A series of four webinars is available from the Shriver Center on Poverty Law. These webinars focus on how Black communities, communities of color, and families living in poverty are overrepresented in

A series of four webinars is available from the Shriver Center on Poverty Law. These webinars focus on how Black communities, communities of color, and families living in poverty are overrepresented in the foster care system and the aspects of the social systems that contribute to this. The series includes the following webinars:
<ul><li><a href="https://www.povertylaw.org/article/webinar-moving-from-why-to-how-parent-leaders-perspectives-on-the-movement-for-child-welfare-justice/" rel="nofollow">&#34;Moving From Why to How: Parent Leaders&#39; Perspectives on the Movement for Child Welfare Justice&#34;</a></li><li><a href="https://www.povertylaw.org/article/webinar-policing-by-another-name-mandated-reporting-as-state-surveillance/" rel="nofollow">&#34;Policing by Another Name: Mandated Reporting as State Surveillance&#34;</a></li><li><a href="https://www.povertylaw.org/article/webinar-the-carceral-web/" rel="nofollow">&#34;The Carceral Web: How the Foster and Criminal Legal Systems Perpetuate Injustice&#34;</a></li><li><a href="https://www.povertylaw.org/article/webinar-your-family-or-its-health/" rel="nofollow">&#34;Your Family or Its Health: Intersections Between the Healthcare and Foster Systems&#34;</a></li></ul>
The webinars explain how the foster care and intersecting systems disproportionately affect families of color and those living in poverty. They also provide a look back at the history of the various systems and their components, such as mandated reporting and juvenile courts, to show system parallels and how their histories currently impact policies and families.
This series presents ideas to reimagine what support and accountability look like, how to create the conditions families need to thrive, and how to break down silos to turn these systems into a supportive network that strengthens everyone involved. The webinars also address the assumptions of how systems are supposed to work compared with the reality of how they do work. 
The webinars are free to view, and slides are available for all four.

May 2021

A brief published by Child Trends explores the prevalence of children and youth with special health-care needs (CYSHCN) within the foster care system as well as the experiences of CYSHCN and their families.

Children and Youth With Special Health-Care Needs in Foster Care

A <a href="https://www.childtrends.org/publications/children-youth-special-health-care-needs-foster-care" rel="nofollow">brief</a> published by Child Trends explores the prevalence of children and youth with special health-care needs (CYSHCN) within the foster care system as well as the experiences of CYSHCN and their families. CYSHCN can have differing experiences in care and varying reasons for entering care, as well as worse permanency outcomes than their peers without special health-care needs. Their families may have difficulty accessing needed health-care services or navigating the health-care system. This could stem from administrative delays, incomplete medical histories, or not having the training and support necessary to understand the special health-care needs of their child. 
Almost a quarter of children in out-of-home care are diagnosed with an identified special health-care need, although the proportion varies widely across states. Understanding the differences in diagnoses and experiences based on race/ethnicity, gender, and age is crucial to ensuring that children receive appropriate services. The following are some key findings from this comparison:
<ul><li>Children and youth of color were more likely to have been identified as having a special health-care need.</li><li>Lack of access to quality health-care providers may compound the trauma experienced by CYSHCN.</li><li>CYSHCN experience different challenges to permanency than their peers in care without a special health-care need.</li></ul>
Read <a href="https://www.childtrends.org/publications/children-youth-special-health-care-needs-foster-care" rel="nofollow">Children and Youth With Special Health Care Needs in Foster Care </a>to learn more.

An article in Children and Youth Services Review, "Fostering Healthy Families: An Exploration of the Informal and Formal Support Needs of Foster Caregivers," looks at the different kinds of supports foster

Meeting the Informal and Formal Support Needs of Foster Caregivers

An article in Children and Youth Services Review, <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.childyouth.2020.104760" rel="nofollow">&#34;Fostering Healthy Families: An Exploration of the Informal and Formal Support Needs of Foster Caregivers,&#34;</a> looks at the different kinds of supports foster caregivers need as well as their formal service and training experiences. It also explores the challenges foster families face and how informal networks provide them with support. Data were collected through a series of focus groups and interviews from participants in North Carolina. 
Participants expressed their stress and the strains on their relationships, fears about the foster care system, and ways that formal support networks can provide better support for them by providing information, adoption support, and trainings that focus on what foster caregivers will encounter in the real world. The article also includes examples that address the concerns discussed in the study and that help boost supports and resilience in foster families.

For this month's message from Associate Commissioner Aysha Schomburg, we feature an interview conducted by Joshua Christian Oswald, youth engagement coordinator intern at the Children's Bureau. Joshua's

