Guided by four principles rooted in partnership, respect, equity, and holistic permanency, the Quality Improvement Center on Engaging Youth in Finding Permanency (QIC-EY) is seeking to redefine what it

Quality Improvement Center on Engaging Youth in Finding Permanency

Guided by four principles rooted in partnership, respect, equity, and holistic permanency, the <a style="color: #0563c1; text-decoration: underline;" href="https://qic-ey.org/" rel="nofollow">Quality Improvement Center on Engaging Youth in Finding Permanency</a> (QIC-EY) is seeking to redefine what it means to authentically engage children and youth in child welfare systems, particularly regarding permanency decisions. The QIC-EY will partner with six to eight pilot sites from different states, counties, tribal nations, and territories so they can receive support and resources. They will also receive support to make systemic changes to their culture, increase knowledge, and develop infrastructure to ensure there is youth engagement in all aspects of child welfare.
The QIC-EY will work with these sites to implement a youth engagement model, a training and coaching model for the child welfare workforce, and a training on youth engagement for courts. The training and coaching model will be designed to shift the mindset, culture, and practice of child welfare and the courts and will be available nationwide for free. The lessons learned from the implementation and evaluation of the engagement models will also be disseminated nationally. An independent evaluation team will conduct a systemic and technical review of the training and coaching model and the youth engagement model. The team will also evaluate the process, outcome, cost, and dissemination. The information gained from these pilot sites will help inform systemic change to help children and youth authentically engage in child welfare systems.

March 2023

The Capacity Building Center for States is seeking to help states prepare for the launch of round 4 of the Child and Family Services Reviews (CFSRs) by providing resources and recommendations in "Preparing

Spotlight on Preparing to Engage Youth and Families in Round 4 of the CFSRs

The Capacity Building Center for States is seeking to help states prepare for the launch of round 4 of the Child and Family Services Reviews (CFSRs) by providing resources and recommendations in <a style="color: #0563c1; text-decoration: underline;" href="https://content.govdelivery.com/bulletins/gd/USACFCBCS-3294c71?wgt_ref&#61;USACFCBCS_WIDGET_1" rel="nofollow">&#34;Preparing to Engage Youth and Families in the Round 4 CFSRs.&#34;</a> This resource introduces what round 4 will focus on as well as guiding principles and insight as to what the Children&#39;s Bureau will be looking for.
Round 4 of the CFSRs emphasizes the meaningful, authentic, and ongoing engagement of families and young people with lived experience. The Center for States suggests that states begin to asses their infrastructure needs, set goals for a supportive agency culture, and arrange for supports that promote successful engagement. The Center for States also provides recommendations on what engagement plans and infrastructure supports states should consider, such as the following:
<ul style="margin-bottom: 0in; margin-top: 0px; list-style-position: inside;"><li style="margin: 0in 0in 0in 0px; line-height: 107%; font-size: 8pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">Compensating families and young people</li><li style="margin: 0in 0in 0in 0px; line-height: 107%; font-size: 8pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">Providing coaching, training, and professional development</li><li style="margin: 0in 0in 0in 0px; line-height: 107%; font-size: 8pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">Exploring expectations, goals, and guiding engagement principles together</li><li style="margin: 0in 0in 0in 0px; line-height: 107%; font-size: 8pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">Promoting communication often and early</li><li style="margin: 0in 0in 0in 0px; line-height: 107%; font-size: 8pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">Offering logistical support to address in-person meeting challenges</li><li style="margin: 0in 0in 0in 0px; line-height: 107%; font-size: 8pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">Supporting peer-to-peer learning</li><li style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt 0px; line-height: 107%; font-size: 8pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">Ensuring feedback mechanisms and &#34;closing the loop&#34;</li></ul>
The Center for States specializes in offering resources and supports to agencies to help them build the capacity for authentic, meaningful, and ongoing engagement of young people and families.

The Capacity Building Center for States has produced a three-episode podcast series, A Look Inside Sharing Power in Child Welfare: A Podcast, that features conversations between those with lived experience

A Look Inside Sharing Power in Child Welfare: A Podcast

The Capacity Building Center for States has produced a three-episode podcast series, <a style="color: #0563c1; text-decoration: underline;" href="https://capacity.childwelfare.gov/states/topics/prevention/sharing-power-podcast" rel="nofollow">A Look Inside Sharing Power in Child Welfare: A Podcast</a>, that features conversations between those with lived experience in child welfare and agency leaders about how they shared knowledge and power to build trusting relationships. These podcasts highlight the successes and challenges of sharing power in child welfare and how deeper engagement of people with lived experience can improve child welfare policy and practice and, ultimately, create better family, child, and youth outcomes.
The first episode features a conversation between lived experience consultants and provides an introduction to what terms like &#34;lived experience,&#34; &#34;lived expertise,&#34; and &#34;sharing power&#34; mean in order to help create a common understanding of the concepts. The second and third episodes are centered on an in-depth conversation between two child welfare agency leaders and the hosts—two lived experience consultants—on how they have learned to share power, develop young leaders, and build trust. These episodes can be conversation starters to explore the benefits and challenges of creating deep, authentic engagement of people with live experience.

Forward Written by Associate Commissioner Aysha E. Schomburg In March, I will celebrate my second anniversary as the Associate Commissioner. We have accomplished so much over the past 2 years. When I started,

Forward
Written by Associate Commissioner Aysha E. Schomburg
In March, I will celebrate my second anniversary as the Associate Commissioner. We have accomplished so much over the past 2 years. When I started, I made it a priority to take time to listen to what people had to say about what children and families need. I set aside time to listen to youth, parents, external organizations, my colleagues in the federal government, as well as the team at the Children’s Bureau. These conversations took time; however, it was a priority to seriously consider how people have been impacted, what we can do differently, and what is important now. As a result of those conversations, we created our four Children’s Bureau priority goals: (1) prevention; (2) support for kinship caregivers; (3) ensure youth leave care with strengthened relationships, holistic supports, and opportunities; and (4) invest in the workforce.
We have made progress with respect to goals 1 and 2. We are raising awareness about the fact that so many children come into care due to poverty and that this is often confused with neglect and maltreatment. We have approved Family First prevention plans in 44 jurisdictions, and we have established our plan to promulgate a regulation that would advance equity and provide much needed support for kinship caregivers. There is still a lot of work to do, but I am encouraged about how far we’ve come.
As I launch into my third year, I want to leverage the conversations that I’ve had with youth and young adults impacted by the foster care system. They have been so generous with me about sharing the challenges that young people face when they have to transition out of foster care—particularly when they don’t have everything they need to succeed as adults. We have to do more. We have to do everything we can to ensure that youth and young adults are fully equipped to experience success. The fact is that they are the next generation of parents and kin caregivers, and they are the pipeline into the workforce. When we support young people—we are tackling all four of the priority goals. We must employ a multigenerational strategy; Our investment in young people today will benefit generations to come.  So, in this third year, I will spend time having action-oriented summits with young adults from all over the country so that they can help us prioritize what they need to be set up for success. We will lean into their vision of success for themselves. Together, we will explore the federal tools the Children’s Bureau can use to support their vision in a way that will have a lasting impact for them and their children. This is not only about their future; inevitably, it is about ours. Let’s lean forward.

