The following resources provide strategies and tools for supervisors involved in planning, initiating, or implementing systems change, including State and local examples.
Are There Any Change Management Readiness Assessment Tools That Can Be Used in Child Welfare Settings? (PDF - 713 KB)
Casey Family Programs (2017)
Explores tools to assess organizational readiness for change that can be used to help determine whether a child welfare agency is ready to begin a change program or whether the agency is ready to move to the next stage in a change implementation.
A Blueprint for Embedding Evidence-Based Practices in Child Welfare
Annie E. Casey Foundation (2018)
Outlines a process for implementing evidence-based practices in child welfare systems and offers guidance on selecting interventions, establishing teams to integrate interventions, and other processes to enact change.
Building Our Child Welfare System Together Infographic
Capacity Building Center for States (2019)
Illustrates themes and key takeaways from the How We Partner With the Community to Improve Service Options podcast series.
Change and Implementation in Practice
Capacity Building Center for States (2019)
Presents evidence-based resources to help agency leaders, including supervisors, achieve meaningful change in child welfare. The page includes an overview on change and implementation and information on problem exploration, teaming, theory of change, implementation planning, and more.
Change and Implementation in Practice: Intervention Selection and Design/Adaptation (PDF - 537 KB)
Capacity Building Center for States (2018)
Provides information to help child welfare agency leaders, managers, and teams select, design, or adapt an intervention to address an identified problem.
Change and Implementation in Practice: Intervention Testing, Piloting, and Staging
Capacity Building Center for States (2019)
Instructs child welfare agency leaders, managers, and implementation teams on how to test, pilot, and stage an intervention to address an identified problem.
Change and Implementation in Practice: Monitoring, Evaluating, and Applying Findings (PDF - 638 KB)
Capacity Building Center for States (2019)
Outlines how to use data effectively during a change and implementation process. The brief presents key considerations related to using data and conducting evaluations of new programs.
Change and Implementation in Practice: Problem Exploration (PDF - 637 KB)
Capacity Building Center for States (2018)
Helps child welfare agency leaders, managers, teams, and stakeholders use data to “dig deeper” into problem areas to better understand their causes.
Change and Implementation in Practice: Readiness Assessment Tool (PDF - 494 KB)
Capacity Building Center for States (2019)
Helps child welfare implementation teams assess readiness for change and implementation and support related planning.
Change and Implementation in Practice: Teaming (PDF - 596 KB)
Capacity Building Center for States (2018)
Assists child welfare agency leaders, managers, and stakeholders with building teams to guide the change and implementation process.
Change and Implementation in Practice: Theory of Change (PDF - 462 KB)
Capacity Building Center for States (2018)
Explains what a theory of change is and why it is critical to implementing effective changes to improve outcomes.
The CQI Cycle of Learning and Improvement Worksheet
Capacity Building Center for States (2018)
Provides a framework and guidance for developing data-driven action plans based on the findings from the CQI Self-Assessment Instrument and any prior assessments.
Keys to Implementation of Child Welfare Systems Change Initiatives
Lambert, Richards, & Merrill (2015)
Journal of Public Child Welfare, 10(2)
Examines 12 keys to implementation of child welfare systems change, including staff competency, organizational structure, leadership commitment, and others.
Leadership and Organizational Change for Implementation [Webinar]
The California Evidence-Based Clearinghouse for Child Welfare (2017)
Focuses on training managers and supervisors to be effective leaders, implement change in a positive way, and lead their teams successfully through an evidence-based practice implementation.
State and local examples
Framework for Change and the Leadership Role: Episode 1 [Podcast]
Capacity Building Center for States (2019)
Presents how two jurisdictions are creating a framework for change and explores the role of leaders. In this series introduction, agency leaders talk about the changing culture of their organizations, and leaders from Kentucky discuss their Child Welfare Transformation initiative, three transformational goals, and their culture of safety.
Including Family, Youth, and Community Voice at the System Level: Episode 3 [Podcast]
Capacity Building Center for States (2019)
Describes the efforts agencies, community collaborative organizations, and others are making to bring families, youth, and communities to the table as they strive to improve the child welfare system. In this episode, youth from Kentucky’s Voices of the Commonwealth communicate the needs and issues of children in foster care.
Midwest Child Welfare Implementation Center
Supports and facilitates communication and networking across child welfare systems, States, and Tribes to develop strategic plans for systems change in child welfare. Changes can be focused on culture, administration, or direct practice with children and families.
New Jersey Taps Implementation Science to Improve Child Welfare Practices
Annie E. Casey Foundation (2017)
Describes an effort in New Jersey to use evidence-based practices to enact change and improve outcomes for children and families.
Shifting to a Family-Focused Organizational Culture: Episode 4 [Podcast]
Capacity Building Center for States (2019)
Explores a family-focused program that embodies many of the changes that Kentucky wants to see throughout its child welfare system. This episode describes Sobriety Treatment and Recovery Teams (START), a program that uses early intervention and a shared decision-making model to work with families.
Starting and Sustaining Collaborative Partnerships: Episode 2 [Podcast]
Capacity Building Center for States (2019)
Examines what it takes to start and sustain collaborative partnerships for delivering prevention services to families. In this episode, leaders from the District of Columbia child welfare agency and a community collaborative organization discuss their longstanding partnership.
Episode 20: Workforce Part 2 – A State's Approach to Change [Podcast]
Child Welfare Information Gateway (2018)
Offers part two of a four-part series, which shares the example of Connecticut's work in changing its approach to staff development and improving its workforce.