A Message From Associate Commissioner Aysha Schomburg

For this month&#39;s message from Associate Commissioner Aysha Schomburg, we feature an interview conducted by Joshua Christian Oswald, youth engagement coordinator intern at the Children&#39;s Bureau. Joshua&#39;s interview with Associate Commissioner Schomburg kicks off National Foster Care Month and discusses this year&#39;s theme, &#34;Foster Care as a Support to Families, Not a Substitute for Parents.&#34; Visit the <a href="https://www.childwelfare.gov/fostercaremonth/" rel="nofollow">National Foster Care Month website</a> for more resources featuring this special initiative.
Joshua: What does the theme, &#34;Foster Care as a Support to Families, Not a Substitute for Parents,&#34; mean to you, and what does it highlight for you?
Associate Commissioner:  Parents are first responders, and as first responders they answer the call every day. That&#39;s why, to me, every month is National Foster Care Month. However, it is important that we carve out the month of May to express our gratitude to the dedicated foster parents who have provided safe, loving, and temporary, homes to children and families in need. I&#39;m putting emphasis on temporary because many years ago, when my job was to recruit foster parents, I learned that the most successful foster parents were those who embraced their role as temporary coparents. Those who were doing the best work—where children were experiencing the shortest time to reunification with their families—were usually either kinship parents or foster parents who also supported the birth parents in achieving reunification with their child and helped a family get back on track. Sometimes, helping the family included the whole family—mom, dad, children, and even aunts, uncles, and grandparents. In a perfect world, there would never be a need for foster care, but we know that there may be times when a family needs support. However, I know of foster parents who provided such extraordinary love and support that the family became stronger and the foster parent became part of the extended family! This is the gold standard.
Joshua: Foster care is meant to be temporary, yet for far too many young people it isn&#39;t. We need a child welfare system that is geared toward primary prevention, limits the use of foster care, and more quickly helps families when their children do need to be temporarily placed in foster care. I have heard many young people with lived expertise ask the system, &#34;Why didn&#39;t you help my parents?&#34;
Since being appointed as the Associate Commissioner, I know you have begun working on the <a href="https://www.acf.hhs.gov/cb/success-story/thriving-families-safer-children" rel="nofollow">Thriving Families, Safer Children: A National Commitment to Well-Being</a> initiative. How do you see this initiative intersect with the theme of National Foster Care Awareness Month?
Associate Commissioner: Thriving Families, Safer Children has, in a fairly short period of time, galvanized 23 jurisdictions to begin thinking seriously about a world where the focus is on child and family well-being and prevention. When I think about Thriving Families, Safer Children and National Foster Care Month at the same time, I consider how the foster care system can turn the mirror on itself and ask, &#34;Are we doing everything we can to help families whose children are NOT in foster care?&#34; I would challenge the system to look at where it is investing its resources. Will a look at the budget reveal that there is investment in prevention? Has there been an investment in helping communities innovate around what primary prevention means to them? In New York City, there are family enrichment centers to support families who are not necessarily involved in foster care. This is a primary prevention strategy that aligns with Thriving Families, Safer Children because it acknowledges that we need to support families before child protection is called and proves that the foster care system can invest in this strategy and that it can be successful. There are similar examples throughout the country. Thriving Families, Safer Children can seize the opportunity that National Foster Care Month  presents to challenge jurisdictions to examine their resources and make the shift toward giving communities what they say they need to thrive.
Joshua: We know you are a passionate advocate and have been tapped to be a leader in addressing the President&#39;s Executive Order 13985, <a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/presidential-actions/2021/01/20/executive-order-advancing-racial-equity-and-support-for-underserved-communities-through-the-federal-government/" rel="nofollow">Advancing Racial Equity and Support for Underserved Communities Through the Federal Government</a>. From your career journey responding to racial disparities and inequities, how do you think we can we advance racial equity during National Foster Care Month?
Associate Commissioner: The first thing we need to do is call it out. The child welfare system is steeped in racism and the certain communities—Black, Brown, LGBTQ&#43;, and disabled—are being treated unfairly. Most of us know this—but what are we doing about it? National Foster Care Month is an opportunity to highlight all things foster care. We can celebrate the strides and accomplishments, but we must also acknowledge who we have failed. We are in the midst of a time in this country where a lot of attention is being paid to systemic racism. Guess what? The foster care system is not excused. After we acknowledge that racism and bias have roots deep in the child welfare system, we must take action to address the inequity. So as for advancing racial equity during National Foster Care Month—don&#39;t just talk about it, act upon it.

This year's National Foster Care Month (NFCM) theme, "Foster Care as a Support to Families, Not a Substitute for Parents," highlights the ways the child welfare system and the legal community can authentically

This year&#39;s National Foster Care Month (NFCM) theme, &#34;Foster Care as a Support to Families, Not a Substitute for Parents,&#34; highlights the ways the child welfare system and the legal community can authentically engage youth in permanency planning and support the development of meaningful connections to promote a child welfare system that truly strengthens families. This includes information about how all professionals involved with child welfare can authentically engage youth in court and a look at how strong connections with family, friends, and child welfare professionals—and the use of virtual tools in recent months—can be supportive factors for youth aging out of care and help youth maintain connectedness.
As in past years, the <a href="https://www.childwelfare.gov/fostercaremonth/" rel="nofollow">NFCM website</a> is dedicated to offering an array of resources and tools aimed at addressing the unique needs of children in foster care; improving placement stability; and strengthening relationships between birth families, children and youth in foster care, and child welfare agencies.
The NFCM 2021 website features the following:
<ul><li>A <a href="https://www.childwelfare.gov/fostercaremonth/about/cb/" rel="nofollow">message from Taffy Compain</a>, the national foster care specialist at the Children&#39;s Bureau </li><li>The<a href="https://www.childwelfare.gov/fostercaremonth/stories/" rel="nofollow"> Reflections: Stories of Foster Care</a> series, which features narrative stories from caseworkers, youth, and families about their experiences with foster care</li><li>A new <a href="https://www.childwelfare.gov/fostercaremonth/spread/" rel="nofollow">Take Action</a> section (scroll to the bottom of the page) that provides access to state and local proclamations, explores NFCM events happening around the country, and highlights examples of how some child welfare agencies are helping foster care act as a support to families</li><li>New <a href="https://www.childwelfare.gov/fostercaremonth/resources/" rel="nofollow">resources</a> that support this year&#39;s theme as well as reflect the past year&#39;s challenges</li></ul>
This year&#39;s website also includes a host of enhanced web features and resources for the field as well as outreach tools for individuals and organizations to use to help spread awareness at the state and local levels and to amplify a unified campaign message across new audiences. 
On Thursday, May 20, 2021, from 1:30 p.m. to 3 p.m. ET, the Children&#39;s Bureau, in partnership with the Child Welfare Capacity Building Collaborative and Child Welfare Information Gateway, will host a virtual event, <a href="https://www.childwelfare.gov/fostercaremonth/about/virtual-event/" rel="nofollow">&#34;Stories From the Field: Practical Strategies for Engaging Young People,&#34;</a> to highlight how the child welfare system can actively support families. Participants will hear how child welfare agencies are using strategies from the <a href="https://www.acf.hhs.gov/cb/policy-guidance/im-19-03" rel="nofollow">Administration for Children and Families Information Memorandum</a> on youth and family engagement to support planning and improvement efforts; examine strategies to support meaningful youth engagement at the individual and practice level, the peer-to peer-mentoring level, and the system level; and learn how shifting to a mindset of meaningful youth engagement can alter agency culture to improve outcomes for children, youth, and families.

