Public assistance agencies administer the Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF) program, which provides financial support and employment assistance to low-income families. When these families are also engaged with the child welfare system, cross-system collaboration can lead to better outcomes across both systems. This section includes resources and information about such collaborations.
Brief - Prevent, Protect & Provide: How Child Welfare Can Better Support Low-Income Families
Martin & Citrin (2014)
Center for the Study of Social Policy
Presents strategies child welfare systems can use to support the economic needs of families at risk of child welfare involvement.
| Series Title | Grantee Lessons Learned |
| Author(s) | Child Welfare Information Gateway |
| Availability | View Download (PDF - 0KB) |
| Year Published | 2019 |
Episode 26: Prevention: Stabilizing Families Through TANF
Child Welfare Information Gateway (2018)
Showcases the Oregon Department of Human Services' Family Support and Connections, a Community-Based Child Abuse Prevention program that works with families participating in Oregon's TANF program to identify their needs, connect them to community resources, and further develop parenting skills.
Statewide Linkages Toolkit
Child and Family Policy Institute of California & California Social Work Education Center (2018)
Includes resources for planning and implementation, including evaluation information and training curricula to aid implementation for the California Work Opportunity and Responsibility to Kids (CalWORKs), TANF and child welfare collaboration project.
Study of Coordination of Tribal TANF and Child Welfare Services: Interim Findings Report
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families, Office of Planning, Research and Evaluation (2016)
Presents the findings of a study on fourteen Tribes and Tribal organizations who received demonstration grants to improve the coordination of Tribal TANF and child welfare services.
Synthesis: Collaboration Between TANF and Child Welfare to Improve Child Welfare Outcomes (PDF - 422 KB)
Child Welfare Information Gateway (2014)
Demonstrates models of effective collaboration between child welfare (CW) agencies and agencies responsible for TANF. Such models of effective collaboration were theorized to result in improved outcomes for children, youth, and families who are involved with CW or are at risk of involvement.
TANF-ACF-IM-2015-02 (Data Sharing Between TANF and Child Welfare Agencies)
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (2015)
Provides information designed to encourage TANF and child welfare agencies to coordinate, collaborate, and share data.