Casework practice in child protective services includes cross-system collaborations. Because many families involved with child welfare may benefit from a variety of services, coordination of efforts is more likely to result in positive outcomes than if each system focuses independently on its own issue-related services. This section contains resources and information about collaboration between child welfare and community-based organizations along with other types of family-serving agencies responding to child abuse and neglect. The resources include State and local examples.

Cross-Reporting Among Agencies That Respond to Child Abuse and Neglect

Series Title
State Statutes
Author(s)
Child Welfare Information Gateway
Availability
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Year Published
2021
Discusses State laws that authorize cross-reporting and information sharing among the agencies that must respond to reports of suspected child abuse or neglect. Typically, reports are shared among social services agencies, law enforcement departments, and prosecutors' offices. Other requirements also are addressed, including notifying military authorities when a report involves a member of a military family and notifying the appropriate Tribal authority when a report involves a child who is a member or is eligible for membership of a Native American Tribe.

Disclosure of Confidential Child Abuse and Neglect Records

Series Title
State Statutes
Author(s)
Child Welfare Information Gateway
Availability
View
Download (PDF - 359KB)
Year Published
2022
Discusses State laws detailing the officials and entities that may have access to the confidential records of child abuse and neglect reports and investigations, the circumstances under which information may be disclosed, and the appropriate use of confidential information. Public disclosure of information in cases of child abuse-related fatalities or near fatalities also is addressed.

Promise Neighborhoods Institute
PolicyLink (2021)
Provides communities with the information they need to build strong systems made up of family and community support to improve educational and developmental outcomes for children and youth.

Supporting Community-Led Child Protection: An Online Guide and Toolkit
Child Resilience Alliance (2021)
Describes a community-led approach to child protection and reviews tools to use to encourage community involvement, examples of the approach, common concerns, evidence for the approach, and more.

State and local examples

Citizens' Committee for Children of New York
Ensures children in New York are healthy, housed, educated, and safe. The program works to educate and mobilize New Yorkers to make the city a better place for kids.

Community Partners of Dallas
Provides resources and services for children in Dallas, TX, and works to support the child protection caseworkers who help them.

Community Response Program
Wisconsin Child Abuse and Neglect Prevention Board
Offers supports to families involved with child protective services in Wisconsin and works to strengthen families and reduce child welfare referrals.

Jones County Community Partnerships for Protecting Children
Jones County Courthouse (2021)
Brings together community members, families, and professionals to prevent child maltreatment recurrence, support families, and protect children.

Partners for Our Children
Describes a Washington State initiative to promote collaboration within the State child welfare community to improve the child welfare system.

St. Louis Child Abuse & Neglect Network
Vision for Children at Risk (2020)
Aims to strengthen families impacted by child abuse or neglect in the St. Louis, Missouri area by empowering families and community members.

State Children’s Justice Act (CJA) Grantees
Child Welfare Information Gateway
Lists contact information for State Children’s Justice Act (CJA) coordinators or task force members. The CJA is a Federally funded program that helps States develop, establish, and operate programs to improve the investigation and prosecution of child abuse and neglect cases.