The Office of Planning, Research, and Evaluation (OPRE), within the Administration for Children and Families of the U.S, Department of Health and Human Services, launched a new blog called OPRE Insights.

New Blog From the Office of Planning, Research, and Evaluation

The Office of Planning, Research, and Evaluation (OPRE), within the Administration for Children and Families of the U.S, Department of Health and Human Services, launched a new blog called OPRE Insights. The blog aims to assist OPRE in sharing the findings of its research, evaluation, data, and other work with those invested in the well-being of children and families.
The blog will post monthly articles related to the following:
<ul><li>Information about OPRE and the principles that guide their work</li><li>Summaries of key research findings</li><li>Information about ongoing activities</li><li>Content about methods and evaluation technical assistance </li><li>Previews or recaps of OPRE-sponsored or related events</li><li>Insights from OPRE staff and leadership</li></ul>
Visit the new <a href="https://www.acf.hhs.gov/opre/blog/2020/05/welcome-opre-insights-blog" rel="nofollow">OPRE Insights webpage</a> to learn more about the blog and to read recent postings.

The Children's Bureau website hosts information on child welfare programs, funding, monitoring, training and technical assistance, laws, statistics, research, federal reporting, and much more. Recent additions

The Children&#39;s Bureau website hosts information on child welfare programs, funding, monitoring, training and technical assistance, laws, statistics, research, federal reporting, and much more.
Recent additions to the site include the following:
<ul><li><a href="https://www.acf.hhs.gov/cb/report/illinois-nytd-review-report-2019" rel="nofollow">Illinois National Youth in Transition Database Review Final Report (2019)</a></li><li><a href="https://www.acf.hhs.gov/cb/policy-guidance/pi-21-03" rel="nofollow">Fiscal Year 2021 Funds for the Community-Based Child Abuse Prevention Program: PI-21-03</a></li><li><a href="https://www.acf.hhs.gov/cb/policy-guidance/pi-21-04" rel="nofollow">Guidance and Instruction Related to the Supporting Foster Youth and Families Through the Pandemic Act: PI-21-04</a></li><li><a href="https://www.acf.hhs.gov/cb/policy-guidance/pi-21-05" rel="nofollow">Temporary Flexibilities for Participating in the Title IV-E Kinship Navigator Program: PI-21-05</a></li><li><a href="https://ami.grantsolutions.gov/files/HHS-2021-ACF-ACYF-CA-1913_1.pdf" rel="nofollow">Grants to Tribes, Tribal Organizations and Migrant Programs for Community-Based Child Abuse Prevention Programs: HHS-2021-ACF-ACYF-CA-1913</a></li><li><a href="https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/search-grants.html?keywords&#61;HHS-2021-ACF-ACYF-YO-1926" rel="nofollow">Street Outreach Program: HHS-2021-ACF-ACYF-YO-1926</a></li></ul>
Visit the <a href="https://www.acf.hhs.gov/cb" rel="nofollow">Children&#39;s Bureau website</a> often to see what&#39;s new.

The COVID-19 public health emergency has been especially stressful for families involved with child welfare and particularly for youth and young adults transitioning out of the foster care system. To help

Funds Still Available Through the Supporting Foster Youth and Families Through the Pandemic Act

The COVID-19 public health emergency has been especially stressful for families involved with child welfare and particularly for youth and young adults transitioning out of the foster care system.
To help mitigate the challenges these youth face, the Supporting Foster Youth and Families Through the Pandemic Act (P.L. 116-260) was signed into law on December 27, 2020, to provide state, tribal, and county child welfare agencies with time-limited resources to respond to the needs of youth and young adults under the age of 27 who spent time in foster care after the age of 14. These pandemic relief funds are intended to help these young people with mortgage or rent payments, utility bills, car loans, groceries, and other basic needs. 
 
To spread the word about this funding opportunity, Child Welfare Information Gateway created a <a href="https://www.childwelfare.gov/topics/systemwide/laws-policies/youthpandemicsupport/" rel="nofollow">webpage</a> that provides information for youth and professionals on eligibility as well as pertinent information on the law itself, including a link to the Children&#39;s Bureau&#39;s Information Memorandum (<a href="https://www.acf.hhs.gov/media/17664" rel="nofollow">IM-21-05</a>) that outlines the changes to the John H. Chafee Foster Care Program for Successful Transition to Adulthood as well as education and training voucher supplemental funding, minimum age limitations in eligibility for assistance, programmatic flexibilities, and more. In addition, the webpage also links to a <a href="https://zoom.us/rec/share/4U-gv_T2YjFtlGYTlj56me5QTt0uD-vR7I0ANSnlbsUX_lzqHefaZ2JYb9vejcSS.JLRd84qCcZSsA6k8" rel="nofollow">recording</a> (passcode: 9ES4H0K#) of the Children&#39;s Bureau&#39;s webinar on the new law that was held on January 7, 2021.

