Engaging diverse families, youth, and young people with lived experience as well as other child welfare system partners is fundamental to child welfare. The child welfare system is most effective in improving outcomes for children, youth, and families when all partners have a role in contributing to its design and operation.
Engaging individuals with lived expertise, particularly those who may not see themselves as part of the process, and individuals from a wide array of system partners are vital to the process and can help ensure that child welfare agencies are providing equitable services to all children, youth, and families. Individuals with lived expertise and system partners are also critical to understanding what is working well and where the child welfare system needs to focus on improving the experiences of children and families, and in particular of those in historically underserved or marginalized populations.
A broad array of individuals from various partner groups and individuals with lived expertise should also be used to inform systems-level change and strategic planning efforts to improve outcomes for children and families. Child welfare agency leaders and managers can use these resources in preparation for engaging diverse individuals and organizations as partners in every process, including the Child and Family Services Review (CFSR), Child and Family Services Plan (CFSP)/Annual Progress and Services Report (APSR) and in other strategic planning efforts.
Advancing Equity and Inclusion Through the Child and Family Services Reviews [Webinar]
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families, Children’s Bureau (2022)
Presents guidance on how to incorporate equity and inclusion into all phases of the Child and Family Services Reviews—from the statewide assessment to the Program Improvement Plan—to accurately assess, identify, and address systemwide improvement needs. The resource provides a free PDF file download.
How Can Agencies and Organizations Prepare for Authentic Youth Engagement?
Casey Familiy Programs (2022)
Presents questions to consider for authentic youth engagement and highlights strategies to make the most of youth participation.
Strategic Planning in Child Welfare
Capacity Building Center for States
Addresses the importance of meaningful engagement in child welfare agency strategic planning and links to additional related resources.
Authentic Youth Engagement
Annie E. Casey Foundation
Provides resources on authentic youth engagement and emerging best practices, including a framework for effectively partnering with young people that reviews how youth engagement benefits young people and why it works and gives examples of authentic youth engagement.
Embracing a Youth Welfare System
Capacity Building Center for States (2020)
Addresses how State agencies can shift their focus from a child-focused system to a youth-focused system by implementing practices to better support youth and their needs.
Menu for Youth Engagement Guide
Capacity Building Center for States (2021)
Explains the benefits of engaging youth voice in practice, peer support, and system-level change. It gives suggestions for how to use learning activities with the Authentic Youth Engagement Stories video series to suit different purposes and audiences and includes summaries of the youth stories and links to more indepth resources.
Youth Engagement Toolkit
Texas Network of Youth Services
Presents a toolkit on youth engagement that includes definitions, a roadmap, and examples of engagement in the field.
Youth Engagement Blueprint [Infographic]
Capacity Building Center for States (2017)
Illustrates the four thematic pillars necessary for organizational capacity supporting engagement with young people currently and formerly in foster care.
Family Engagement: Partnering With Families to Improve Child Welfare Outcomes
Parent Engagement—Reflections From the CFSR: 2015–2017
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families, Children's Bureau (2021)
Shares a report on parent engagement from round 3 of the Child and Family Services Reviews (CFSRs), which outlines opportunities for States to engage and work collaboratively with parents to improve child welfare outcomes.
Strategic Planning in Child Welfare: Strategies for Meaningful Youth, Family, and Other Partner Engagement
Capacity Building Center for States (2022)
Discusses the importance of meaningful stakeholder and partner engagement in the Child and Family Services Reviews and other strategic planning and monitoring efforts. The brief also explores barriers to engagement and strategies for overcoming them and provides recommendations for successful engagement.
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.
What Are the Four Tiers of Authentic Family Engagement? [Video]
Casey Family Programs (2018)
Presents the four tiers of family engagement for child welfare professionals, as outlined by the Birth Parent National Network. The video describes how child welfare agencies can operate at all four tiers to engage family members.
A Breakthrough Series on Engaging Fathers and Paternal Relatives in Child Welfare: A System Response to COVID-19 and Racial Unrest
Agosti, Bellamy, Burton, Graves, Lau, & Mahoney (2021)
Journal of the Society for Social Work and Research, 12(3)
Shares examples of how participation in a Breakthrough Series Collaborative enabled child welfare jurisdictions to proactively manage and lead in this time of complexity and uncertainty. The article discusses how these jurisdictions maintained their focus on father- and paternal-relative-inclusive family engagement and well-being, responded to the public health emergency in comprehensive and nimble ways, and expanded their racial justice work.
Engaging Fathers and Male Cargivers (PDF - 1,800 KB)
Head Start Early Childhood Learning and Knowledge Center
Provides resources to enhance father engagement efforts, a vital aspect of parent, family, and community engagement work. Male family members and father figures serve key roles in the healthy development of their children and families and have much to add to their communities.
