Children do best when they grow with their own families and remain safely connected to their family and community. Effective prevention strategies that reduce risk factors and build protective factors are vital to help whole families thrive and prevent child abuse and neglect and family separation.
The Federal Family First Prevention Services Act allows funding for community- and evidence-based services for all family members (and fictive kin) to support the child and their family in their community. The most effective prevention efforts work at the community level, strengthening the family’s social network and utilizing that network as a source of support.
Families, especially those who are low-income and families of color, are placed at disproportionate risk of child welfare involvement due to societal factors such as underresourced neighborhoods and racially biased housing and employment practices. The social-ecological model acknowledges the many different levels of factors that influence families. All families should have equitable and easy access to culturally responsive prevention programs and services that address societal and community-level issues, in addition to those addressing individual and family risk factors.
Use these resources to learn more about prevention in child welfare.
Adjust the filters below to refine your list of resources.
Can’t find what you need in the filtered results? Try searching our Library catalog to access a large selection of peer-reviewed journal articles, evaluation reports, Children’s Bureau grant materials, research studies, and more.
Subtopics
Separating Poverty From Neglect
Understanding the difference between poverty and neglect is key to increasing equity and assessing and supporting families’ needs. Providing families with concrete supports can build protective factors and decrease the risk of neglect for children.
Prevention Continuum
To prevent abuse and neglect as well as family separation, child welfare agencies should work with communities and across systems to connect families with a continuum of prevention services that meet their needs.
Economic and Concrete Supports
Economic and concrete supports can help families meet their basic needs and address the root causes that can lead to family child welfare involvement.
Two-Generation Approaches
Two-generation approaches support children and families together to address difficulties accessing economic and concrete supports, disparate outcomes, and other barriers to improved and sustained well-being.
Culture as a Protective Factor
Cultural connections help support positive identity development and sustain strong families. Strong ties to family and community culture can also be a protective factor, promoting well-being and improving child welfare outcomes.
Featured
2023/2024 Prevention Resource Guide
Find information on actions taken as a society and within communities, organizations, and families to address the root causes of child abuse and neglect and how communities are doing purposeful prevention work to help children and families thrive.
Child Maltreatment 2022: Summary
Explore an infographic with key data from Child Maltreatment 2022, the 33rd edition of the annual reports on child abuse and neglect produced by the Children's Bureau within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
Two-Generation Approaches to Supporting Family Well-Being
Read about two-generation approaches and why child welfare agencies should use them to improve outcomes for families. Learn how to build parental capacity and protective factors within families, often with the goal of interrupting cycles of poverty.
Separating Poverty From Neglect in Child Welfare
Explore the overlap among families experiencing poverty and those reported to the child welfare system for neglect, the societal context within which poverty and neglect exist, and strategies for preventing and addressing both poverty and neglect.
In-Home Services to Strengthen Children and Families
Learn about child welfare in-home services, components of effective service delivery, and Federal funding sources for services. Also read about evidence-based in-home programs used and State examples of efforts to improve in-home services delivery.
How Are Child Welfare Systems Using Flexible Funds to Support Families and Preventing the Need for Foster Care?
Learn how Indiana, Kentucky, and Wisconsin are utilizing flexible funding to support and strengthen families outside of the child welfare system to more effectively prevent family separation.
Spotlight on Prevention Teams
View a video in which child protection workers describe their role on prevention teams and learn how Louisiana created prevention teams to work with families that need support but may not require further involvement with child protective services.
Military PFS Guide and Tool
Explore the five areas that practitioners can use to measure the protective capacity of military families participating in parent education and support programs.
Reflecting on Racial Equity and Prevention-Focused Systems
Watch a video that discusses and explores the existing connection between racial equity and prevention-focused systems. Use the accompanying discussion guide to reflect individually and to facilitate a team conversation.