CB funds several technical assistance centers to provide professionals with tools to better serve children, youth, and families. The following are some of the latest resources from CB's technical assistance

Updates From the Children's Bureau's Training and Technical Assistance Partners

CB funds several technical assistance centers to provide professionals with tools to better serve children, youth, and families.
The following are some of the latest resources from CB&#39;s technical assistance partners:
<ul><li>Child Welfare Information Gateway 
<ul><li><a href="https://www.childwelfare.gov/pubs/cw-domestic-violence/" rel="nofollow">What Is Child Welfare? A Guide for Domestic Violence Services Advocates</a></li><li><a href="https://www.childwelfare.gov/pubs/factsheets/parentalsubuse/" rel="nofollow">Parental Substance Use: A Primer for Child Welfare Professionals</a></li></ul>
</li></ul>
Visit the <a href="http://childwelfare.gov/" rel="nofollow">Child Welfare Information Gateway website</a> for more.
<ul><li>FRIENDS National Resource Center for Community-Based Child Abuse Prevention 
<ul><li><a href="https://friendsnrc.org/resources/what-weve-learned-together-about-building-partnerships/" rel="nofollow">&#34;What We&#39;ve Learned Together About Building Partnerships&#34;</a> [Webinar]</li><li><a href="https://friendsnrc.org/resources/reflections-from-parent-leaders/" rel="nofollow">&#34;Reflections From Parent Leaders&#34;</a> [Webinar]</li><li><a href="https://friendsnrc.org/resources/perspectives-from-practitioners/" rel="nofollow">&#34;Perspectives From Practitioners&#34; </a>[Webinar]</li></ul>
</li></ul>
Visit the <a href="https://friendsnrc.org/" rel="nofollow">FRIENDS National Resource Center website</a> for more.
<ul><li>Child Welfare Capacity Building Collaborative 
<ul><li>Center for States 
<ul><li><a href="https://bit.ly/39XIpU2" rel="nofollow">Spotlight on Striving for Equity in Child Welfare Practice webpage </a></li><li><a href="https://capacity.childwelfare.gov/states/topics/prevention" rel="nofollow">Prevention webpage</a> </li></ul>
</li><li>Center for Tribes  
<ul><li><a href="https://bit.ly/2OA1m7X" rel="nofollow">Supporting Native Youth Into Adulthood </a> </li></ul>
</li></ul>
</li></ul>
Visit the <a href="https://capacity.childwelfare.gov/" rel="nofollow">Child Welfare Capacity Building Collaborative website</a> for more.
<ul><li>AdoptUSKids 
<ul><li><a href="https://blog.adoptuskids.org/understanding-childrens-behavior-and-helping-them-heal/" rel="nofollow">&#34;Understanding Children&#39;s Behavior and Helping Them Heal&#34;</a></li><li><a href="https://professionals.adoptuskids.org/addressing-grief-and-loss-in-family-support-efforts/" rel="nofollow">&#34;Addressing Grief and Loss in Family Support Efforts&#34;</a> [Webinar]</li><li><a href="https://adoptuskids.org/_assets/files/AUSK/Publications/how-tribal-values-guide-recruitment-and-support-of-resource-families-web508.pdf" rel="nofollow">How Tribal Values and Traditions Can Guide Recruitment, Development, and Support of Resource Families</a></li></ul>
</li></ul>
Visit the <a href="https://adoptuskids.org/" rel="nofollow">AdoptUSKids website</a> for more.
<ul><li>National Data Archive on Child Abuse and Neglect 
<ul><li><a href="https://www.ndacan.acf.hhs.gov/datasets/dataset-details.cfm?ID&#61;245" rel="nofollow">State Child Abuse and Neglect (SCAN) Policies Database webpage</a></li><li><a href="https://www.ndacan.acf.hhs.gov/events/2021-summer-webinars/2021-summer-webinars-listing.cfm" rel="nofollow">Summer Training Webinar Series 2021 &#34;Data Strategies for the Study of Child Welfare&#34;</a>    </li></ul>
</li></ul>
Visit the <a href="https://www.ndacan.acf.hhs.gov/index.cfm" rel="nofollow">National Data Archive on Child Abuse and Neglect website </a>for more.
<ul><li>National Child Welfare Workforce Institute 
<ul><li><a href="https://ncwwi.org/index.php/resourcemenu/resource-library/inclusivity-racial-equity/advancing-racial-equity/1606-one-journey-national-child-welfare-workforce-institute-racial-equity-team/file" rel="nofollow">One Journey: National Child Welfare Workforce Institute Racial Equity Team</a></li><li><a href="https://ncwwi.org/index.php/resourcemenu/resource-library/inclusivity-racial-equity/advancing-racial-equity/1608-advancing-inclusivity-by-caucusing/file" rel="nofollow">&#34;Advancing Inclusivity by Caucusing&#34;</a></li><li><a href="https://bit.ly/3jKKoid" rel="nofollow">&#34;Moral Distress&#34;</a></li></ul>
</li></ul>
Visit the <a href="https://www.ncwwi.org/" rel="nofollow">National Child Welfare Workforce Institute website</a> for more.
<ul><li>Quality Improvement Center for Workforce Development (QIC-WD) 
<ul><li><a href="https://www.qic-wd.org/blog/data-visualization" rel="nofollow">&#34;Data Visualization&#34; </a>[Video]</li><li><a href="https://www.qic-wd.org/turnover-v-intent-leave" rel="nofollow">&#34;Turnover v. Intent to Leave&#34;</a> [Video]</li></ul>
</li></ul>
Visit the <a href="https://www.qic-wd.org/" rel="nofollow">QIC-WD website</a> for more.

