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Explores parent education programming for child welfare and highlights programs that have shown positive results or promise for strengthening families and preventing child maltreatment. The brief looks at the elements of effective parent education programs and research that demonstrate their benefit. It also includes examples of State and local parent education programs and a list of resources.

Discusses laws and policies that address the issue of substance use by parents. One major area of concern is responding to the care and treatment needs of substance-exposed infants. Another major concern is addressing the harm that a child of any age can suffer when a parent's use of alcohol or other substances leads to neglect of the child or the child is exposed to illegal drug activity. Full-text excerpts of laws for all States, the District of Columbia, and U.S. territories are included.

Reviews what substance use disorders (SUDs) are, how parental substance use affects families, and how child welfare professionals can support these families. It also considers how collaboration between child welfare professionals and SUD treatment providers, as well as others, is an essential component to assisting families. This factsheet is intended to serve as a brief primer on the intersection of parental SUDs and child welfare rather than a comprehensive guide. Additional information and resources are provided throughout to help readers explore the topic in more detail.

Helps child welfare professionals gain a better understanding of parent-child interaction therapy (PCIT), including which clients should be referred for this approach, how it is implemented, and resources for additional information. PCIT is a family-centered treatment approach for children ages 2–7 with disruptive behavior and has also been used with abused and at-risk children ages 2–12. It is an appropriate therapy for all caregivers—birth parents, adoptive parents, or foster or kin caregivers—and includes the treatment of both the parent and child together along with live coaching. One of PCIT's benefits is that it can help reduce the risk for child maltreatment.

Discusses how you can help children and youth in your care by educating yourself about child sexual abuse, understanding the impact of the abuse, establishing guidelines for safety and privacy in your family, and seeking help if you need it. Reading this factsheet alone will not guarantee that you will know what to do in every circumstance, but you can use it as a resource for some of the potential challenges and rewards that lie ahead.

Discusses the nature of trauma, especially abuse or neglect, the effects of trauma on children and youth, and ways to help a child who has experienced trauma. Parents or foster parents who do not understand the effects of trauma may misinterpret their child’s behavior, and attempts to address troubling behavior may be ineffective or, in some cases, even harmful. By understanding trauma, parents and foster parents can help support a child’s healing, the parent-child relationship, and their family as a whole.

Intended to help parents (birth, foster, and adoptive) and other caregivers better understand the challenges of caring for a child or youth who has experienced maltreatment and learn about available resources for support.

This factsheet for families provides information to help families support their child in developing a healthy racial and cultural identity and live a vibrant multicultural life. It discusses the importance of examining thoughts and biases and preparing a child to live in a society where race has a major impact on individual lives. This factsheet can be used as a resource for information on some of the potential rewards and challenges that come with choosing to live a multicultural and multiracial family life.

Provides information to help parents understand the impact of adoption on their preschooler's development and provide practical strategies to build a warm and loving relationship with their child based on honesty and trust. This factsheet can serve as a reference during a child's preschool years.

Offers information designed to help adoptive parents understand and respond to their school-age child's developmental needs. It provides simple, practical strategies you can use to foster healthy development, including approaches for building attachment; addressing trauma, grief, and loss; talking honestly with your child about adoption; acknowledging his or her adoption history; using effective discipline; and enhancing your child's school experience. Because some adoptive families will need extra support to address their children's mental or behavioral health needs, the factsheet also discusses when and how to seek help.

Provides information to help adoptive parents understand the needs and experiences of their teen and use practical strategies to foster healthy development. These strategies include approaches that acknowledge potential trauma and loss, support effective communication, promote independence, and address possible behavioral and mental health concerns.

Abarca temas de interés para el creciente número de abuelos y otros parientes que cuidan a niños cuyos padres no están en capacidad de cuidarlos. A veces, este arreglo, llamado “cuidado por parientes” (en inglés, “kinship care”), es un acuerdo informal y privado entre los padres y los parientes. En otras ocasiones, la agencia local de bienestar de menores está involucrada. Esta hoja informativa está diseñada para ayudar a los proveedores de cuidados familiar—incluyendo abuelos, tías y tíos, otros parientes y amigos familiares que cuidan niños—a trabajar de manera efectiva con el sistema de bienestar de menores. También se incluye un glosario de términos comunes de bienestar de menores y enlaces para encontrar más información o ayuda.Discusses issues of interest to the growing number of grandparents and other relatives caring for children whose own parents are unable to care for them. Sometimes, the arrangement (referred to as "kinship care") is an informal, private arrangement between the parents and relative caregivers; in other situations, the local child welfare agency is involved. This factsheet is designed to help kinship caregivers—including grandparents, aunts and uncles, other relatives, and family friends caring for children—work effectively with the child welfare system. Resources, such as links to more detailed information or places to find help, are included.

Explores how foster caregivers can partner with the birth families of the children in their care to promote reunification. The factsheet seeks to dispel common myths that both sides might hold about the other by drawing from foster and birth parent interviews and taking a lessons-learned approach.