The Quality Improvement Center on Engaging Youth in Finding Permanency (QIC-EY) published a report titled Barriers to Authentic Youth Engagement in Permanency Planning to present the challenges faced by

Barriers to Authentic Youth Engagement in Permanency Planning

The Quality Improvement Center on Engaging Youth in Finding Permanency (QIC-EY) published a report titled <a style="color: #0563c1; text-decoration: underline;" href="https://qic-ey.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/QIC-EY-Barrriers-to-Authentic-Youth-Engagement-in-Permanency-Planning-2022.pdf" rel="nofollow">Barriers to Authentic Youth Engagement in Permanency Planning</a> to present the challenges faced by youth in permanency planning. The report summarizes findings from a series of focus groups conducted with youth and young adults, as well as interviews with relevant stakeholders, about their personal experiences with authentic engagement and the perceived barriers to implementing authentic engagement. Fifteen people with recent lived expertise in the child welfare system were interviewed as well as 15 child welfare professionals and 11 court professionals. The report also incorporates a list of the most common barriers identified by the QIC-EY Youth Engagement Advisory Council. This report provides a qualitative analysis of the information from all these sources to summarize and define the main barriers identified by each group. 
The most common barriers to youth engagement were time constraints, staffing challenges, and legal regulations. The findings indicate that there are several other key barriers that limit youth engagement in permanency planning, including a lack of understanding of the permanency planning process, lack of trust in the system, lack of cultural competency, lack of connection to an adult mentor, and lack of communication and collaboration between those involved. The report outlines recommendations for addressing these barriers, including engaging youth in the planning process, creating more culturally competent systems, and building trust through meaningful relationships.
Read the <a title="full report" href="https://qic-ey.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/QIC-EY-Barrriers-to-Authentic-Youth-Engagement-in-Permanency-Planning-2022.pdf" rel="nofollow">full report</a> for more information and insight on the barriers as well as additional details on the recommendations.

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 or updates to the site include the following:
<ul style="list-style-position: inside;"><li><a title="Child Maltreatment 2021" href="https://www.acf.hhs.gov/cb/report/child-maltreatment-2021?utm_medium&#61;email&amp;utm_source&#61;maltreatreport020923" rel="nofollow">Child Maltreatment 2021</a></li><li><a title="Adoption and Foster Care Analysis and Reporting System (AFCARS)" href="https://www.acf.hhs.gov/cb/data-research/adoption-fostercare" rel="nofollow">Adoption and Foster Care Analysis and Reporting System (AFCARS)</a></li><li><a title="Technical Bulletin #21 — XML File Structure and Encryption" href="https://www.acf.hhs.gov/cb/training-technical-assistance/technical-bulletin-21-xml-file" rel="nofollow">Technical Bulletin #21 — XML File Structure and Encryption</a></li><li><a title="Responding to Human Trafficking among Children and Youth in Foster Care and Missing from Foster Care" href="https://www.acf.hhs.gov/cb/news/human-trafficking-foster-care" rel="nofollow">Responding to Human Trafficking Among Children and Youth in Foster Care and Missing From Foster Care</a></li><li><a title="Round 4 of the CFSRs" href="https://www.acf.hhs.gov/cb/monitoring/child-family-services-reviews/round4" rel="nofollow">Round 4 of the CFSRs</a></li><li><a title="Statewide Data Indicator Syntax Zip File" href="https://www.acf.hhs.gov/cb/training-technical-assistance/cfsr-r4-swdi-syntax-zip" rel="nofollow">Statewide Data Indicator Syntax Zip File</a></li><li><a title="Status of Submitted Title IV-E Prevention Program Five-Year Plans" href="https://www.acf.hhs.gov/cb/data/status-submitted-title-iv-e-prevention-program-five-year-plans" rel="nofollow">Status of Submitted Title IV-E Prevention Program Five-Year Plans</a></li><li><a title="Title IV-E Prevention Program Data Submission Fall 2022 Webinar" href="https://www.acf.hhs.gov/cb/training-technical-assistance/program-data-submission-fall-2022" rel="nofollow">Title IV-E Prevention Program Data Submission Fall 2022 Webinar</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.

A Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) on licensing standards for relative and kinship foster homes was published in the Federal Register (88 FR 9411) on February 14, 2023. The NPRM proposes to amend federal

ACF Announces New Proposed Foster Family Licensing Regulation to Help Expand Access to Kin Caregiving

A <a style="color: #0563c1; text-decoration: underline;" href="https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2023/02/14/2023-03005/separate-licensing-standards-for-relative-or-kinship-foster-family-homes" rel="nofollow">Notice of Proposed Rulemaking</a> (NPRM) on licensing standards for relative and kinship foster homes was published in the Federal Register (88 FR 9411) on February 14, 2023. The NPRM proposes to amend federal regulations to allow title IV-E agencies to adopt separate licensing or approval standards for relative or kinship foster family homes that are different from those applied to nonrelative foster homes. It would lessen the obstacles kin and fictive kin face as they work toward caring for their loved ones, and it aligns with President Biden&#39;s priorities on providing necessary resources to keep families together and support kinship care.
 
For more information, view The Family Room Blog article <a style="color: #0563c1; text-decoration: underline;" href="https://www.acf.hhs.gov/blog/2023/02/new-proposed-rule-changing-foster-care-licensing-regulation-supports-keeping-families" rel="nofollow">“New Proposed Rule Changing the Foster Care Licensing Regulation Supports Keeping Families Safely Together Through Kinship Care”</a> by Administration for Children and Families Assistant Secretary January Contreras and read the <a style="color: #0563c1; text-decoration: underline;" href="https://www.acf.hhs.gov/cb/policy-guidance/im2302" rel="nofollow">Information Memorandum</a> on the NPRM.
 
Comments on the proposed rule can be submitted at <a style="color: #0563c1; text-decoration: underline;" href="http://www.regulations.gov" rel="nofollow">www.regulations.gov</a> or <a style="color: #0563c1; text-decoration: underline;" href="mailto:cbcomments&#64;acf.hhs.gov" rel="nofollow">cbcomments&#64;acf.hhs.gov</a> on or before April 17, 2023.

