Research and program examples that demonstrate evidence-based practices
12 Issue Briefs
Alternatives for Families: A Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (AF-CBT)
Series Title
Issue Briefs
Author(s)
Child Welfare Information Gateway
Availability
Year Published
2013
Describes the characteristics and benefits of AF-CBT, an evidence-supported intervention that targets (1) diverse individual child and caregiver characteristics related to conflict and intimidation in the home and (2) the family context in which aggression or abuse may occur. It was written primarily to help child welfare caseworkers and other professionals who work with at-risk families make more informed decisions about when to refer children and their parents and caregivers to AF-CBT programs. This information also may help parents, foster parents, and other caregivers understand what they and their children can gain from AF-CBT and what to expect during treatment.
Caseload and Workload Management
Series Title
Issue Briefs
Author(s)
Child Welfare Information Gateway
Availability
Year Published
2022
Aims to build the knowledge base about caseload and workload issues and help State child welfare managers, administrators, and others learn how they can improve caseload and workload situations in their agencies
Child Maltreatment and Brain Development: A Primer for Child Welfare Professionals
Series Title
Issue Briefs
Author(s)
Child Welfare Information Gateway
Availability
Year Published
2023
Provides introductory information on brain development and how it may be affected by abuse and neglect, including the resulting emotional, mental, and behavioral impacts. It also describes the implications and considerations for child welfare practice, such as prevention; early intervention; and working with caregivers, including parents, kin caregivers, foster parents, and others.
Child Maltreatment Prevention: Past, Present, and Future
Series Title
Issue Briefs
Author(s)
Child Welfare Information Gateway
Availability
Year Published
2017
Discusses the importance of prevention as a critical component of the nation’s child protection system and examines the history of child abuse prevention, the scope of the problem today, ways in which quality programs are identified and implemented, promising prevention strategies, and issues for future prevention efforts. It outlines programs and strategies that are proving beneficial in reducing the likelihood of child maltreatment, such as public awareness efforts, parent education, home visitation, and community prevention efforts.
Health-Care Coverage for Children and Youth in Foster Care—and After
Series Title
Issue Briefs
Author(s)
Child Welfare Information Gateway
Availability
Year Published
2022
The Importance of a Trauma-Informed Child Welfare System
Series Title
Issue Briefs
Author(s)
Child Welfare Information Gateway
Availability
Year Published
2020
Provides child welfare professionals an overview of the importance of a trauma-informed child welfare system, its components, and steps needed to transition to trauma-informed child welfare. This issue brief also includes examples of State and local programs incorporating trauma-informed care.
In-Home Services to Strengthen Children and Families
Series Title
Issue Briefs
Author(s)
Child Welfare Information Gateway
Availability
Year Published
2021
Provides an overview of child welfare in-home services, components of effective service delivery, and Federal funding sources for services. It also points to core practice elements of in-home services, evidence-based programs used during the provision of in-home services, and State examples of efforts to improve their in-home services delivery.
Parent Education to Strengthen Families and Prevent Child Maltreatment
Series Title
Issue Briefs
Author(s)
Child Welfare Information Gateway
Availability
Year Published
2019
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.
Protective Factors Approaches in Child Welfare
Series Title
Issue Briefs
Author(s)
Child Welfare Information Gateway
Availability
Year Published
2020
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.
Rural Child Welfare Practice
Series Title
Issue Briefs
Author(s)
Child Welfare Information Gateway
Availability
Year Published
2018
Highlights the importance of understanding the concerns and needs of children and families in rural communities, their strengths and resources, and the cultural sensitivity required of child welfare professionals as they work to achieve safety, permanency, and well-being for rural children.
Separating Poverty From Neglect in Child Welfare
Series Title
Issue Briefs
Author(s)
Child Welfare Information Gateway
Availability
Year Published
2023
Explores what the research shows about the overlap among families experiencing poverty and those reported to the child welfare system for neglect, the societal context within which both poverty and neglect exist, and strategies that have proven effective for preventing and addressing both poverty and neglect, together. The strategies presented in this brief should be viewed as part of a larger movement within the child welfare system away from a focus on surveilling and separating families experiencing poverty and toward collaborating with a broader social services system to ensure that all families have access to the resources and support they need to care for their children and thrive.
Two-Generation Approaches to Supporting Family Well-Being
Series Title
Issue Briefs
Author(s)
Child Welfare Information Gateway
Availability
Year Published
2023
Provides an overview of two-generation (2Gen) approaches and why child welfare agencies should use them to improve outcomes for the families they serve. The brief also describes of five core 2Gen approaches to help build parental capacity and protective factors within families, often with the explicit goal of interrupting generational cycles of poverty.