This report presents the results of a study that identified areas of Oregon in which greater investments in effective prevention services may be particularly beneficial. For the study, Portland State University’s Center for the Improvement of Child and Family Services (PSU) conducted a county-level assessment of rates of child abuse and neglect, risk factors for maltreatment, and level of implementation of 12 maltreatment prevention programs that had been highlighted in CTFO’s 2013 report “Preserving Childhood: Oregon’s Leading Efforts to Prevent Child Abuse and Strengthen Families”.…
This fact sheet explains close to 2.7 million children have a parent in prison or jail, describes the increased risked faced by children of incarcerated parents, and highlights efforts by Reentry Council agencies to ensure children of incarcerated parents are not negatively impacted. Accomplishments of Reentry Council agencies are listed and include the development of materials for children about having an incarcerated parent and tips for caregivers on talking to children about incarceration, the establishment of an online consolidation of the federal resources available to support children…
This methodological report focuses on the development of qualitative instruments designed to better understand family engagement in Head Start and Early Head Start. The report draws on pilot data collected during the 2012-2013 program year and provides information about the performance of the piloted interview protocols, revisions made to instruments based on their performance, and the best methods for gathering qualitative information about family engagement experiences from families and staff in future studies. The report also includes an instrument package with the revised set of interview…
Brief
This research brief summarizes the state of the field on cultural competence in social services. The information is relevant for organizations serving children and families from diverse ethnic and racial backgrounds, but the brief highlights research and strategies in serving Hispanic populations. The brief describes cultural competence and provides service providers and administrators with concrete strategies for the ongoing self-reflection and development that is key to strengthening cultural competence in social services. The brief provides references and links for additional resources…
Report, Other
This report considers the role of family participation in government entities such as boards, advisory committees, and task forces that make policy and implementation decisions regarding services for California's 1.4 million children and youth with special health care needs (CSHCN). Information was gathered through interviews with parents, advocates, and administrators, a review of literature regarding family participation, and preliminary research regarding family participation on more than 60 California State- and county-level government policy entities that have role sin programs that…
Report, Other
During 2013, the Ohio Intimate Partner Violence Collaborative (OIPVC) enabled local child protective services (CPS) agencies in 13 Ohio counties to participate in the Safe and Together training program. The training aims to improve the ability of CPS agencies to work effectively with families that are experiencing domestic violence through skill building and values clarification. The training sought to provide participants with information and practice skills such as screening, assessment, documentation, interviewing, partnering and engaging. Intensive training was provided to CPS staff;…
Brief
The policy brief explores readiness as a necessary component for implementing evidence-based interventions (EBIs). It begins by identifying three components of readiness that organizations should address when implementing new EBIs: motivation of people within the organization to adopt new EBIs, general organizational capacities, and intervention-specific capacities. The brief then explains: when considering an organization’s readiness for implementing EBIs, it is helpful to consider the constructs of motivation, general capacity, and intervention-specific capacity and that this relationship…
Brief
This brief explains the importance of ensuring there is a match between an intervention for children and families and the local context and proposes a set of core elements that can be used to define contextual fit and guide practice, policy, and research. Eight elements are described and include: the extent to which an intervention meets an identified need for a particular target population; the extent to which the core features of an intervention are well defined; demonstrated effectiveness of the intervention for the target population and the outcomes of interest; the practicality of the…
Brief
This brief provides an overview of the religious and cultural practices in the Orthodox Jewish Community and examines some of the challenges facing Orthodox Jewish families. It then discusses how to make relationship education programs appropriate to the cultural sensitivities of young Jewish adults and families and provides recommendations to safety-net service providers working with these families.
This paper provides background information on the Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA), explains the basic requirements of ICWA, provides an overview of tribal child welfare and court systems, discusses disproportionality and its relationship to trends in ICWA compliance, highlights promising practices in State policy and practice that support ICWA, and underscores the necessity of working with tribal advocates on State child welfare policy change. Key ICWA requirements are summarized, as well as recommended practices that address State law, intergovernmental agreements, tribal-state forums,…
