This tip sheet focuses on ways to merge healthy marriage and relationship education into child welfare services, focusing primarily on family preservation services, rather than unsafe situations where a child is removed. (Author abstract)
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Journal Article Fathers' involvement in child protection processes appears to remain low and is problematic given their influence over the lives and wellbeing of their children and partners. Men's views need to be taken into account, as part of consideration of risk and the meaning of their participation for others in the family. While the risk or presence of abuse may necessarily limit how the participation of a father is managed in case conferences, and needs to be explored and challenged, in most cases it does not justify failing to contact or seeking to involve fathers. Involving fathers is crucial to…
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Journal Article In 2011, the California Department of Social Services, Office of Child Abuse Prevention (OCAP), commissioned an assessment to gauge the state of the child abuse prevention and early intervention field in California. The assessment, coordinated by Strategies, sought to determine the extent to which three evidence-informed frameworks are integrated in the understanding, planning, and practices of county child welfare agencies and their community partners. The assessment will assist OCAP in implementing Strengthening Families and in supporting counties with the integration of prevention plans…
Brief
To promote a more coordinated approach to meeting children's developmental needs, this brief proposes the adoption of the SERIES paradigm of developmental screening in which each step -- Screening, Early Identification, Referral, Intake, Evaluation, and Services -- is seen not as an isolated activity, but rather an integral component of a single process. SERIES challenges all systems serving young children to broaden their focus to include practices that promote shared responsibility for ensuring that each child successfully completes the entire pathway from screening to services. This brief…
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Journal Article This article presents research results concerning the relationships young fathers have with social service organizations, in particular, those which offer assistance specifically tailored to young fathers' needs or those responsible for child and youth protection. These results are drawn from a broader qualitative study in which interview and focus-group data were collected from fathers who had had a child at an early age. A literature review first provides an overview of various facets of the experience of young fathers and of the services they need. The literature and the voices of young…