When working to improve program outcomes, it is important for child welfare agencies to collect and use SOGIE (sexual orientation, gender identity, and expression) data to gain a more in-depth understanding

Podcast Discusses the Use of SOGIE Data in Improving Child Welfare Outcomes

When working to improve program outcomes, it is important for child welfare agencies to collect and use SOGIE (sexual orientation, gender identity, and expression) data to gain a more in-depth understanding of the children, youth, and families they serve. The James Bell Associates podcast episode <a style="color: #0563c1; text-decoration: underline;" href="https://soundcloud.com/user-226789075-857721198/jba-sogie-podcast-ep1?utm_source&#61;clipboard&amp;utm_medium&#61;text&amp;utm_campaign&#61;social_sharing" rel="nofollow">“Understanding the Importance of SOGIE Data: Collecting Data on SOGIE in Child Welfare, Episode 1”</a> discusses the potential benefits of intentionally and safely engaging in conversations with youth about their SOGIE. The episode features Angela Weeks, D.B.A., director of the National SOGIE Center, and Elliott Hinkle, B.A., P.S.S., national young adult consultant at the Capacity Building Center for States. They share their unique first-hand experiences with the child welfare system and how their experiences could have been different if an agency had asked about their SOGIE. They provide tips on how professionals and LGBTQIA2S&#43; (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, questioning, intersex, asexual, two-spirit, or other gender or sexual identity) allies can create gracious environments for these types of conversations to occur. 
The episode talks about two critical conversations that need to happen with youth in the program regarding their SOGIE. These discussions can help to assist youth in feeling safe, validated, and respected while also empowering them to have autonomy over their own SOGIE: 
<ul style="list-style-position: inside;"><li style="font-size: 8pt;">An honest conversation about the people in the youth’s life who are aware of the youth’s SOGIE, if there are any concerns about someone finding out, and mutually defined circumstances concerning who the caseworker can share this data with</li><li style="font-size: 8pt;">A privacy-planning conversation that has a goal of determining ways to protect the youth’s privacy, which may include a need to find creative solutions, especially regarding the access of case notes and information on databases</li></ul>
The facilitators place an emphasis on using the correct pronouns when addressing youth in the program, which is a crucial part of acknowledging and respecting their SOGIE. The episode suggests that pronouns be included in introductions between individuals. Other suggestions for when to include pronouns include the following: 
<ul style="margin-bottom: 0in; margin-top: 0px; list-style-position: inside;"><li style="font-size: 8pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Bios (e.g., social media, LinkedIn)</li><li style="font-size: 8pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Email signatures</li><li style="font-size: 8pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Name on an online meeting platform (e.g., Zoom, Microsoft Teams)</li></ul>
 To learn more, view the webinar, <a style="color: #0563c1; text-decoration: underline;" href="https://soundcloud.com/user-226789075-857721198/jba-sogie-podcast-ep1?utm_source&#61;clipboard&amp;utm_medium&#61;text&amp;utm_campaign&#61;social_sharing" rel="nofollow">“Understanding the Importance of SOGIE Data: Collecting Data on SOGIE in Child Welfare, Episode 1.”</a>

The National Youth Engagement Advisory Council works in collaboration with Quality Improvement Center on Engaging Youth in Finding Permanency (QIC-EY) partners to ensure authentic youth voice is integrated

Spotlight on the QIC-EY National Youth Engagement Advisory Council 

<img style="align: baseline;" title="" src="Screenshot.pngx" alt="Phoenix Santiago headshot and quote" width="700" height="500" align="baseline" border="" hspace="" vspace="" />
The <a title="National Youth Engagement Advisory Council" href="https://qic-ey.org/about/advisory-councils/" rel="nofollow">National Youth Engagement Advisory Council</a> works in collaboration with Quality Improvement Center on Engaging Youth in Finding Permanency (QIC-EY) partners to ensure authentic youth voice is integrated into the QIC-EY&#39;s processes and products. The council provides technical assistance to pilot sites working toward the realization of youth-focused systems that authentically engage youth in finding permanence.
 
The National Youth Engagement Advisory Council is composed of 21 members from 10 agencies from across the United States known for their partnership with youth currently or formerly in the child welfare system. The council is led by Phoenix Santiago of the New England Association of Child Welfare Commissioners and Directors who has lived expertise and professional expertise in the child welfare system. Each agency is represented by two people, one of whom has lived expertise in the child welfare system and one representative who works for the agency.   
 
The following are the primary tasks of this council:
<ul style="margin-top: 0in; margin-bottom: 0in; list-style-position: inside;" type="disc"><li style="font-family: verdana, geneva; font-size: 8pt;">Assist with the needs assessment done during the first year of the QIC-EY, including a literature review, the identification of promising practices and programs, and the provision of firsthand knowledge about what is and is not working to achieve authentic child and youth engagement in permanency discussions</li><li style="font-family: verdana, geneva; font-size: 8pt;">Ensure the construct of the QIC-EY and all work that is done through this initiative includes the perspective of people with lived expertise</li><li style="font-family: verdana, geneva; font-size: 8pt;">Provide feedback on tools, training, and products developed by the QIC-EY</li><li style="font-family: verdana, geneva; font-size: 8pt;">Assist with disseminating tools and products, including identifying and leveraging social media platforms</li><li style="font-family: verdana, geneva; font-size: 8pt;">Assist with cross-site youth engagement by providing technical assistance to youth teams in the pilot sites</li></ul>
 
The participating agencies include the following:
<ul style="list-style-position: inside;"><li><a style="color: blue; text-decoration: underline;" href="https://www.floridayouthshine.org/" rel="nofollow">Florida Youth SHINE</a></li><li><a style="color: blue; text-decoration: underline;" href="https://fostercarealumni.org/" rel="nofollow">Foster Care Alumni of America</a>  </li><li><a style="color: blue; text-decoration: underline;" href="https://www.fosterclub.com/" rel="nofollow">FosterClub</a>  </li><li><a style="color: blue; text-decoration: underline;" href="https://nfyi.org/" rel="nofollow">National Foster Youth Institute</a>  </li><li><a style="color: blue; text-decoration: underline;" href="https://neyouthcoalition.org/" rel="nofollow">New England Youth Coalition</a>  </li><li><a style="color: blue; text-decoration: underline;" href="https://www.thinkof-us.org/" rel="nofollow">Think of Us</a>  </li><li><a style="color: blue; text-decoration: underline;" href="http://www.threepreciousmiracles.com/" rel="nofollow">Three Precious Miracles</a>  </li><li><a style="color: blue; text-decoration: underline;" title="Yakama Nation" href="https://www.yakama.com/" rel="nofollow">Yakama Nation</a></li><li><a style="color: blue; text-decoration: underline;" href="https://www.yougottabelieve.org/perfectparent/" rel="nofollow">You Gotta Believe</a></li><li><a style="color: blue; text-decoration: underline;" href="https://youthvillages.org/" rel="nofollow">Youth Villages </a> </li></ul>
For more information, <a title="listen" href="https://www.youtube.com/shorts/8sPRhLJACSY" rel="nofollow">listen</a> to the experience of Phoenix Santiago, visit the <a style="color: blue; text-decoration: underline;" title="QIC-EY website" href="https://qic-ey.org/about/advisory-councils/" rel="nofollow">QIC-EY website</a>, and receive updates by joining the QIC-EY <a style="color: blue; text-decoration: underline;" href="https://qic-ey.org/subscribe/" rel="nofollow">mailing list</a>.

