Community Child Welfare Research Articles

Dalgleish scores difference amongst professional roles within the greater child welfare community

BackgroundThe central tension of the child welfare system is the need to protect children while also encouraging the stability of families. Researchers have attempted to capture this conflict through the use of the Dalgleish Scale (Fluke et al., 2016), which measures attitudes about family preservation versus child safety. ObjectiveThough used multiple times by researchers over the last decade to test state agency child protection worker's beliefs, the Dalgleish Scale has never before been given to the wider child welfare community. Participants settingTaken from data collected from more than a 1000 U.S. participants as part of two separate online child welfare decision making survey vignette experiments, this present research is the first to administer the Dalgleish to people from multiple professional roles within the child welfare system. MethodsDalgleish scores for 13 child welfare professional roles were compared using Mann Whitney U to test for significance and Cohen's d for effect size, while demographic variables within the roles were tested using ANOVA. ResultsThe results demonstrate significant differences in beliefs about child safety and family preservation between the roles within the child welfare system. On average lawyers tended to rate family preservation higher than any other role. Foster parents, CASA/GAL workers and former foster youth tended to score the highest on child safety scores. State agency caseworkers scored in the middle though still on the child safety side of the scale. ConclusionsThese significant variances in the Dalgleish score based on role suggest that participants’ professional role within child welfare has an impact on how they view the central dynamic question of family preservation and child safety.

The Impact of COVID-19 and Immigration Enforcement on Service Delivery for Immigrant Origin Families Involved in the Child Welfare System.

This descriptive study sought to explore how child welfare agencies and community partner organizations experienced and adapted service provision for immigrant children and families during the COVID-19 pandemic. Semi-structured qualitative interviews were completed with 31 child welfare agency practitioners and community partners in 11 states who work with immigrant clients or on immigration related policies within the child welfare sector. Data were coded and analyzed using a thematic analysis approach.Results: Findings documented ongoing immigration-related fears in accessing services due to the anti-immigrant climate as well as increased scarcity of resources and basic needs stressors among immigrants served by the child welfare community during the pandemic. Results also identified child welfare systemic and structural barriers to accessing needed case supports for immigrants, in addition to innovative practice and policy adaptations to meet immigrant needs during the pandemic.COVID-19 created overwhelming challenges for already overburdened immigrant families at risk of or involved with the child welfare system. Child welfare agencies should foster collaborations with immigrant-serving community organizations who can share information and resources about COVID-19, immigration enforcement, and vaccine distribution. Agencies should adopt policies for tele-visiting that support transnational participation in virtual family visits and court hearings to create more equitable opportunities for reunification and permanency.

Money makes the world go 'round: A qualitative examination of the role funding plays in large-scale implementation and sustainment of youth evidence-based practice.

Funding is posited to affect evidence-based practice implementation, yet the complex interplay between financial matters and successful implementation is understudied. This study examined stakeholder perspectives on the impact of funding in evidence-based practice implementation. All participants were key stakeholders (e.g., clinicians, case managers, agency leaders; N = 41) involved in a trauma-focused cognitive-behavioral therapy implementation effort using a community-based learning collaborative model within the community's child welfare system. Semistructured interviews were conducted and qualitatively analyzed as part of a program evaluation of the implementation effort. Funding emerged as a key theme influencing implementation within this program evaluation from the perspective of all stakeholders. Thirty-four participants (83%) independently raised funding as an important factor affecting implementation outcomes across seven specific themes: (a) the impact of privatization, (b) turfism, (c) money as a primary implementation facilitator, (d) implementation costs impacting participation, (e) burden associated with funding evaluation efforts, (f) need for reimbursement practices to align with the use of trauma-informed treatment, and (g) a sense of shared mission to serve clients above money. Recommendations for addressing these challenges are provided. Future research should examine funding qualitatively and quantitatively across diverse communities and funding systems to improve understanding of the impact of funding on implementation and, ultimately, care provided to clients. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2021 APA, all rights reserved).

