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This ASPE Issue Brief presents findings related to casework practice from a study that sought to determine the extent to which child welfare agencies seek out nonresident fathers of children in foster care and involve them in their children’s case management and permanency planning. The study was conducted by the Urban Institute and NORC under contract to ASPE and was funded in large part by the Administration for Children and Families.

This project explored the integration of Responsible Fatherhood within Foster Care Service within Philadelphia Pennsylvania. It was hypothesized that the key to reducing the number of children who are at risk of entering, re-entering and remaining in various systems of care are the social service programs and systems created to meet the needs of children. One element to improve the outcomes for children is to establish that engaging fathers of foster children can be important not only for the potential benefit of a child-father relationship but also for making placement decisions and…

Kinship diversion, an alternative to foster care, is a common response to allegations of child abuse and neglect, yet little research has been conducted on this practice. An estimated 100,000 to 300,000 children are diverted from foster care to live with relatives each year. However, few jurisdictions collect data on the practice, making it challenging to understand these children’s experiences—and to decide whether kinship diversion is beneficial. For several years, with the support of the Annie E. Casey Foundation, Child Trends has sought answers to key questions about kinship diversion…

Children and youth who have been abused or neglected need safe, stable, and nurturing relationships and environments to recover from the trauma they've experienced. If you are parenting a child or youth with a history of abuse or neglect, you might have questions about the impacts and how you can help your child heal. This factsheet is intended to help parents (birth, foster, and adoptive) and other caregivers better understand the challenges of caring for a child or youth who has experienced maltreatment and learn about available resources for support. (Author abstract)

This resource compiles critical data from a variety of sources on children, youth, and families who came in contact with the child welfare system in federal fiscal year (FY) 2017. These data are important because they help policymakers understand how many children and youth came in contact with the child welfare system, and why. States can also use this information to ensure their child welfare systems support the safety, stability, and well-being of all families in their state. (Author abstract modified)

This article discusses reasons for the lack of father involvement in child rearing, the benefits of father involvement for children's well-being, and the benefits of father engagement that are specific to child protective services and foster care. Strategies for engaging fathers are discussed in the areas of agency commitment, locating and recruiting fathers, the initial contact, and on-going contact. Characteristics of successful father engagement programs are also noted.