AdoptUSKids hosted a webinar, “Peer Support Matters: Strategies to Incorporate and Elevate Those With Lived Experience in Your Support of Foster, Adoptive, and Kinship Families,” that provides strategies

Webinar Features Intentional Approaches for Partnering With Individuals With Lived Experience in an Agency Setting 

AdoptUSKids hosted a webinar, <a style="color: #0563c1; text-decoration: underline;" href="https://professionals.adoptuskids.org/peer-support-matters-strategies-to-incorporate-and-elevate-those-with-lived-experience/" rel="nofollow">“Peer Support Matters: Strategies to Incorporate and Elevate Those With Lived Experience in Your Support of Foster, Adoptive, and Kinship Families,”</a> that provides strategies for agencies to intentionally include those with lived experience into their support programs. The webinar—which was facilitated by Nathan Ross, a family support project specialist at AdoptUSKids, and Britt Cloudsdale, a family support program manager at AdoptUSKids—suggests that agencies must engage individuals with lived experience to advance user-centered support programs and improve agency services and culture. It also provides key considerations to inform their engagement. 
The webinar addresses common barriers to elevating those with lived experience, including professional bias, lack of sufficient development or support, and lack of compensation. It is critical for organizations to assess their readiness and build their staff’s capacity to support the individuals with lived experience that they engage with. To eliminate any potential harm, the presenters advise agencies to think about how to best empower those with lived experience. Individuals may need education and support to process trauma and feelings of grief and loss related to their experience prior to, during, and after child welfare involvement. To better empower staff to work with those with lived experiences, agencies can provide training on effectively facilitating groups, writing case notes, strategically sharing experiences, navigating traumas and triggers, balancing work and personal life, and practicing self-care.
The presenters recognize and define the difference between youth who have lived experience (involuntary participants) and caregivers with lived experience (voluntary participants) and how agencies should be aware of how these differences affect how agencies provide support. 
Other topics and strategies in the webinar include the following: 
<ul style="margin-bottom: 0in; margin-top: 0px; list-style-position: inside;"><li style="font-size: 8pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Traits of effective peer support providers</li><li style="font-size: 8pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Compensation of those with lived experience</li><li style="font-size: 8pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Youth Engagement Ladder</li><li style="font-size: 8pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Power dynamics</li><li style="font-size: 8pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">How to create safer environments for those with lived experience to show up authentically </li></ul>
To learn more, view the webinar, <a style="color: #0563c1; text-decoration: underline;" href="https://professionals.adoptuskids.org/peer-support-matters-strategies-to-incorporate-and-elevate-those-with-lived-experience/" rel="nofollow">“Peer Support Matters: Strategies to Incorporate and Elevate Those With Lived Experience in Your Support of Foster Adoptive, and Kinship Families.”</a>

The Children's Bureau 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 these