AdoptUSKids released a supplement to its Diligent Recruitment Navigator tool that supports agencies' efforts to recruit, develop, and support foster, adoptive, and kinship families through the lens of

Family First Act Supplement to the Diligent Recruitment Navigator

AdoptUSKids released a supplement to its Diligent Recruitment Navigator tool that supports agencies&#39; efforts to recruit, develop, and support foster, adoptive, and kinship families through the lens of the Title IV-E Prevention Services Program, as amended by the Family First Prevention Services Act of 2018. 
The new tool provides additional discussion questions and recommendations for agencies to consider when developing their diligent recruitment plans, including those related to the following:
<ul><li>Procedures for consistently updating the characteristics of children in care using information and analysis of data from the Adoption and Foster Care Analysis and Reporting System and other data available to the state, region, or county. Agencies can reflect on how frequently they update and review data on the number of children in congregate care and whether these data indicate details about when they can be expected to transition to family settings.  </li><li>Procedures for ongoing analysis of the current pool of available foster and adoptive placement resources. Agencies can ask themselves how their systems can provide training and tools to support the assessment of the needs of the child, youth, and family for placement prevention services; what expectations and supports are in place to ensure collaboration to develop, implement, and support a child&#39;s or youth&#39;s individual placement prevention plan; how to maintain current information about the foster family&#39;s capacity to meet the needs of children stepping down from group care into family settings; and other discussion questions.</li><li>Recruitment and development of homes that can accommodate siblings in care so siblings can be placed together or reunited when they have been separated in care. Agencies can think about what strategies they have in place to help reunite siblings who were separated when at least one of the siblings was placed in group care and is moving to a family setting.</li><li>Recruitment of foster homes to ensure children and youth can stay in their own schools when placed in foster care. Agencies can reflect on whether they provide guidance to staff about how to balance the priorities of keeping children in their school and of placing them with relatives. They can also determine whether there are strategies for exploring options for keeping children in their schools even when placing them with kinship caregivers who do not live near the school.</li></ul>
For a full list of the additional questions and discussion points for the Diligent Recruitment Navigator, read <a href="https://adoptuskids.org/_assets/files/AUSK/Publications/family-first-act-supplement-dr-navigator-web508.pdf" rel="nofollow">Family First Act Supplement to the Diligent Recruitment Navigator</a> from AdoptUSKids.

Placement stability is a key indicator of success in foster care. Recognizing this, child welfare professionals have been increasingly looking at ways to identify when children and youth are at risk for

Spotting the Early Signs of Placement Disruptions in Foster Care

Placement stability is a key indicator of success in foster care. Recognizing this, child welfare professionals have been increasingly looking at ways to identify when children and youth are at risk for placement disruption, which often results in negative outcomes and poses risks to short- and long-term well-being. In a recent <a href="https://bit.ly/321oTC4" rel="nofollow">study</a> by Vanderbilt University, researchers examined how child protective services data can predict placement disruption.
The study&#39;s sample included 8,853 youth ages 5 to 19 in state custody in Tennessee between July 2012 and June 2017. All participants were assessed using the Child and Adolescent Needs and Strengths (CANS) assessment, a youth evaluation tool used by several states. In the study, researchers used CANS data, demographic characteristics, and placement information of participants to draw conclusions about predictors of placement disruption. Placement disruption was defined using the duration of the first placement and the number of lifetime placements.
An examination of the data indicated that children in foster care experienced a high degree of disruption. Although about one-fifth (21 percent) of the children had only one placement, 29 percent had two placements, and 22 percent had three placements. As hypothesized, children displaying internalizing problems (such as anxiety or self-harm behaviors), externalizing problems (such as substance use or delinquency), school difficulties, child relationship problems, and/or affect dysregulation (i.e., anger and/or emotional control issues) had a shorter length of first placement and a greater number of lifetime placements.
Researchers concluded that CANS data and other data collected by child welfare professionals as part of standard practice can be used to identify children and youth who may be at risk of placement disruption and to implement effective interventions.
For more information, refer to <a href="https://bit.ly/321oTC4" rel="nofollow">&#34;Predictors of Placement Disruptions in Foster Care&#34;</a> in Child Abuse &amp; Neglect.

A vast majority of youth involved in the juvenile justice system have experienced at least one traumatic childhood event. Children and youth involved with child welfare often come into the system as victims

A Systematic Review of the Impact of Trauma-Informed Treatment on Youth Violence and Recidivism

A vast majority of youth involved in the juvenile justice system have experienced at least one traumatic childhood event. Children and youth involved with child welfare often come into the system as victims of previous or ongoing trauma. Trauma exposure is a known risk factor for juvenile justice involvement, committing violence, and subsequent involvement in the adult criminal justice system. A <a href="https://prohic.nl/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/2020-11-17-TraumaYouthViolenceRecidivism.2020.pdf" rel="nofollow">systematic review</a> in Youth Violence and Juvenile Justice provides an overview of the use of trauma-informed treatment in juvenile justice settings.
In summarizing prior studies on the relationship between trauma, violence, and delinquency, the article presents the following information:
<ul><li>Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) are linked to an increased risk of delinquency in adolescence and throughout the life course.</li><li>ACEs have both indirect and direct effects on juvenile recidivism.</li><li>ACEs are associated with adolescent interpersonal and self-directed violence.</li><li>There is evidence that many delinquent youth have impaired cognitive function due to early trauma.</li></ul>
The article notes that while there is extensive research on the benefits of treating adolescents with a trauma-informed approach, there is little research about the impact of trauma-informed treatment on justice-involved youth, or whether trauma-informed treatment reduces youth violence or recidivism. The authors conclude that further research is necessary to evaluate trauma-informed interventions at each stage of the juvenile justice system and to identify the most effective interventions to treat trauma and reduce recidivism. 
 
To learn more, read <a href="https://prohic.nl/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/2020-11-17-TraumaYouthViolenceRecidivism.2020.pdf" rel="nofollow">&#34;Much to Do About Trauma: A Systematic Review of Existing Trauma-Informed Treatments on Youth Violence and Recidivism.&#34;</a>

Parental drug use is one of the leading reasons children are removed from their homes and placed in foster care. A new webinar shares research on the negative impacts of the opioid epidemic on child welfare-involved

Webinar Provides Insights on the Opioid Crisis' Impact on the Child Welfare System

Parental drug use is one of the leading reasons children are removed from their homes and placed in foster care. A new <a href="https://bit.ly/2RgdCeV" rel="nofollow">webinar</a> shares research on the negative impacts of the opioid epidemic on child welfare-involved families and strategies for how to address this crisis.
Panelists from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the National Center on Substance Abuse and Child Welfare, and ICF discuss practices child welfare professionals can utilize to prevent family separation and help families struggling with drug use. They also share ways to optimize the Title IV-E Prevention Services Program, as amended by the Family First Prevention Services Act.
The webinar also presents a series of findings related to prevention, trajectories of substance use and stigma, the impact on caregivers, and COVID-19-related impacts, including the following: 
<ul style="list-style-position: inside;"><li>Polydrug use is common.</li><li>The challenges that affect systems of care also affect families.</li><li>Families are dealing with multiple issues and stressors.</li><li>It is important for families to have a safe place to turn.</li><li>Peer mentors can play an important role.</li><li>There is a need for improved communication among systems of care.</li></ul>
View the webinar, <a href="https://bit.ly/2RgdCeV" rel="nofollow">&#34;Strengthening Families Struggling With the Opioid Crisis,&#34;</a> to learn more.

