Child Welfare Information Gateway E-lert! July 2020

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Here's what's new from Child Welfare Information Gateway. Use the links below or contact us to request print copies. If print copies are available, we will ship them to you for free.

Everyone Experiences Stress, Protective Factors Keep Families Strong

Help the families in your community learn more about how to stay strong even when times are tough. Share this video and resource page with the families you serve, and start a conversation about ways to manage stress and implement protective factors. Use the hashtag #mystrongfamily to share ideas on all the different ways families stay strong even on the rainiest days.

Improve Cross-Systems Collaboration to Engage Families

Check out the newly updated Family Engagement Inventory (FEI), a cross-disciplinary collection of information to assist professionals from across child welfare, juvenile justice, behavioral health, education, and early childhood education improve family engagement practices.   The FEI integrates information and resources about five key areas of family engagement to help professionals with the following: Learn about programs and systems strategies being implemented across the country Explore commonalities across fields synthesized from an evidence-based framework Discuss how commonalities and differences across domains may help professionals in these disciplines work together more effectively to achieve better outcomes for families

NEW on the Podcast: "Family First- Title IV-E Prevention Plan Implementation Updates," Part 1 & Part 2 

Our new, two-part podcast episode brings the Children's Bureau webinar to you. Part 1 features leaders from two jurisdictions speaking about their different approaches to implementing the Family First Prevention Services Act (Family First). While Part 2 provides tips and guidance from the Children’s Bureau to help implement prevention plans that align with Family First. Subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, SoundCloud, and Google Play

Stay Up to Date on COVID-19

Find resources on staying safe from COVID-19 from the Children's Bureau and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). With tips on everyday preventative actions you can take and links to guidance documents for foster care providers, child welfare workers, and more, explore this page for CDC approved guidance and information.

Updated Resources

Overview  – Achieving and Maintaining Permanency
Learn strategies and permanency plans child welfare agencies have used to improve permanency outcomes for children. The web section also offers relevant statistics and the history of permanency in the Unites States.

Interagency and Cross-System Collaboration
All families can benefit from community-based support services. Find resources that provide a jumping-off point into family support and preservation services with links to national networks, evaluated programs, and frameworks and guides to help increase family strength and protective factors.

New Publications

Who May Adopt, Be Adopted, or Place a Child for Adoption?
Learn the laws in your state on who may become an adoptive parent or place a child for adoption in this new state statute.

How You Can Help Someone Who Is Being Abused or Neglected (Spanish)
Talking to children and youth about maltreatment can be hard in every language. Our factsheet—now available in Spanish—can help. Made for children 10 and older, this factsheet aims to help them recognize signs of possible maltreatment, how to talk about it with those they trust, and how they can help peers who may be victims.
 

Did You Know?

People and organizations across the country are accepting the ALL-IN challenge to find homes for the thousands of children and youth—approximately 125,000 of them—waiting for adoption. Read stories about how families, community organizations, and courts across the country are rising to the ALL-IN challenge!

Oregon, for example, is introducing new legislation and has innovative public/private partnerships to provide foster care training and placement. See how Governors are supporting agencies' collaboration and work to provide permanency for the youth in their states.

Updates From Capacity Building Center for States

New podcast! Our podcast series How We Partner With the Community to Improve Service Options and accompanying infographic Building Our Child Welfare System Together is designed to spark conversations about building collaborative, supportive systems that meet the needs of families.

The latest podcast, “Episode 6: Coordinating Prevention Services in the Community,” explores how a child welfare agency works with partners to build prevention-focused services that align with the Family First Prevention Services Act.

For more information and news from the Center for States, visit our website.

Upcoming Conferences

Information Gateway will be at the following upcoming conferences. Please stop by and see the team. Be sure to visit Information Gateway's conference calendar to view and/or submit upcoming events!

July 19–22, 2020: National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges 83rd Annual Conference, Virtual Conference

August 4–6, 2020: Association of Maternal and Child Health Programs Conference, Virtual Conference

Give Us Your Feedback

To help us meet your needs, we welcome your feedback. Please take this short survey and help Information Gateway improve the resources and services we provide. Thank you!

Contact Information

Child Welfare Information Gateway
Phone: 800.394.3366
Email: info@childwelfare.gov
Web: https://www.childwelfare.gov

     

Chat live with an Information Specialist between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m. EDT.
E-lert! is a free service of the Children's Bureau/ACF/HHS and Child Welfare Information Gateway.