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

The Children&#39;s Bureau 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 these partners:
Child Welfare Information Gateway   
<ul style="list-style-position: inside;"><li><a title="Supporting Racially and Culturally Diverse Adoptive Families" href="https://www.childwelfare.gov/topics/adoption/postplacement/diverse-adoptive-families/" rel="nofollow">Supporting Racially and Culturally Diverse Adoptive Families</a> [Webpage update]</li><li><a title="Child Welfare and IDEA Part C" href="https://www.childwelfare.gov/topics/preventing/prevention-programs/earlychildhood/childwelfare/" rel="nofollow">Child Welfare and IDEA Part C</a> [Webpage update]</li><li><a title="Working With Families: Substance Use" href="https://www.childwelfare.gov/topics/supporting/mhsu/familysud/" rel="nofollow">Working With Families: Substance Use</a> [Webpage update]</li></ul>
Visit the <a title="Information Gateway website" href="https://www.childwelfare.gov/" rel="nofollow">Information Gateway website</a> for more.
Child Welfare Capacity Building Collaborative  
<ul style="list-style-position: inside;"><li>Center for States 
<ul style="list-style-position: inside;"><li><a title="&#34;Diversity, Racial Equity, and Inclusion in Child Welfare: Our Shared Vocabulary&#34;" href="https://capacity.childwelfare.gov/states/resources/our-shared-vocabulary-video" rel="nofollow">&#34;Diversity, Racial Equity, and Inclusion in Child Welfare: Our Shared Vocabulary&#34;</a> [Video]</li><li><a title="Spotlight On Prioritizing Lived Experience and Expertise in Child Welfare" href="https://content.govdelivery.com/bulletins/gd/USACFCBCS-344b155?wgt_ref&#61;USACFCBCS_WIDGET_1" rel="nofollow">Spotlight On Prioritizing Lived Experience and Expertise in Child Welfare</a></li></ul>
</li><li>Center for Tribes 
<ul style="list-style-position: inside;"><li><a title="&#34;Strategic Planning in Tribal Child Welfare Programs&#34;" href="https://tribalinformationexchange.org/files/products/StrategicPlanninginTribalChildWelfare.pdf?utm_source&#61;Center&#43;for&#43;Tribes&#43;Outreach&amp;utm_campaign&#61;63a2d61126-activeeffortsemail_COPY_01&amp;utm_medium&#61;email&amp;utm_term&#61;0_c52045c6a7-63a2d61126-142484389" rel="nofollow">&#34;Strategic Planning in Tribal Child Welfare Programs&#34;</a></li><li><a title="Systems and Organizations" href="https://tribalinformationexchange.org/index.php/systems/?utm_source&#61;Center&#43;for&#43;Tribes&#43;Outreach&amp;utm_campaign&#61;63a2d61126-activeeffortsemail_COPY_01&amp;utm_medium&#61;email&amp;utm_term&#61;0_c52045c6a7-63a2d61126-142484389" rel="nofollow">Systems and Organizations</a> [Webpage]</li><li><a title="&#34;4C for Cherokee Children Cultural Connection&#34;" href="https://tribalinformationexchange.org/index.php/2023/02/15/4c-for-cherokee-children-cultural-connection-recorded-webinar/" rel="nofollow">&#34;4C for Cherokee Children Cultural Connection&#34;</a> [Webinar recording]</li></ul>
</li></ul>
Visit the <a href="https://capacity.childwelfare.gov/" rel="nofollow">Child Welfare Capacity Building Collaborative website</a> for more. 
FRIENDS National Resource Center  
<ul style="list-style-position: inside;"><li style="font-size: 8pt;"><a title="&#34;The Four E’s: Creating Success for Parent/Practitioner Partnerships&#34;" href="https://friendsnrc.org/resources/january-2023-cbcap-plc-the-four-es-creating-success-for-parent-practitioner-partnerships/" rel="nofollow">&#34;The Four E’s: Creating Success for Parent/Practitioner Partnerships&#34;</a> [Webinar]</li><li style="font-size: 8pt;"><a title="&#34;Self Love Heights is Possible&#34;" href="https://friendsnrc.org/resources/self-love-heights-is-possible/" rel="nofollow">&#34;Self Love Heights Is Possible&#34;</a> [Video]</li><li style="font-size: 8pt;"><a title="&#34;Showing Up as a Noncustodial Parent&#34;" href="https://friendsnrc.org/resources/showing-up-as-a-noncustodial-parent/" rel="nofollow">&#34;Showing Up as a Noncustodial Parent&#34;</a> [Video]</li><li style="font-size: 8pt;"><a title="&#34;Protective Factors: Strengthening Families, Preventing Child Abuse and Neglect&#34;" href="https://friendsnrcelearning.learningpool.com/totara/catalog/index.php" rel="nofollow">&#34;Protective Factors: Strengthening Families, Preventing Child Abuse and Neglect&#34; </a></li></ul>
Visit the <a title="FRIENDS National Resource Center website" href="https://friendsnrc.org/" rel="nofollow">FRIENDS National Resource Center website</a> for more.
Children&#39;s Bureau Learning &amp; Coordination Center (CBLCC)
<ul style="list-style-position: inside;"><li><a title="&#34;Caregiver Well-Being Matters: Children’s Social Emotional Development and Mental Health&#34;" href="https://cblcc.acf.hhs.gov/shareable-media/videos/acf-video-series/caregiver-well-being-matters/" rel="nofollow">&#34;Caregiver Well-Being Matters: Children’s Social Emotional Development and Mental Health&#34;</a> [Video]</li><li><a title="Social Media Resources for Human Trafficking Prevention Month" href="https://cblcc.acf.hhs.gov/shareable-media/human-trafficking-prevention-month-social-media-resources/" rel="nofollow">Social Media Resources for Human Trafficking Prevention Month</a> [Webpage]</li><li><a title="&#34;Missing From Care: Preventing and Responding to Sex Trafficking of Youth&#34;" href="https://cblcc.acf.hhs.gov/news/did-you-miss-it/" rel="nofollow">&#34;Missing From Care: Preventing and Responding to Sex Trafficking of Youth&#34;</a> [Digital dialog]</li></ul>
Visit the <a href="https://cblcc.acf.hhs.gov/" rel="nofollow">CBLCC website</a> for more.
AdoptUSKids
<ul style="list-style-position: inside;"><li><a title="Navigating First Family Relationships: A Discussion Guide" href="https://professionals.adoptuskids.org/navigating-first-family-relationships-a-discussion-guide/" rel="nofollow">Navigating First Family Relationships: A Discussion Guide</a></li><li><a title="&#34;How to Support Staff With Lived Experience as Caregivers&#34;" href="https://professionals.adoptuskids.org/how-to-support-staff-with-lived-experience-as-caregivers/" rel="nofollow">&#34;How to Support Staff With Lived Experience as Caregivers&#34;</a></li><li><a title="&#34;What Is Kinship Care?&#34;" href="https://blog.adoptuskids.org/what-is-kinship-care/" rel="nofollow">&#34;What Is Kinship Care?&#34;</a> [Blog post]</li></ul>
Visit the <a title="AdoptUSKids website" href="https://adoptuskids.org/" rel="nofollow">AdoptUSKids website</a> for more.
National Data Archive on Child Abuse and Neglect (NDACAN)
<ul style="list-style-position: inside;"><li><a title="2023 Spring Office Hours" href="https://www.ndacan.acf.hhs.gov/events/events.cfm#ndacan-office-hours" rel="nofollow">2023 Spring Office Hours</a></li></ul>
Visit the <a title="NDACAN website" href="https://www.ndacan.acf.hhs.gov/index.cfm" rel="nofollow">NDACAN website</a> for more.
National Child Welfare Workforce Institute (NCWWI)
<ul style="list-style-position: inside;"><li><a title="&#34;Activity: &#39;Why People Stay&#39; Interviews&#34;" href="https://ncwwi.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/10-Leading-People-Activity_Why-People-Stay-Interviews.pdf" rel="nofollow">&#34;Activity: &#39;Why People Stay&#39; Interviews&#34;</a></li><li><a title="NCWWI Communications Guide: How to Advance Organizational Goals Through Effective Messaging, Storytelling, and Public Relations" href="https://ncwwi.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/NCWWI-Communications-Guide_2022.pdf" rel="nofollow">NCWWI Communications Guide: How to Advance Organizational Goals Through Effective Messaging, Storytelling, and Public Relations</a></li></ul>
Visit the <a href="https://www.ncwwi.org/" rel="nofollow">NCWWI website</a> for more.
Quality Improvement Center for Workforce Development (QIC-WD)
<ul style="list-style-position: inside;"><li><a title="&#34;Self-Reflection: Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Important First Steps&#34;" href="https://www.qic-wd.org/blog-institute-resource/self-reflection-diversity-equity-and-inclusion-important-first-steps" rel="nofollow">&#34;Self-Reflection: Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Important First Steps&#34;</a> [Blog post]</li><li><a title="&#34;Measuring Diversity, Equity and Inclusion in your Child Welfare Workforce&#34;" href="https://www.qic-wd.org/qic-wd-national-webinar-series-registration" rel="nofollow">&#34;Measuring Diversity, Equity and Inclusion in your Child Welfare Workforce&#34;</a> [Webinar registration]</li></ul>
Visit the <a title="QIC-WD website" href="https://www.qic-wd.org/" rel="nofollow">QIC-WD website</a> for more.
Quality Improvement Center on Engaging Youth in Finding Permanency (QIC-EY)
<ul style="list-style-position: inside;"><li><a title="Youth Engagement Program and Curriculum Catalog" href="https://qic-ey.org/catalog-overview/" rel="nofollow">Youth Engagement Program and Curriculum Catalog</a></li></ul>
Visit the <a title="QIC-EY website" href="https://qic-ey.org/" rel="nofollow">QIC-EY website</a> for more.
James Bell Associates
<ul style="list-style-position: inside;"><li><a title="Addressing Prenatal Alcohol and Other Drug Exposure in Tribal Communities: Key Takeaways From an Environmental Scan" href="https://www.jbassoc.com/resource/addressing-prenatal-alcohol-and-other-drug-exposure-in-tribal-communities-key-takeaways-from-an-environmental-scan/" rel="nofollow">Addressing Prenatal Alcohol and Other Drug Exposure in Tribal Communities: Key Takeaways From an Environmental Scan</a></li></ul>
Visit the <a href="https://www.jbassoc.com/" rel="nofollow">James Bell Associates website</a> for more.

Results from a Child Trends simulation demonstrate that preventing births to teenagers may have positive effects on education, physical and mental health, earnings, poverty, and lifetime income. The simulation

Simulation Finds Preventing Births to Teens Can Have Long-Term Socioeconomic Benefits 

Results from a Child Trends simulation demonstrate that preventing births to teenagers may have positive effects on education, physical and mental health, earnings, poverty, and lifetime income. The simulation used the Social Genome Model, a microsimulation tool that projects how changes that take place early in someone’s life course impact their adulthood. Specifically, this simulation projects how adolescents’ outcomes may have been different later in life if they had not had a child by age 19.
 
Of the population used in the Social Genome Model, approximately 17 percent were determined “likely” to have a child by age 19. The simulation changed that probability to zero, allowing the researchers to observe how that change might affect those adolescents’ futures.
 