A Comparative Study between Korean and Japanese Community Child Welfare Policy

A Comparative Study between Korean and Japanese Community Child Welfare Policy

Comparative Analysis of Vitamin D and Minerals in Normal Children and Children with Short Stature of Busan community child welfare center

Purpose The vitamin D and zinc is important micronutrients but are frequently found deficient in the growth of children in their infancy and adolescence. The present study intend for the analysis of nutritional states and health promotion of short stature children in community child welfare center through an identification of correct measurements of zinc and vitamin D from health examination to be conducted. Methods The children, belonging to the range less than 5 percentiles of anthropometrical height, were diagnosed as short stature children based on the children growth curve in the health examination of community child welfare center. A total of 63 children, who took health examination during from March 2017 to February 2018, were selected as subjects of the present study. The subjects were then distinguished between the short stature group and control group. Measurements of bone age, zinc and vitamin D, obtained from nondominant hand x-ray and peripheral blood collection, were examined and compared to analyze effects of the degree of important minerals over short stature children. Results The mean values of the level of measurements of zinc and vitamin D between subjects belonged to the short stature group and control group manifested no significant differences from each other. The difference in the growth parameter corresponded to the severity of blood serum 25(OH)D also appeared insignificant. Conclusions Unless children are in severe deficiency in zinc and vitamin D, the children subjects belonged to either the short stature group or control group did not exhibit significant difference in growth parameter. This study should be compensated for subsequent studies because of comparatively small number of subjects. Besides, a systematic health management in community child welfare center seems necessary to help growth and development of short stature children. Keywords: Vitmain D, Zinc, Micronutrients, Growth

The realities of 'reaching out': enacting the public-facing open scholar role with existing online communities

A core tenet of the open educational resources (OER) movement has long been that 'the world's knowledge is a public good' (Smith & Casserly, 2006, p.2) and should be available for everyone to use, reuse and share. However, this vision of openness and of the connection between OER and social justice, which McAndrew and Farrow (2013) observe is currently re-emerging, is limited by the fact that OER-provision is typically top-down, driven by higher education suppliers with the needs of higher education (HE) in mind. As a consequence, the OER that are released can be hard to find for potential users outside HE and often fail to meet those potential users' needs in respect of the content, size, format and level of the OER. Seeking to increase the impact of OER and open educational practices (OEP) beyond higher education we conceptualised a new role for academics - the public-facing open scholar. The role involves academics working with online communities outside HE to source OER to meet the specific needs of those communities. Having developed detailed guidelines for performing the role we piloted it within a voluntary sector child welfare community in order to explore its viability. To date, our pilot findings indicate that the role of public-facing open scholar is both viable and well-received by the case study community. However, the pilot process, conducted in a community which requires all participants to be anonymous, has also highlighted the need to be aware of the impact of privacy constraints when choosing a community with which to work. In addition, the pilot indicated that listening to a community's needs involves more than noting requests for advice and includes attentiveness to a community's culture and typical modes of participation. This, in turn, can help the public-facing open scholar to fit in with the community and gain members' trust. The implications of these findings are wide-ranging. Voluntary sector online communities offer one platform for the public-facing open scholar to realise the transformative potential of open education, raising awareness and increasing the use and reuse of OER by people outside HE. However, the scope for the role is not limited to the voluntary sector and academics could find opportunities to perform the role in many different types of community. Furthermore, whilst we have concentrated on the role of the individual academic, institutional dimensions are also relevant. For example, higher education institutions which formally recognise the public-facing open scholar role as an important component of academic output, rather than an activity which is in tension with the demands of paid employment, may themselves be seen as taking on the role of a benevolent academy that is contributing to a global movement for free and open access to knowledge.

Getting a Different Perspective: Piloting the ‘Group Consult’ Model for Supervision in a Community-Based Setting

Effective supervision requires different approaches in order to meet the administrative, emotional and supportive demands of social work practice in community child welfare services. This article describes the Group Consult (GC) as a model to implement group supervision in a community child and family service. The GC model offers a structure and format that has been used in Child Youth and Family sites across Aotearoa New Zealand to develop supervisory capability and practice. The author argues that the model can be successfully applied in community child and family services to promote reflective practice and support supervisory needs. From reflections on a pilot with social work practitioners, the GC model was helpful as a reflective tool to support critical thinking, supplemented individual supervision and assisted collaborative decision-making in practice. The GC model shows flexibility, in that it can be applied to practice in a number of ways and research is recommended in order to further explore its importance to social work practice.