Father Engagement and Father Involvement Toolkit: A Guide to Implementing, Monitoring, and Sustaining Innovative Practice
UC Berkeley School of Social Welfare
Provides a fatherhood engagement toolkit for communities and local organizations that includes engagement and communication tools, assessments, trainings, policies and procedures, and evaluation tools.
How Can Fathers and Other Constituent Leaders Inform Family First and Other System Change Efforts?
Casey Family Programs (2019)
Describes the importance of involving parents, especially fathers, in designing the child welfare system.
Opening Up Possibilities: Father Engagement Lessons During the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency
Abendroth, Bellamy, Mittone, Bess, & Stagner (2021)
Provides insights from six teams representing five State or county child welfare agencies using a continuous-learning method to engage fathers and paternal relatives in child welfare. The brief focuses on the unexpected challenges these teams faced during the COVID-19 pandemic and explores how child welfare might think differently about father engagement as a result.
Resources for Serving Young Fathers (PDF - 1,584 KB)
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Adolescent Health (2016)
Outlines a comprehensive approach for working with young fathers. The toolkit includes a factsheet describing the benefits of positive involvement with children, an assessment and checklist to help make programs more young-father friendly, a workbook with interactive activities to explore fathers' unique challenges and potential, and more.
Engaging Young People With Lived Experience in the CFSRs: Key Considerations, Roles, and Recommendations
CFSR Informational Portal (2022)
Summarizes the results of focus groups with youth with lived experience in child welfare and describes methods and considerations for engaging young people in the Child and Family Services Reviews.
Leading With Lived Experience: How Impacted Youth and Families Can Drive System Transformation [Webinar]
Center for Juvenile Justice Reform (2020)
Presents a webinar hosted by the executive director of the Youth Law Center on how to effectively engage youth and their families in system change. The webinar features a discussion with advocates who bring lived experience to their efforts to transform the juvenile justice and child welfare systems.
Methods and Emerging Strategies to Engage People With Lived Experience: Improving Federal Research, Policy, and Practice (PDF - 1,393 KB)
Skelton-Wilson, Sandoval-Lunn, Zhang, Stern, & Kendall (2021)
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation
Identifies lessons learned and key considerations for engaging people with lived experience to improve research, policy, and practice. The brief presents a definition of lived experience and discusses roles of those with lived experience, impacts of engagement, and approaches for effective engagement.
So You Want to Include a Lived Experience Expert: A Tipsheet for Authentically and Intentionally Engaging People With Lived Experience in the Foster Care System
National Association of Counsel for Children (2021)
Offers a tip sheet on how to engage people who have lived experience with the the child welfare system in an authentic and intentional way. The resource offers a list of questions to ask and answer before engaging others and emphasizes the importance of reaching out to diverse individuals.
All Children-All Families: Benchmarks of LGBTQ+ Inclusion
Human Rights Campaign
Promotes policies affirming practices among child welfare agencies inclusive of youth who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, questioning, or other diverse identity (LGBTQ+). The benchmarks are organized into seven main areas of inclusive policies and affirming practices that organizations should implement to best serve LGBTQ+ children, youth, and families.
LGBTQ+ Youth Engagement Virtually and In-Person
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families, Children’s Bureau
Shares information about engaging youth who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, questioning, or other diverse identity (LGBTQ+) in both virtual and in-person settings.
Supporting LGBTQ+ Youth: A Guide for Foster Parents
Updated Resources & Tools to Support LGBTQ+ Communities
Child Welfare Information Gateway
Presents resources ranging from frequently asked questions from prospective foster and adoptive parents of youth who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, questioning, or other diverse identity (LGBTQ+) to guides for foster parents. It also includes information for professionals working with LGBTQ+ families, additional resources, and a mental health tip sheet.
Engaging and Supporting Native Fathers
Capacity Building Center for Tribes
Presents a compilation of targeted resources for Tribal child welfare professionals focused on engaging and supporting fathers.
Engaging and Supporting Native Grandfamilies (PDF - 343 KB)
Capacity Building Center for Tribes (2022)
Describes how engaging and supporting grandparents and other extended family members can help Native children and families achieve their best outcomes.
Engaging Indigenous Families and Communities [Podcast]
Child Welfare Information Gateway (2021)
Features Kimee Wind-Hummingbird and Alan Rabideau with the National Native Children’s Trauma Center and focuses on the Indian Child Welfare Act. The podcast also discusses historical and intergenerational trauma and offers guidance to State workers when engaging American Indian/Alaska Native families.
Tribal Best Practices for Family Engagement Toolkit (PDF - 8,908 KB
National Indian Child Welfare Association (2018)
Offers strategies, ideas, and tools for family advocates to support and engage with American Indian/Alaska Native families. The content is developed by Indian people for Indian people; however, many of the concepts and ideas included can be adapted to serve any community seeking to enhance family engagement.
Agencies and Courts: Putting Families Front and Center Activity and Discussion Guide
Capacity Building Center for States (2020)
Presents videos and activities that explore how child welfare agency staff and partners can collaborate to build mutual understanding and spark change across the child welfare system.