Using the model, researchers examined projected outcomes at various life stages. At age 24, which is labeled the “transition to adulthood,” they analyzed educational attainment, mental and physical health, and the income-to-poverty ratio. At age 30, “adulthood,” they analyzed bachelor’s degree attainment and earnings. Based on those results, projected lifetime earnings through age 65 were determined. The simulation took into account differences based on gender, race, and ethnicity.
 
The following are some of the simulation’s specific projections of what occurs when teenage births are prevented:
 
<ul style="margin-bottom: 0in; margin-top: 0px; list-style-position: inside;"><li style="margin: 0in 0in 0in 0px; font-size: 8pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">There are notable improvements to physical and mental health, particularly the mental health of women overall and especially Black women.</li><li style="margin: 0in 0in 0in 0px; font-size: 8pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">High school diploma attainment increases by at least 6 percentage points for White men and up to 18 percentage points for Black men.</li><li style="margin: 0in 0in 0in 0px; font-size: 8pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">By age 24, household incomes increase substantially relative to the poverty level, particularly for women.</li><li style="margin: 0in 0in 0in 0px; font-size: 8pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">By age 30, bachelor’s degree attainment increases by 5 percentage points for men and 7 percentage points for women. The groups who have the greatest education gains include White men, White women, Hispanic women, and Black women.</li><li style="margin: 0in 0in 0in 0px; font-size: 8pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">By age 30, annual earnings increase by approximately $384.</li><li style="margin: 0in 0in 0in 0px; font-size: 8pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">Lifetime earnings at age 65 increase by an average of $49,125 for women and $38,448 for men. Hispanic women have the greatest increase in lifetime earnings, followed by Black men and women in general.</li></ul>
 
The full report, <a style="color: #0563c1; text-decoration: underline;" href="https://www.childtrends.org/publications/preventing-births-to-teens-is-associated-with-long-term-health-and-socioeconomic-benefits-according-to-simulation" rel="nofollow">Preventing Births to Teens Is Associated With Long-term Health and Socioeconomic Benefits, According to Simulation,</a> is available on the Child Trends website.

An article by the American Bar Association highlights the ways in which prevention services can be used to benefit older youth under the Family First Prevention Services Act (FFPSA) of 2018. Before FFPSA,

FFPSA Prevention Provisions That Can Benefit Older Youth

An article by the American Bar Association highlights the ways in which prevention services can be used to benefit older youth under the Family First Prevention Services Act (FFPSA) of 2018. Before FFPSA, title IV-E funds for prevention services could be used only once a child was removed from the home. Under FFPSA, prevention funds can be used for “candidates for foster care,” which opens the door to prevention services for youth ages 18 to 21 who are eligible to reenter care under state law as well as expectant and parenting youth in care, regardless of whether their children are system involved.
 
There are two types of prevention services these groups are eligible to receive under FFPSA: (1) mental health and substance use prevention and treatment services provided by a qualified clinician and (2) in-home parent skill-based programs, including parenting skills training, parent education, and individual and family counseling. For prevention programs to receive federal funding, they must fall into one of these two categories and be evidence based.
 
When States develop prevention programs for older youth, they should address the reasons these youth come into care and better address the needs of them and their families. When states develop prevention programs for expectant and parenting youth, they can provide specialized support that improves outcomes and opportunities for these young parents.
 
The article provides strategies for attorneys who represent children, youth, and parents to use to enforce existing laws to complement FFPSA implementation work. Examples include the following:
 
<ul style="margin-bottom: 0in; margin-top: 0px; list-style-position: inside;"><li style="margin: 0in 0in 0in 0px; font-size: 8pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">Enforce the reasonable efforts provision requiring child welfare agencies to make reasonable efforts to prevent placement of children in foster care.</li><li style="margin: 0in 0in 0in 0px; font-size: 8pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">Enforce the requirements for fair hearings for denials of services and benefits under title IV-E.</li><li style="margin: 0in 0in 0in 0px; font-size: 8pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">Enforce laws regarding dispositions for youth in care who are pregnant or parenting to ensure appropriate placements and services and respect for the parental rights of young parents. </li></ul>
 
More information is available in the article, <a style="color: #0563c1; text-decoration: underline;" href="https://www.americanbar.org/groups/litigation/committees/childrens-rights/articles/2019/winter2019-leveraging-the-ffpsa-for-older-youth-prevention-provisions/" rel="nofollow">“Leveraging the FFPSA for Older Youth: Prevention Provisions.”</a> The article is part of a three-part series on how  FFPSA can be leveraged to benefit older youth. The other two articles are on <a style="color: #0563c1; text-decoration: underline;" href="http://www.americanbar.org/groups/litigation/committees/childrens-rights/articles/2019/winter2019-leveraging-the-ffpsa-for-older-youth-reduction-of-group-care-provisions.html/" rel="nofollow">the reduction of group care provisions</a> and <a style="color: #0563c1; text-decoration: underline;" href="https://www.americanbar.org/groups/litigation/committees/childrens-rights/articles/2019/winter2019-leveraging-the-ffpsa-for-older-youth-improving-transitions.html" rel="nofollow">improving transitions</a>.

Written by the Capacity Building for States (including contributions by young adult consultants Brandy Hudson and Julia Mueller) Trauma results from events that are experienced by individuals as physically

Healing-Centered and Trauma-Responsive Care Across Child Welfare for Better Youth Engagement 