A Study on Child Neglect Perception of Child Welfare Teacher's by Community Child Welfare Center

방임되는 아동을 보호하기 위한 방안으로 지역아동센터가 운영되고 있으나 지역아동센터를 이용하는 아동은 여전히 방임에 노출되고 있다. 방임은 그 정도가 심각한 수준에 이르러서야 발견되므로 보다 예방적이고 적극적인 아동보호를 위하여 지역아동센터에서 아동을 지도하는 아동복지교사의 방임인식이 강화하는 것이 필요하다. 본 연구는 지역아동센터의 지원인력인 아동복지교사가 갖는 방임인식의 수준을 파악하고, 그들의 방임인식에 영향을 미치는 요인에 대해 분석하였다. 그 결과 아동복지교사의 전반적인 방임인식은 평균보다 다소 높은 정도였다. 방임인식을 강화하는데 유의미하게 영향을 미치는 요인은 교사의 근무기간이 길고, 방임에 대한 교육을 받고, 효능감을 강화하고, 상담경험을 가지는 것으로 나타났다. 이와같은 결과를 바탕으로 아동복지교사의 방임인식을 강화할 수 있는 정책적·제도적 노력이 뒷받침되어야 함을 제언하였다.

피코크리켓을 활용한 지역아동센터의 녹색성장연계 융합프로그램의 개발

본 연구는 빈곤및 결손가정등의 이유로 소외되어있는 지역아동센터 아동들의교육경쟁력 향상과 '글로벌창의 인재 양성' 이라는 국가의 미래지향적인 정책에 적극적으로 대처하기 위한 방안으로 녹색성장과 연계된 프로그램을 교육용 로봇을 활용하여 융합의 틀 안에서 개발하였다. 개발한 프로그램을 통해 지역아동센터 고학년 아동들을 대상으로 에너지 절약태도에 미치는 영향을 검증한 결과 녹색성장연계 융합프로그램이 기존의 프로그램에 비해서 통계적으로 의의가 있었으며, 지역아동센터 아동들의 에너지 절약태도 향상에 긍정적인 영향을 미친 것으로 확인되었다. 이를 통해 지역아동센터 아동들의 교육적 필요를 충족시키는데 도움이 될 것으로 기대된다. In this paper, we developed the program related green growth based Educational-Robot in the framework of Convergence for the community child welfare centers' children who are in poverty and broken homes as the way to enhance the competitiveness about education and a solution to cope with actively about the main tasks of the state for human resources in the future. Through the program developed, it has been verified the impact on the energy saving attitude. According to this result, it has been proved that convergence study program linked green growth for children of community welfare child center is effective to energy saving attitude. Through it, it is expected to help to meet the educational needs of the community child welfare centers' children.

Addressing disproportionality and disparity in child welfare: Evaluation of an anti-racism training for community service providers

Concerns persist about the overrepresentation and differential treatment of children and families of color within the child welfare system. Although many researchers and practitioners have considered ways to combat these problems, there continues to be a shortage of empirical support for proposed interventions. This article describes the evaluation of an anti-racism training designed to address disproportionality and disparity by educating members of the child welfare community about issues of race, power, and oppression. Pre- and post-training evaluation questionnaires were completed by 462 training participants between June 2007 and June 2008. Questionnaires measured changes in participants' attitudes toward race and knowledge of key concepts regarding race and racism, as well as their satisfaction with the training, and expected practice changes. Preliminary findings indicate that participants were very satisfied with the training, increased their knowledge of issues pertaining to race and racism, and became more aware of racial dynamics.

Evaluation of a Community-Based Orphan Care Program in Uganda

In response to the orphan crisis in sub-Saharan Africa, the international child welfare community has agreed on a model that aims to increase the capacity of families and communities. Yet, little is known thus far about the service content and efficacy of programs based on the model. This project examined a community-based program in Uganda that provides support and assistance to families raising orphaned and other vulnerable children. Findings suggest that the households' need in certain categories, such as housing and food security, decreased significantly after services were received. Children's senses of belonging and permanency appeared promising. The program's strengths are discussed with recommended changes, as well as implications for policy, practice, and further research.