Research shows that children and youth experience better outcomes when they are placed in more family-like settings rather than institutional care. A report by the Children's Bureau found that 41 percent

Reducing Reliance on Institutional Care Placements for Children in the Child Welfare System

Research shows that children and youth experience better outcomes when they are placed in more family-like settings rather than institutional care. A report by the Children&#39;s Bureau found that 41 percent of children placed in institutional care had no documented clinical or behavioral need to warrant the placement. The National Center for State Courts published a report, <a href="https://www.ncsc.org/__data/assets/pdf_file/0014/54104/Every_Kid_document-Jud-Overview-2020-Updates-Final-09282020.pdf" rel="nofollow">Every Kid Needs a Family: Safely Reducing Reliance on Institutional Care Placements for Children in the Child Welfare System</a>, that explores the role that the legal system plays in placing children and how legal professionals can reduce placement in institutional care.
This report provides judges, attorneys, advocates, and other professionals involved in child welfare and the legal system with information to assist them in making better placement decisions, such as what constitutes a quality placement, what circumstances might require institutional placement, and what practices and strategies they can incorporate into the decision-making process. It also includes case studies as examples of these principles in practice.
Judges can find guidance to help them with their placement decision-making, including how they can take the following steps:
<ul><li>Use their leadership role to influence positive change in the use of institutional care placements for children in the child welfare system</li><li>Hold other stakeholders accountable to quality practice standards that reflect proper assessment in individual cases</li><li>Communicate and collaborate with the child welfare agency and service providers to ensure their community has access to a sufficient level of family-based placement options</li><li>Establish process and outcome measures to monitor their placement decisions</li><li>Ensure the court system implements the letter and spirit of the Family First Prevention Services Act in approving placements</li></ul>
The executive and legislative branches can benefit from the following suggestions to guide reform efforts:
<ul><li>Prohibiting the placement of children younger than a specified age or prohibiting placement of children under a specified age with defined exceptions</li><li>Developing enhanced admission criteria or facility requirements for children under a specified age</li><li>Requiring justification for residential placement</li><li>Requiring prior supervisory or departmental approval for residential placement</li><li>Developing case plans and placement criteria that specify the purpose of the placement, the length of stay, and regular review</li><li>Mandating the closure of facilities or limiting the capacity of institutional care placements</li><li>Implementing explicit funding restrictions</li><li>Implementing better oversight and administration of psychotropic medications for children in congregate care</li><li>Improving state oversight and licensing of residential facilities</li><li>Creating three-branch task forces on residential care</li><li>Limiting approval of rates for additional facilities or additional capacity</li></ul>

A message from Children's Bureau's National Foster Care Month lead, Taffy Compain, in partnership with the Capacity Building Center for States Youth with lived expertise in foster care are critical advocates

Engaging Youth as Advocates for Themselves and Others

A message from Children&#39;s Bureau&#39;s National Foster Care Month lead, Taffy Compain, in partnership with the Capacity Building Center for States
Youth with lived expertise in foster care are critical advocates for themselves, for other youth, and for systems and policy change. In honor of National Foster Care Month (NFCM), we encourage you to take a moment to reflect on the different ways you can engage youth as advocates. Imagine the impact on a young person when her attorney reinforces her voice in court, a former student helps a current one meet college challenges, or youth leadership efforts contribute to changing legislation.
This year&#39;s NFCM digital stories highlight youth and the people who have nurtured their advocacy skills at the individual practice level, peer level, and system level. The inherent value of engaging youth and families is easy to understand. After all, who knows youth needs better than youth? Whose voice should be prioritized in case decisions? Who can best help another navigate complicated systems? And whose expertise is most relevant in shaping those systems to improve child welfare outcomes?
Consider the importance of relationships as a foundation for advocacy. Authentic relationships between professionals—including caseworkers, attorneys, and court-appointed special advocates—and the youth they serve may open the door to advocacy at all levels.
The following examples of youth advocacy in action are excerpted from the 2021 NFCM digital stories.
Individual Level
Medina and Andrea describe their attorney-client relationship and Medina&#39;s emerging voice as she began to advocate for herself with Andrea&#39;s support and trust.
&#34;Andrea was there for me without judging, without hesitation. No matter how angry, sad, or depressed I was, she was always there. Once I saw I could really trust her, I started opening up more. I was able to voice what I wanted, and she would advocate for that in court. We always had a plan, and she had my back every step of the way.&#34;—Medina, former youth in foster care
&#34;Before court hearings, we would meet to talk about what was happening and what she should expect. I would remind her of my role to advocate, fighting for what she thought was best for her and representing that position in court. I think that started to show her a different way she could express herself. When she had to testify in court, she was prepared. She had developed her own voice.&#34;—Andrea, attorney
Peer Level
The University of Arizona&#39;s Fostering Success program supports students who have experienced foster care or housing insecurity by building a community of peers and helping members navigate financial aid, higher education, foster care, mental health services, and much more. Fostering Success community members are paired with peer mentors, each of whom is a former student in the program. Peer mentors work one-on-one with students, helping them overcome barriers and capitalize on their strengths (D. Carrillo, personal communication, January 31, 2021).
Sarah, a Fostering Success peer mentor, describes her experience mentoring Nic and his newfound passion for peer advocacy.
&#34;When I met Nic, he was in high school and didn&#39;t seem to have anyone encouraging him to attend a university...I met with him and helped him understand what it would take to attend the university and that I believed he could do it. When he became a student, I provided a lot of support, especially with navigating financial aid and scholarships. I&#39;ve tried to be a consistent support to him no matter what he was going through and his biggest fan when he&#39;s doing awesome. We have a lot in common outside our experiences in foster care, and I&#39;m grateful to have built such an amazing friendship with someone who wants to carry on the mission of being a peer mentor for others.&#34;
Systems Level
New Mexico Child Advocacy Networks (NMCAN) engages youth to lead child welfare advocacy efforts in the state. Youth Leaders have successfully advocated for the first U.S. tax credit to businesses for hiring youth currently or formerly in foster care, optional extended foster care to age 21, college tuition waivers for transition-age youth, expanded Medicaid, and more (NMCAN, n.d.).
Micaela, an NMCAN youth leader, describes her first policy advocacy experience, nurtured through her relationship with Arika, the NMCAN director of policy and advocacy.
&#34;Every morning started with a burrito and coffee and a ride extremely early in the morning. Once we got to Santa Fe, we would sit in committees and hear other bills as we waited for our bill. Arika taught me how the process worked and that it would be the same for our bill. I felt like I was getting my foot in the door. If I can understand all of that, I could understand other bills...by being at the capitol, learning about the process, seeing how my advocating could make a difference, I became really interested in it. I started paying attention to the news and national bills, something I never thought I would do.&#34;
Visit <a href="https://www.childwelfare.gov/fostercaremonth/stories/?utm_source&#61;cbxmay21&amp;utm_medium&#61;referral" rel="nofollow">Reflections: Stories of Foster Care</a> on the <a href="https://www.childwelfare.gov/fostercaremonth/" rel="nofollow">NFCM website</a> to hear directly from these and other pairs of professionals and youth about working together toward better outcomes for children, youth, and families engaged with the foster care system. Reference
New Mexico Child Advocacy Networks. (n.d.). Advocate. <a href="https://nmcan.org/for-community-partners/advocate/" rel="nofollow">https://nmcan.org/for-community-partners/advocate/</a>