Written by the Capacity Building for States (including contributions by young adult consultants Brandy Hudson and Julia Mueller)
Trauma results from events that are experienced by individuals as physically or emotionally harmful and that have lasting adverse effects on functioning and well-being (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration [SAMHSA], 2014). Research shows that children exposed to maltreatment often experience traumatic stress with profound long-term consequences for their futures (Child Welfare Information Gateway, 2020). Young people in foster care have particularly high rates of trauma exposure (Casey Family Programs, 2018). Similar to the families and young people they partner with, child welfare caseworkers also are more likely than the general population to experience secondary traumatic stress, which is the emotional duress that occurs when an individual hears about the firsthand trauma experiences of others on a regular basis (National Child Traumatic Stress Network, 2011).
Combined with other workforce challenges, secondary stress can lead to burnout, which is a progressive process characterized by emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and reduced sense of personal accomplishment that, in a workplace setting, is often attributed to organizational characteristics or stressors (Rienks, 2020). This may lead to reduced levels of engagement. Young people who work with child welfare systems can also experience burnout as a result of their time in care, in addition to their efforts to transform child welfare systems. 
Finally, both staff and young people in the child welfare system (especially individuals identifying as Black, Indigenous, or people of color) may experience feelings of moral injury (the psychological damage caused when individuals are put in a position of representing policies and taking actions that conflict with their moral code), which may lead to additional traumatic stress (Seymour, 2021).
The following challenges and sample solutions can help agencies consider how to improve engagement at their agencies by focusing on access to trauma-responsive and healing-centered care.
<h2 style="margin: 6pt 0in; break-after: avoid; font-size: 14pt; font-family: Rockwell, serif; color: #177b2f; font-weight: normal;">Challenge: Burnout Among Caseworkers and Young People</h2>
<h2 style="margin: 6pt 0in; break-after: avoid; font-size: 14pt; font-family: Rockwell, serif; color: #177b2f; font-weight: normal;">Sample Solution: Access to Trauma-Responsive Care</h2>
Trauma and burnout are common problems for both caseworkers and young people involved with child welfare. This is partly a result of experiencing (firsthand or secondhand) the challenges, emotions, and stresses related to the work of ensuring that children and young people are safe and able to have experiences that are similar to those of their peers not in foster care (i.e., normalcy). 
Traumatic stress also can significantly affect engagement between caseworkers and young people by changing the way people process, retain, or understand information. For example, caseworkers with burnout may not be able to empathetically listen to the young people with whom they work or offer them the highest level of individualized care (SAMHSA, 2005). On the other hand, young people experiencing trauma may be less likely to provide meaningful input into their own case plans or engage fully with their caseworkers. 
To address this challenge, it is critical for child welfare agencies to provide access to trauma-responsive care for both staff and the young people they serve. It’s important to note that trauma treatment exists on a continuum that begins with recognizing the presence of trauma and acknowledging the role trauma may play in an individual’s life and continues on to integrating knowledge about trauma into policies, procedures, and practices and building an organizational culture and climate that incorporates the needs of individuals with trauma (including caregivers) in every aspect (Buffalo Center for Social Research, n.d.; SAMHSA, 2014).
Examples of trauma-responsive care that highlights healing and resilience may include the following:
<ul style="margin-top: 0in; margin-bottom: 6pt; list-style-position: inside;"><li style="font-family: verdana, geneva; font-size: 8pt;">Training staff on the principles of trauma-responsive care and how they can apply it to their work with young people, including looking for simulation training or other opportunities for staff to practice using trauma-responsive principles</li><li style="font-family: verdana, geneva; font-size: 8pt;">Ensuring that young people and child welfare staff can access trauma treatment and resources (e.g., access to therapists, group therapy, published or digital resources on trauma and self-care) on a regular basis, including the participation of young people in group therapy or wellness activities together with caseworkers to build a shared understanding of trauma and find communal ways to address it</li><li style="font-family: verdana, geneva; font-size: 8pt;">Building the capacity of trauma treatment providers to support young people and staff in the child welfare system</li><li style="font-family: verdana, geneva; font-size: 8pt;">Training staff on burnout and self-care to address it, including incentives and paid leave for participation in self-care (National Child Welfare Workforce Institute, 2021)</li></ul>
<h2 style="margin: 6pt 0in; break-after: avoid; font-size: 14pt; font-family: Rockwell, serif; color: #177b2f; font-weight: normal;">Challenge: Feelings of Depersonalization Due to Trauma Response</h2>
<h2 style="margin: 6pt 0in; break-after: avoid; font-size: 14pt; font-family: Rockwell, serif; color: #177b2f; font-weight: normal;">Sample Solution: Focusing on Healing-Centered Engagement and Individualized Service Provision</h2>
Traumatic stress and burnout can lead to feelings of detachment that may interfere with meaningful engagement and partnership. This may result in both caseworkers and young people feeling “detached” or “tuned out” from each other and not being able to actively listen and process information or their own emotions.
An important part of addressing this challenge involves a focus on healing-centered engagement. This approach is strengths based and emphasizes culture, spirituality, civic action, and collective healing. A healing-centered approach emphasizes that a person is much more than their trauma and highlights the ways in which trauma and healing are experienced collectively (Ginwright, 2018). This type of holistic engagement is the foundation for any organizational trauma-informed or trauma-responsive approach.
The following are additional ways child welfare agencies can address feelings of depersonalization among both young people and child welfare staff:
<ul style="margin-top: 0in; margin-bottom: 6pt; list-style-position: inside;"><li style="font-family: verdana, geneva; font-size: 8pt;">Creating a welcoming environment at the agency that facilitates conversation (e.g., comfortable chairs and couches, access to water or warm drinks) rather than a sterile, siloed one (e.g., cubicles)</li><li style="font-family: verdana, geneva; font-size: 8pt;">Encouraging young people and staff to maintain strong connections to their cultural identity since there is evidence that it contributes to mental health resilience, higher levels of social well-being, improved coping skills, and other benefits (Stafanson, 2019)</li><li style="font-family: verdana, geneva; font-size: 8pt;">Hiring staff with lived experience who can better understand what young people are experiencing because they have also been there</li><li style="font-family: verdana, geneva; font-size: 8pt;">Providing time for caseworkers to process their emotions as they go from case to case to make it possible for them to fully focus on each one</li></ul>
By implementing the principles of trauma-responsive care and healing-centered engagement, agencies can improve communication between caseworkers and young people, which can lead to a better understanding of young people’s needs and better outcomes going forward.
<h2 style="margin: 6pt 0in; break-after: avoid; font-size: 14pt; font-family: Rockwell, serif; color: #177b2f; font-weight: normal;">References</h2>
Buffalo Center for Social Research. (n.d.). What is trauma-informed care? University at Buffalo. <a style="color: #0563c1; text-decoration: underline;" href="https://socialwork.buffalo.edu/social-research/institutes-centers/institute-on-trauma-and-trauma-informed-care/what-is-trauma-informed-care.html" rel="nofollow">https://socialwork.buffalo.edu/social-research/institutes-centers/institute-on-trauma-and-trauma-informed-care/what-is-trauma-informed-care.html</a> 
Casey Family Programs. (2018). Why should child protection agencies become trauma-informed? <a style="color: #0563c1; text-decoration: underline;" href="https://www.casey.org/media/SComm_Trauma-informed-1.pdf" rel="nofollow">https://www.casey.org/media/SComm_Trauma-informed-1.pdf</a>
Child Welfare Information Gateway. (2020). The importance of a trauma-informed child welfare system. <a href="https://www.childwelfare.gov/pubs/issue-briefs/trauma-informed/" rel="nofollow">https://www.childwelfare.gov/pubs/issue-briefs/trauma-informed/</a> 
Ginwright, S. (2018, May 31). The future of healing: Shifting from trauma informed care to healing centered engagement. Medium. <a style="color: #0563c1; text-decoration: underline;" href="https://ginwright.medium.com/the-future-of-healing-shifting-from-trauma-informed-care-to-healing-centered-engagement-634f557ce69c" rel="nofollow">https://ginwright.medium.com/the-future-of-healing-shifting-from-trauma-informed-care-to-healing-centered-engagement-634f557ce69c</a>
National Child Traumatic Stress Network. (2011). Secondary traumatic stress: A fact sheet for child-serving professionals. <a title="https://www.nctsn.org/resources/secondary-traumatic-stress-fact-sheet-child-serving-professionals" href="https://www.nctsn.org/resources/secondary-traumatic-stress-fact-sheet-child-serving-professionals" rel="nofollow">https://www.nctsn.org/resources/secondary-traumatic-stress-fact-sheet-child-serving-professionals</a> 
National Child Welfare Workforce Institute. (2021). Building a resilient workforce to address trauma and enhance well-being: Supporting self-care at the system level. <a style="color: #0563c1; text-decoration: underline;" href="https://ncwwi-dms.org/resourcemenu/resource-library/organizational-culture-and-climate/1657-key-takeaways-from-building-a-resilient-workforce-to-address-trauma-and-enhance-well-being-connecting-to-cultural-ways/file" rel="nofollow">https://ncwwi-dms.org/resourcemenu/resource-library/organizational-culture-and-climate/1657-key-takeaways-from-building-a-resilient-workforce-to-address-trauma-and-enhance-well-being-connecting-to-cultural-ways/file</a>
Rienks, S. L. (2020). An exploration of child welfare caseworkers’ experience of secondary trauma and strategies for coping. Child Abuse &amp; Neglect, 110, 104355. <a style="color: #0563c1; text-decoration: underline;" href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chiabu.2020.104355" rel="nofollow">https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chiabu.2020.104355</a>
Seymour, M. (2021, August 25). Moral injury [Video]. University of Minnesota. <a style="color: #0563c1; text-decoration: underline;" href="https://mediaspace.umn.edu/media/t/1_sgb2el4e/170899212" rel="nofollow">https://mediaspace.umn.edu/media/t/1_sgb2el4e/170899212</a>
Stafanson, A. H. (2019, November 20). Supporting cultural identity for children in foster care. Child Law Practice Today. <a style="color: #0563c1; text-decoration: underline;" href="https://www.americanbar.org/groups/public_interest/child_law/resources/child_law_practiceonline/january---december-2019/supporting-cultural-identity-for-children-in-foster-care/" rel="nofollow">https://www.americanbar.org/groups/public_interest/child_law/resources/child_law_practiceonline/january---december-2019/supporting-cultural-identity-for-children-in-foster-care/</a> 
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. (2005). Addressing burnout in the behavioral health workforce through organizational strategies. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. <a style="color: #0563c1; text-decoration: underline;" href="https://store.samhsa.gov/sites/default/files/SAMHSA_Digital_Download/pep22-06-02-005.pdf" rel="nofollow">https://store.samhsa.gov/sites/default/files/SAMHSA_Digital_Download/pep22-06-02-005.pdf</a> 
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. (2014). SAMHSA’s concept of trauma and guidance for a trauma-informed approach. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. <a style="color: #0563c1; text-decoration: underline;" href="https://store.samhsa.gov/product/SAMHSA-s-Concept-of-Trauma-and-Guidance-for-a-Trauma-Informed-Approach/SMA14-4884" rel="nofollow">https://store.samhsa.gov/product/SAMHSA-s-Concept-of-Trauma-and-Guidance-for-a-Trauma-Informed-Approach/SMA14-4884</a>