Preparing Social Workers for Child Welfare Practice: An Innovative University–Agency Learning Collaborative

This paper describes the evolution of a university–community child welfare learning collaborative based on an adaptation of the teaching hospital concept. This partnership between an agency providing a range of child and family welfare services and two university units, the school of social work and outreach, was intended to accomplish multiple agency, university and community goals: implement best practices in the agency, enhance social work education, increase staff resources in child welfare, influence public policy, and improve the lives of children and families in the child welfare system. The major strategy was ‘Grand Rounds’ modeled after the system used to train medical students through multiple transactions with experts in a clinical setting. The first year was very successful, with students, agency staff and faculty giving the sessions high ratings in content, quality and utility. One key to the success of the initiative was that it was an agency‐driven process and was based on working relationships of mutual respect and trust. Building such relationships takes both time and effort. Future challenges will include garnering the resources, both human and financial, to sustain the collaboration over time.

RECENT TRENDS IN RESPONSE TO CHILD VICTIMIZATION

This chapter serves as an introduction to the many roles of health care professionalsin the assessment, care, and treatment of child victimization. It concentrates on those professionals caring for the physical health of victims of child abuse and neglect, although there are many similarities between child maltreatment and other family violence victims. In reviewing the health impact of maltreatment and the historical contributions of health care professionals, it discusses the roles that health care disciplines play in clinical care, training, research, and advocacy and their interaction with the community's child welfare, legal, and criminal justice systems.

Reducing conflict between child welfare communities.

Conflict is inherent in child welfare practice. This article describes a collaborative project between a public child welfare agency and a school of social work (the UFOCWL) to strengthen and improve the connections between the agency and the larger community. The collaboration focused on identifying and recognizing the diverse roles and responsibilities between the various players in the child welfare system. This paper discusses the areas in which the UFOCWL addressed the conflicts between the child welfare service delivery system and the legal, domestic violence, and substance abuse communities. By facilitating understanding of the unique concerns and contributions each child welfare player brings to the table, inherent conflicts can be reduced and managed, ultimately improving the results for vulnerable children.

Preparing foster youth for adulthood: A knowledge-building perspective

The task of preparing foster youths for the transition to adulthood is receiving increased attention. The independent-living movement within the child welfare system is relatively new. State and local programs are in the developmental stage, and research in all areas is sorely needed. The aim of this special issue is to cut across a segment of current research activity in the area of foster youth independence and to lend perspective to a future research agenda. The child welfare practice community has, for many years, been aware that significant numbers of young people in outof-home placement are teenagers. Nearly a decade ago, Homby and Collins (1981) estimated that fewer than 5% of the adolescents in placement were likely to be placed for adoption, that the odds of reunification with own parents were less than 1 in 5, and that each year thousands of adolescent wards simply age-out of the placement system on or about age 18. Many are discharged without a plan, without resources, and lack preparation for making it on their own. At the present time, most independent living programs, services, and interventions remain untested and the child welfare system is uncertain about how to best prepare foster wards for self-support and responsible adulthood. Fortunately, the child welfare community now has an ally in the form of federal legislation which established a national level independent living program to help foster youths to emancipate from the placement system. In 1986, Title IVE Section 477 of the Social Security Act was enacted under the leadership of Senator Daniel Patrick Moynihan (DN.Y.) and Representative Robert Matsui (D-CA.) and colleagues in the House of Representatives. Congress authorized $45 million to provide independent living services to foster adolescents ages 16 to 18. In 1993 the federal independent living program attained permanent status as an entitlement. The current funding level for this program is $70 million. An identifiable nucleus of national and state level leadership is emerging in