Shares stories and advice from caregivers and birth parents who have experienced kinship care on the importance of maintaining boundaries, managing family dynamics, building trust, positive parenting and communication, and securing support.

Discusses laws that impose penalties, in the form of fines, jail time, or both, on mandatory reporters who fail to report cases of suspected child abuse and neglect as required by the reporting laws. State laws also may impose penalties on any person who knowingly makes a false report of abuse or neglect. Summaries of laws for all States and U.S. territories are included.

Presents an overview of State laws that give priority or preference to relatives when children are in need of out-of-home care. The issues addressed include locating relatives, determining the fitness of a relative to provide care, and requirements for licensure. Requirements for placing siblings together whenever possible and adoption by relatives also are addressed. Summaries of laws for all 50 States are included.

Explica los diversos gastos de adopción y algunos de los recursos que pueden estar disponibles. Esta hoja informativa incluye información acerca de los tipos de adopción y recursos disponibles para ayudar a pagar por la adopción.Seeks to explain the various adoption expenses and some of the resources that may be available. This factsheet includes information about types of adoption and resources to help pay for adoption.

Seeks to explain the various adoption expenses and some of the resources that may be available. This factsheet includes information about types of adoption and resources to help pay for adoption.

Examines State laws and policies regarding the development and implementation of plans of safe care that are required by the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act to ensure the safety and well-being of infants who are identified as being affected by prenatal substance use. The issues addressed include notification/reporting requirements; assessment of the infant and family; development of the plan of safe care; services for the infant, parents, or other caregivers; and monitoring plans of safe care.

Presents State statutes on postadoption contact agreements, which are arrangements that allow contact between a child's adoptive family and members of the child's birth family. Topics covered include the contents of agreements; parties to agreements; the court's role; and enforcing, modifying, and terminating agreements.

Provides caseworkers with information and resources about the importance of preparing adoptive parents as well as how they can help prepare them for this journey. Information in this bulletin also may be pertinent for working with families formed through other types of permanency, such as guardianship. Caseworkers can support families adopting children from foster care by being upfront with them about what they might expect regarding bonding with the child, parenting a child who has experienced loss and grief, how parents and children may emotionally process the adoption, the supports available to both the child and parents, and other important topics.

Helps child welfare professionals better understand the feelings and emotions children may experience regarding permanency and prepare them for placements with permanent families. Its focus is on adoption, but much of the information is also applicable to children with other permanency goals, such as kinship care or guardianship. Children, including youth, leaving out-of-home care for adoption or other family permanency require preparation and support to help them understand past events in their lives and process feelings connected to their experiences of abuse and neglect, separation, and loss.

Provides information on how communities, community leaders, and individual citizens can strengthen families, protect children, and prevent child abuse and neglect.

Youth in foster care often face multiple challenges that place them at increased risk of using substances. This bulletin provides child welfare professionals with information about the extent and effects of substance use among youth in foster care, ways to identify substance use, how to support youth in care who currently use or are at high risk for using substances, and strategies for prevention. It also addresses why and how you can collaborate with professionals in other fields.

Highlights common themes and unique examples gathered by Community Collaborations to Strengthen and Preserve Families grantees during Children's Bureau-led site visits to other jurisdictions with promising approaches to community-based primary prevention.

Outlines a list of resources found on the Child Welfare Information Gateway website that focus on enhancing quality community-based collaboration.

Provides an overview of authentic youth engagement in case planning, including key concepts and tangible strategies for engaging youth.

Analiza los elementos comunes del proceso de estudio del hogar y aborda las preguntas que pueda tener sobre este importante requisito de adopción. Los requisitos y procesos específicos del estudio del hogar varían mucho de una agencia a otra, de un Estado a otro y (en el caso de la adopción entre países) según el país de origen del niño. También están sujetos a cambios.Discusses common elements of the home study process and addresses questions you may have about this important adoption requirement. Specific home study requirements and processes vary greatly from agency to agency, State to State, and (in the case of intercountry adoption) by the child's country of origin. They are also subject to change.

This Resource Guide was written to support service providers in their work with parents, caregivers, and their children to strengthen families and prevent child abuse and neglect. The guide includes information about protective factors that help reduce the risk of child maltreatment, strategies for changing how communities support families, and evidence-informed practices. It also offers suggestions for enhancing protective factors in families, tools to build awareness and develop community partnerships, information about child abuse and neglect, a directory of national organizations that work to strengthen families, and tip sheets in English and Spanish on specific parenting topics.

Provides information for child welfare professionals about the importance of permanency for youth and strategies for achieving it. Permanency efforts for youth should include both legal permanency (e.g., reunification, adoption, kinship care) and relational permanency (i.e., a relationship or connection with a caring adult, such as a relative, neighbor, service provider, teacher, or other important person in the youth's life). These adults may provide lifelong support that can help youth transition to adulthood and may even become a legal permanent option for the youth.

Presents information from a review of current research linking protective factors to well-being for children and youth in and transitioning out of foster care. Topics include individual skills and capacities that can improve the well-being of children and youth in foster care, creating a community that supports the well-being of children and youth in care, strategies for practitioners, and resources for more information. This factsheet is part of a series of five factsheets for practitioners exploring the importance of protective factors in working with in-risk populations served by the Administration on Children Youth and Families.

