A number of child welfare initiatives established in States and communities across the country during the last decade have provided new approaches to child welfare assessment and decision-making. All have influenced child welfare service delivery in different ways.

Overall, these assessment and decision-making approaches have focused on the following:

• Increased participation by family members and others important to the family
• Greater individualization of family assessments and plans
• Increased use of informal resources and community services
• Clear, purposeful planning and expectations for families

The following sections provide more information and resources on these types of assessment approaches.

• Structured decision-making
• Concurrent planning