Enabling Public Child Welfare Agencies to Promote Family Preservation

In criticizing my proposals to restructure public child welfare system (Pelton, 1991), Barth (1993) likened care and discipline of children by parents to helping and policing of families and parents by state. He did so while disputing a claim I never made--that it is not possible to be an authority and helper at once. What I do argue is that results of combining helping and policing roles within context of public child welfare agency have been unsatisfactory, and we should examine how each role might be hindering successful execution of other. During past three decades, increasingly wider spheres of child welfare problems, many of which are related to poverty, have been characterized as child abuse and neglect. These terms are accusatory and, when used as a lens through which to view multiply caused problems, promote an overfixation on parental fault and blindness to varied help that is needed. This orientation led to reporting laws and public awareness campaigns that encourage reports based on vague definitions of child abuse and neglect, thereby swamping child welfare agencies with complaints and rapidly reducing role of child welfare workers to investigators of wrongdoing by mostly impoverished parents. Budgets were spent on investigation and increasingly on foster care, with little money left over for relevant preventive services. These continuing trends are reflected in increase in national foster care population to an estimated 447,000 children by end of fiscal year 1992 (Tatara, 1992), a figure rapidly approaching a record for this century. More depressingly, no evidence exists that children are better protected. However, remedy for child welfare system is not only to narrow laws, although that is necessary. Although I have just spoken of unfortunate developments of past few decades, nostalgia for more distant past is not warranted. From beginning of this century children have frequently been placed into foster care, and agencies have always spent far greater proportions of their budgets on placement than on prevention. It is not for naught that impoverished immigrant parents, fearing public agencies' predecessors (the societies for prevention of cruelty to children), yet having nowhere else to turn for help, viewed such agencies as the Cruelty and as child-snatchers. Such agencies, both public and private, have always had a dual role, and investigative, policing, coercive, and child-removing role has always greatly diminished helping role. This failed paternalistic strategy toward impoverished families experiencing child welfare difficulties should be ended. My proposals call for transformation of current public child welfare agencies into family preservation agencies by divesting them of their investigative, child removal, and foster care roles. I proposed that police functions, such as investigation of possible law violation, be shifted to police. Child welfare workers would no longer serve as society's police. In addition, I proposed that foster care system be made independent of new family preservation agency. This system, whose function is to protect children who cannot be protected in their own homes, should be placed under family court system and be operated by social workers specially trained as foster care workers who would also advise court on all decisions concerning entry into and exit from foster care. All family preservation, preventive, and supportive services would be offered and delivered by new family preservation agency, whether it be to biological, foster, or adoptive families or to children living with relatives. Let us build a new system based on a more positive philosophy. In fact, social work has philosophy, but structure of current child welfare system is incompatible with it. Much of professional child welfare community favors empowering families, focusing on strengths rather than deficits, and providing supports. …

The health care-child welfare partnership: transitioning medically complex children to the community.

There is a growing number of medically complex children residing in hospitals who could benefit from home care. This paper describes a unique federally funded grant project designed to develop alternative home resources for those medically complex children whose parents are unable to provide the requisite home care. Building on an innovative partnership between a pediatric hospital and a community child welfare agency, this project recruited, trained, and supported foster parents to care for those children. Problems, solutions, and strategies for developing alternative home care resources for this population are presented.

Child Welfare Problems in an Alaskan Native Village

This paper, based on a field investigation of a small, remote Alaskan native community, examines value differences and dilemmas that arise in the course of agency-community interactions. Two case illustrations highlight the anomie resulting from the disruption of traditional community child welfare practices and the alienative effects of certain public agency interventions. Reform proposals, aimed at strengthening the community's ability to manage its child welfare problems, are considered.

Child Welfare Services

T WO parts of the Social Security Act were included in recognition of widespread need for aid to states and local communities in the care and protection of socially handicapped children-the dependent, the neglected, and those in danger of becoming delinquent. Title IV authorizes grants to the states for assistance to needy, dependent children in their own homes or cared for by relatives as part of the public assistance program administered by the Social Security Board. Title V, Part 3, administered by the Children's Bureau, authorizes an annual appropriation for Federal grants to the states of $1,500,000 for the following purposes: (1) to aid state public welfare agencies in encouraging and assisting adequate methods of community child welfare organization in areas predominantly rural and other areas of special need; (2) to pay part of the cost of district, county, or other local child welfare services in areas