Presents information from a review of current research linking protective factors to well-being for children exposed to domestic violence. Topics include individual skills and capacities that can improve the well-being of children exposed to violence; how parents, guardians, and others can contribute to the well-being of these children; creating supportive communities; and strategies for practitioners. This publication is part of a series of five factsheets for practitioners exploring the importance of protective factors in working with in-risk populations served by the Administration on Children, Youth and Families.

Presents information from a review of current research linking protective factors to well-being for the five in-risk populations served by the Administration on Children, Youth and Families (ACYF): children exposed to domestic violence, homeless and runaway youth, pregnant and parenting teens, victims of child abuse and neglect, and youth in and aging out of foster care. Topics include individual skills and capacities that can improve the well-being of children and youth; how parents, guardians, and others can contribute to the well-being of these children; and strategies for practitioners. A model framework for organizing and applying protective factors is included, as well as a table listing specific protective factors for ACYF populations by level of influence. This publication is part of a series of five factsheets for practitioners exploring the importance of protective factors in working with in-risk populations served by ACYF.

Presents information from a review of current research on specific protective factors that carry moderate or strong association with improved well-being for pregnant and parenting teens. Topics include individual skills and capacities that can improve the well-being of teens who are pregnant and/or parenting; how parents, guardians, friends, and others can contribute to the well-being of these teens; creating supportive communities; and strategies for practitioners. This publication is part of a series of five factsheets for practitioners exploring the importance of protective factors in working with in-risk populations served by the Administration on Children, Youth and Families.

Presents information from a review of current research on specific protective factors that carry moderate or strong association with improved well-being for victims of child abuse and neglect. Topics include individual skills and capacities that can improve the well-being of children who have been abused or neglected; how parents, guardians, friends, and other adults can contribute to the well-being of these children and youth; strategies for practitioners; and resources for more information. This publication is part of a series of five factsheets for practitioners exploring the importance of protective factors in working with in-risk populations served by the Administration on Children, Youth and Families.

This manual provides an overview of how child welfare and other related professionals can assist families affected by substance use disorders (SUDs), which also often may be referred to as "substance abuse." It is part of the Child Abuse and Neglect User Manual Series, which is published by the Office on Child Abuse and Neglect, Children's Bureau, Administration for Children and Families, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The manual addresses the nature of SUDs; the impact of parental SUDs on children; in-home examination, screening, and assessment for SUDs; treatment of SUDs, and the role of child protective services (CPS) caseworkers when an SUD is identified. It also explores the differences and similarities between CPS and SUD treatment providers and how they can make the systems work for families. The primary target audience for this publication is CPS caseworkers, but substance use disorder treatment providers may find it helpful in building their understanding of child welfare issues among families with whom they work. This manual is an update of Protecting Children in Substance-Abusing Families, which was published in 1994.

This manual, developed by NCCAN, provides an overview of how to identify parental substance abuse, assess the strengths and needs of families, develop service plans, and implement strategies for helpi

Provides an overview of national protective factors approaches to prevent child abuse and neglect. It is designed to help child welfare professionals, administrators, service providers, policymakers, and other interested individuals understand the concepts of protective and risk factors in families and communities and learn ways in which building protective factors can help lower the risk of child abuse and neglect now and in the future.

Draws from available literature and practice knowledge to summarize key issues related to providing effective services to support the stability and permanency of adoptions. It is intended to support adoption professionals in addressing adoptive parents' and children's needs for services, recognizing key considerations in providing services, addressing emerging issues, and meeting common challenges in delivery.

Summarizes State laws regarding the types of information that adoptive parents are provided about the background of the child they are hoping to adopt. The information generally relates to medical and genetic history, family and social background, and mental health history of the child and the child's birth family. For the adopted child or youth, it also may include placement history and any history of abuse or neglect. Exceptions for stepparent and relative adoptions also are discussed.

This bulletin on providing child background information is designed to assist child welfare professionals who work with families interested in adoption and/or who are about to receive a referral for an adoption placement. It begins by explaining how complete disclosure benefits the child, the family, and the adoption agency by helping families make a fully informed decision; ensures the child being adopted will have full knowledge of his or her family, medical, and genetic history; helps prospective parents understand what supports and services might be needed; and helps agencies protect against wrongful adoption lawsuits. The types of information that should be provided are then reviewed, including material information on the child’s history, a written disclosure of background and health information, acknowledgement of the limitations of disclosure, and information regarding the child or youth’s potential Tribal heritage. Questions to consider about the child's birth family as well as the child's health, placement history, and educational history are listed. Considerations for international adoption are also discussed. The resource includes additional resources and six references.

Addresses common child and adolescent mental health diagnoses and presents a multimodal approach to managing mental health disorders for children and youth in foster care. The benefits, drawbacks, and side effects of psychotropic medications are discussed and presented in a table. Recommendations for best practice are listed, and questions that judges and advocates should ask about medication use with children in foster care are included.