"Can I be a foster parent if I work full-time?" The creator of the A Fostered Life blog and podcast, Christy Tennant Krispin, is asked this question all the time. During a weekly foster parent coaching

Tips for Foster Parents Who Work Full Time

&#34;Can I be a foster parent if I work full-time?&#34; The creator of the A Fostered Life blog and podcast, Christy Tennant Krispin, is asked this question all the time. During a weekly <a href="https://afosteredlife.com/ffp/coaching-calls/" rel="nofollow">foster parent coaching call</a>, she interviewed a single woman who was a foster parent for over 10 years while also working full time as a teacher. This former foster parent shared her experience and offered tips to help other parents who work full time be able to successfully foster and help the children in their care thrive. A subsequent blog post, <a href="http://afosteredlife.com/2020/06/15/8-tips-for-foster-parents-who-work-full-time/" rel="nofollow">&#34;8 Tips for Foster Parents Who Work Full-Time,&#34;</a> outlined the following tips addressed in the coaching call:
<ul><li>Choose an age demographic that complements your schedule.</li><li>Consider opening your home to siblings.</li><li>Involve your support system.</li><li>Maintain a structured life, especially at bedtime.</li><li>Find ways to free up your time, such as hiring a house cleaner and having groceries delivered.</li><li>Find before-school activities, such as running clubs, and limit excess after-school extracurricular activities since family visitation and other required meetings often occur in the afternoons.</li><li>Take some vacation days for your own mental health.</li><li>Get to know the school principal and staff well and communicate with them often.</li></ul>

A recent brief by the Center for Adoption Support and Education (C.A.S.E.), a national nonprofit that focuses on mental health services for the foster care and adoption community, discusses the challenges

A recent brief by the Center for Adoption Support and Education (C.A.S.E.), a national nonprofit that focuses on mental health services for the foster care and adoption community, discusses the challenges inherent in adolescence that may be compounded for youth who are adopted, such as identity formation and open communication with parents. It also provides adoptive families with guidance about speaking with teens about their birth parents.
The brief presents several relatable examples of youth and adoptive parents facing these challenges with a focus on two areas—identity formation and making the decision to (or not to) search for birth parents. Recognizing that teens may have strong feelings about their adoptions and often find it difficult to share these feelings with others, the article provides tips for and emphasizes the importance of parents taking the lead in these discussions.
To learn more, read <a href="https://adoptionsupport.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/Birthparents-On-Their-Mind.pdf" rel="nofollow">Birth Parents on Their Mind: Search and Reunion.</a>

Upcoming conferences and events on child welfare and adoption include the following: May 2021 Virtual Conference Child Welfare League of America May 4-6, online "Uniting Worldviews to Advance Relationships

