Children, youth, and families are key stakeholders in evaluating the effectiveness of child welfare agencies, including the assessment phase of the Child and Family Services Review (CFSR) process and the development, implementation, and evaluation of State Program Improvement Plans. The following resources provide guidance for ensuring that families play an important role in the CFSR process and other systematic reviews.
Child and Family Services Reviews Case-Related Interview Guides and Instructions (PDF - 168 KB)
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families (2014)
Describes the importance of conducting interviews throughout the Child and Family Services Reviews to have a full understanding of what affected child and family outcomes. The guide offers interview strategies, including how to prepare for interviews, how to conduct interviews, postinterview activities, how to interview children, how to interview parents/caregivers, and more.
Children's Bureau Fact Sheet for Parents and Caregivers: What Are the Child and Family Services Reviews? (PDF - 267 KB)
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families, Children's Bureau (2015)
Provides an overview of the Child and Family Services Reviews and includes a section on opportunities for parent and caregiver involvement.
Creating a Vision Together: Engaging Families and Youth for Better Outcomes
Capacity Building Center for States (2019)
Children's Bureau Express, 20(4)
Explains the importance of engaging families and youth at all levels of the child welfare system and how to collaborate meaningfully with diverse families and youth.
Importance of Engaging Youth and Family Voice in Systems Improvement
Long (2019)
Children's Bureau Express, 20(2)
Describes the importance of engaging youth and family members in child welfare systems improvement. Parents and children/youth can be full participants in crafting Child and Family Service Plans and the Child and Family Services Reviews Program Improvement Plans by helping to identify what types of services and supports are most needed and helpful.
A Landmark Achievement in Program Improvement Plan Development Brings Cause for Hope
Milner (2019)
Children's Bureau Express, 20(4)
Describes a new approach to Program Improvement Plan development, piloted by the Children's Bureau, requiring enhanced levels of partnership between the Federal Government, State government, county child welfare agencies, Federal technical assistance providers, and other stakeholders, including parents and youth.
Modeling Youth and Family Engagement Through Capacity Building
Capacity Building Center for States (2019)
Children's Bureau Express, 20(2)
Provides information on youth and family engagement as an integral part of organizational and systems change in child welfare and presents related products and publications on developing youth and family engagement strategies.
A Parent's Perspective on Child Welfare and Family Engagement
Be Strong Families (2018)
Discusses how Child and Family Service Reviews assess child welfare systems on their ability to engage families and the challenges to family engagement that agencies face.
Strategies for Authentic Integration of Family and Youth Voice in Child Welfare (PDF - 454 KB)
Capacity Building Center for States (2019)
Discusses tips and strategies to effectively engage and sustain the involvement of families and youth at the agency level. The resource includes key tasks for authentic engagement, examples from the field, and a tool of engagement with four primary ways to authentically engage youth and families.