Building a Better Collaboration: Facilitating Change in the Court and Child Welfare System
National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges (2004)
Identifies elements and strategies that support effective and sustainable systems change and offers examples from across the country that demonstrate how theoretical concepts can be implemented in the real world of child welfare reform.
CFSR Round 3 Report for Legal and Judicial Communities
CFSR Information Portal (2021)
Analyzes the round 3 results from the Child and Family Services Reviews, spotlights improvement projects from across the United States, and provides recommendations for collaboration between child welfare agencies and the legal and judicial communities.
CFSR Round 4: Fact Sheet for Legal and Judicial Communities
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families, Children’s Bureau (2022)
Provides an overview of the Child and Family Services Reviews for legal and judicial professionals.
Court Improvement Program Talks
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families, Children’s Bureau & Capacity Building Center for Courts
Shares short video speeches by leading legal and child welfare experts highlighting how the legal community can work with partners to better serve vulnerable families and improve child welfare outcomes.
Data Sharing for Courts and Child Welfare Agencies
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families, Children’s Bureau (2021)
Provides guidance to child welfare agencies and courts to promote data sharing to increase and improve collaboration to better serve children and families. The guidance includes information on the benefits of data sharing, tips for overcoming barriers, and examples of successful collaboration.
How Agencies and Courts Improve Outcomes Together [Training]
Capacity Building Center for States (2017)
Offers strategies to enhance collaboration between courts and State child welfare agencies to promote safety, permanency, and child and family well-being. A free account will need to be created to access this training.
Sustaining the Change: Lessons Learned From Judicial Leaders (PDF - 1,185 KB)
National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges (2017)
Shares lessons learned from judicial leaders about their experiences with, and strategies for, the successful implementation of court improvement efforts.
Engaging People With Disabilities: Strategies for Rural Health Departments
Shapiro (2018)
National Association of County and City Health Officials
Describes five strategies, including engaging people with disabilities in program planning and evaluation, collaborating with nontraditional health-care partners, creating opportunities for meaningful interaction, capitalizing on the rural environment, and engaging with other rural health departments.
Outreach for Families With Limited English Proficiency and Disabilities
Child Care Technical Assistance Network
Offers guidance around outreach to families with limited English proficiency and disabilities.
Tip Sheet: Engaging People With Disabilities in Evidence-Based Programs
National Council on Aging (2021)
Shares strategies to engage people with disabilities, including guidance around disability etiquette and tips for interacting with people with all types of disabilities. This tip sheet highlights interactions with people with hidden disabilities; people who are blind or have low vision; people who are deaf, hard of hearing, or have a hearing loss; and more.
Inclusive Engagement: Reaching the Hard-to-Reach
Public Participation Partners (2022)
Defines hard-to-reach populations and offers strategies to engage and build relationships with these communities. Although not specific to child welfare, many strategies may still be applicable.
Those experiencing housing instability and homelessness
Family Outreach Series: Strategies for Outreach to Families Experiencing Homelessness (PDF - 3,172 KB)
National Center on Parent, Family and Community Engagement (2019)
Presents a tip sheet covering strategies for outreach to families experiencing homelessness. The tip sheet defines outreach, shares specific examples of outreach to families, and offers research-informed strategies
Those with limited English proficiency
Family Outreach Series: Strategies for Outreach to Families With Limited English Proficiency (PDF - 3,584 KB)
National Center on Parent, Family and Community Engagement (2019)
Presents a tip sheet covering strategies for outreach to families with limited English proficiency. The tip sheet defines outreach, shares specific examples of outreach to families, and offers research-informed strategies.
Parents who are incarcerated
Suggestions for Engaging Families When a Parent Is Incarcerated
North Carolina Department of Social Services and the Family and Children’s Resource Program (2016)
Practice Notes, 22(1)
Highlights strategies for engaging families when a parent is incarcerated, such as how workers can develop a positive relationship with the children and what workers should keep in mind about parents in jail or prison.
Rural communities
Family Outreach Series: Strategies for Outreach to Families Living in Rural or Remote Areas (PDF - 3,482 KB)
National Center on Parent, Family and Community Engagement (2019)
Presents a tip sheet covering strategies for outreach to families living in rural or remote areas. The tip sheet defines outreach, shares specific examples of outreach to families, and offers research-informed strategies.
How Can Child Welfare Systems Support Families in Rural Communities
Casey Family Programs (2020)
Highlights challenges faced by child welfare systems in rural areas and shares key strategies found to be successful in supporting families. Some key strategies include making culture change specific, measurable, and mandatory; attending to the importance of relationships; and partnering with community-based providers to maximize resources.
Use these links to related pages on our website to find additional information on working with and engaging various audiences. The information covers best practices for engaging families, youth, communities, and other groups.
Families
Youth
Expectant, Pregnant, or Parenting Youth
LGBTQ+
American Indian/Alaska Native Families
Communities
Rural Communities
Those affected by substance use