Upcoming conferences and events on child welfare and adoption include the following:
May
<ul><li><a href="https://www.cwla.org/conferences/" rel="nofollow">2021 Virtual Conference</a> Child Welfare League of America May 4-6, online</li></ul>
<ul><li><a href="http://bostonchildrens.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_KJxDfK6JSY207G6e91duYw" rel="nofollow">&#34;Uniting Worldviews to Advance Relationships in Indigenous Communities&#34;</a> [Webinar] Brazelton Touchpoints Center May 12, online, 3 p.m. ET</li></ul>
<ul><li><a href="http://theinstitute.myabsorb.com/#/catalog?tags&#61;bc85a4ba-15f1-4276-b7db-6af42863c9d9" rel="nofollow">&#34;Differentiating &amp; Selecting Among Evidence-Based Programs&#34;</a> [Webinar] University of Maryland, Baltimore, School of Social Work, Institute for Innovation and Implementation May 11, online, 2:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. ET</li></ul>
<ul><li><a href="http://bit.ly/webinar-lp-cig" rel="nofollow">&#34;The Economics of Family Well-Being&#34;</a> [Webinar] Institute for Family May 13, online, 3 p.m. ET</li></ul>
<ul><li><a href="https://web.cvent.com/event/0a4a4a0e-6a30-48f0-83c4-151384fe629e/summary" rel="nofollow">7th Annual Conference on Adolescent Health</a> [Virtual] Adolescent Health Initiative May 13-14, online</li></ul>
<ul><li><a href="http://bit.ly/webinar-lp-cig" rel="nofollow">&#34;Bold Actions for Big Change&#34;</a> [Webinar] Institute for Family May 20, online, 3 p.m. ET</li></ul>
<ul><li><a href="https://bit.ly/3mu9LGB" rel="nofollow">National Conference on Parent Representation</a> [Virtual] American Bar Association, National Alliance for Parent Representation May 20-21, online, 1 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. ET</li></ul>
<ul><li><a href="https://bit.ly/3qwKdsB" rel="nofollow">&#34;NDACAN Office Hours&#34;</a> [Webinar] National Data Archive on Child Abuse and Neglect May 28, online, 11 a.m. to 12 p.m. ET</li></ul>
June
<ul><li><a href="https://theinstitute.umaryland.edu/ebp-webinars/" rel="nofollow">&#34;Leveraging Funding to Support Your EBP Priorities&#34;</a> [Webinar] University of Maryland, Baltimore, School of Social Work, Institute for Innovation &amp; Implementation June 10, online, 2:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. ET</li></ul>
<ul><li><a href="https://www.gu.org/projects/global-intergenerational-conference/" rel="nofollow">2021 Virtual Intergenerational Conference</a> [Virtual] Generations United June 15-17, online </li></ul>
July
<ul><li><a href="https://cornell.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_Q2V6yggURuGloRTjqn7-NQ" rel="nofollow">&#34;Data Strategies for the Study of Child Welfare&#34;</a> [Webinar] National Data Archive on Child Abuse and Neglect July 7, online, 12 p.m. ET</li></ul>
<ul><li><a href="https://cornell.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_uXfOpS_CRnarnFmCZQSiuQ" rel="nofollow">&#34;Data Strategies for the Study of Child Welfare&#34;</a> [Webinar] National Data Archive on Child Abuse and Neglect July 14, online, 12 p.m. ET</li></ul>
<ul><li><a href="https://theinstitute.umaryland.edu/ebp-webinars/" rel="nofollow">&#34;High-Quality Implementation of Evidence-Based Services at Scale (Part 1): Partnerships &amp; Infrastructure&#34;</a> [Webinar] Institute for Innovation &amp; Implementation, University of Maryland, Baltimore, School of Social Work July 15, online, 2:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. ET</li></ul>
<ul><li><a href="https://cornell.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_pS9pjSaaRbmXoMHthpQaTw" rel="nofollow">&#34;Data Strategies for the Study of Child Welfare&#34;</a> [Webinar] National Data Archive on Child Abuse and Neglect July 21, online, 12 p.m. ET</li></ul>
<ul><li><a href="https://www.eventbrite.com/e/2021-janet-reno-forum-tickets-131054943865" rel="nofollow">2021 Janet Reno Forum</a> [Virtual] Center for Juvenile Justice Reform July 26, online, 1 p.m. to 4:15 p.m. ET</li></ul>
<ul><li><a href="https://nccan.acf.hhs.gov/?utm_source&#61;sendgrid.com&amp;utm_medium&#61;email&amp;utm_campaign&#61;website" rel="nofollow">22nd National Conference on Child Abuse and Neglect</a> [Virtual] National Conference on Child Abuse and Neglect July 27-29, online, time TBD</li></ul>
<ul><li><a href="https://cornell.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_eSRoXPK8Tp2YyOnYOYrU5w" rel="nofollow">&#34;VCIS Data and Special Populations&#34;</a> [Webinar] National Data Archive on Child Abuse and Neglect July 28, online, 12 p.m. ET  </li></ul>

The National Indian Child Welfare Association (NICWA) is offering a series of upcoming virtual training institutes. Each training is led by experts in the field of American Indian child welfare who have

National Indian Child Welfare Association Offers Virtual Training Institutes

The National Indian Child Welfare Association (NICWA) is offering a series of upcoming <a href="https://www.nicwa.org/training-institutes/" rel="nofollow">virtual training institutes</a>. Each training is led by experts in the field of American Indian child welfare who have experience working with tribal communities, is interactive, and provides participants with new information in the field of child welfare and opportunities to network with other attendees from tribal, state, and federal agencies.
The following trainings are being offered:
<ul><li><a href="https://www.nicwa.org/training-institutes/#understanding-training" rel="nofollow">Understanding ICWA</a> (April 29-30). This training covers the basic legal requirements of the Indian Child Welfare Act of 1978. Participants will learn how to integrate other federal and state policies with ICWA and support developing tribal and state agreements and other systems changes. The training takes place over 2 days and includes three sessions each day.</li><li><a href="https://www.nicwa.org/training-institutes/#wwsaf" rel="nofollow">Working With Substance-Abusing Families</a> (June 7, 9, and 11). One of NICWA&#39;s most popular trainings, this institute provides an overview of working with native families struggling with substance use. The training covers practice- and system-level strategies, including a collaborative model that involves child welfare, courts, and behavioral health professionals. The training includes nine total sessions over 3 days.</li><li><a href="https://www.nicwa.org/training-institutes/" rel="nofollow">Positive Indian Parenting</a> (June 14-17). This institute provides strategies for training American Indian and Alaska Native parents in a culturally appropriate way.</li></ul>
The training is available for tribal and nontribal child welfare professionals.

May 2021Vol. 22, No. 5Meeting the Informal and Formal Support Needs of Foster Caregivers