to a child welfare agency. Whoever has legal custody can enroll the children in school, give permission for medical care, and give other legal consents.
customary adoption
A ceremony or process used in Native American communities that gives the child a new legally recognized permanent parent while still retaining the legal rights of birth parents, relatives, and other significant people in the child's kinship network. The process is considered to be binding by the Tribe.
cycle of abuse
A generational pattern of abusive behavior that can occur when children who have either experienced maltreatment or witnessed violence between their parents or caregivers learn violent behavior and learn to consider it appropriate.
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