An October 2022 directive from the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) titled Parental Interest of Noncitizens Parents and Legal Guardians of Minor Children or Incapacitated Adults provides

Using the ICE Parental Interests Directive to Ensure Fair Treatment of Detained or Deported Parents

An October 2022 directive from the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) titled <a title="Parental Interest of Noncitizens Parents and Legal Guardians of Minor Children or Incapacitated Adults" href="https://www.ice.gov/news/releases/ice-extends-preservation-parental-guardianship-rights-minor-children-incapacitated" rel="nofollow">Parental Interest of Noncitizens Parents and Legal Guardians of Minor Children or Incapacitated Adults</a> provides protections for noncitizen families. The directive is an update of various ICE policies related to detaining and deporting parents, and it summarizes the various protections ICE offers noncitizen parents in order to prevent unnecessary barriers to family reunification. Largely, it ensures that parents or guardians who are arrested or detained for a civil immigration proceeding are able to maintain visitation with their children and participate in child welfare or other court proceedings.
 
Individuals covered by the directive include parents or legal guardians who are the primary caretaker of dependents and those who have a direct interest in family or probate court, guardianship, or child welfare proceedings involving a minor or incapacitated adult. These individuals may participate in family court or child welfare proceedings to maintain or regain custody of a dependent. They can participate remotely if transport presents security or public safety issues.
 
The directive has information useful for child welfare professionals. For example, child welfare professionals should ensure parent-child visitation is facilitated and inform ICE of special visitation requirements. It is also recommended that child welfare professionals notify ICE when a child of a parent detained by ICE is in child protective services custody, since ICE detention facility personnel may not be aware.
 
ICE has a <a style="color: #0563c1; text-decoration: underline;" href="https://www.ice.gov/doclib/detention-reform/pdf/factSheetDetainedParentsChildWelfareStakeholders.pdf" rel="nofollow">factsheet</a> with information about the directive, requirements related to court proceedings and services, visitation, travel, and more.

A blog post from AdoptUSKids provides foster and adoptive parents with advice on how to best support the children and youth in their care. The author, Jamerika Haynes-Lewis, is a journalist, advocate,

Tips for Foster and Adoptive Parents on Supporting Children and Youth

A <a href="https://blog.adoptuskids.org/what-i-want-foster-and-adoptive-parents-to-know/" rel="nofollow">blog post</a> from AdoptUSKids provides foster and adoptive parents with advice on how to best support the children and youth in their care. The author, Jamerika Haynes-Lewis, is a journalist, advocate, and motivational speaker with lived experience as a youth in foster care and an adoptee. She shares the difficulties she experienced as a young child and what the adults in her life did to support her. The following is a sample of the advice she offers to foster and adoptive parents:
<ul style="list-style-position: inside;"><li>Do your research. There is an abundance of information available to those wanting to foster or adopt, including classes and real-life stories from other resource parents, youth in foster care, and adoptees. A good place to start is the local child welfare agency.</li><li>Don’t be afraid to talk to a counselor. Becoming a foster or adoptive parent is a big decision. Talking to a counselor or therapist, especially one that specializes in this area, can help prospective parents understand their own feelings, the importance of attachment, bonding, and how trauma affects youth and families.</li><li>Build your network. Create and maintain connections with other families who foster and adopt. A community that shares similar life stories and experiences can serve as a source of information and support. In time, you can fill this role for others, too.</li><li>Know that it takes time. The process of becoming a foster or adoptive parent is a lengthy one, often spanning many months, and includes a variety of steps, actions, and waiting. Having a support network can help prospective parents navigate this time-consuming process.</li><li>Build a relationship with your child or teen. Patience is key. Be open with them about who you are and why they have come to live with you. It is important that your child knows that you are reliable and have a genuine interest in their life and well-being.   </li></ul>
To learn more, read <a href="https://blog.adoptuskids.org/what-i-want-foster-and-adoptive-parents-to-know/" rel="nofollow">“What I Want Foster and Adoptive Parents to Know”</a> on the AdoptUSKids website.

ConnectSafely is a nonprofit organization dedicated to helping people—especially children and youth, parents, and educators—use the internet and other technology safely. Its website contains an abundance

ConnectSafely Encourages Safe and Responsible Internet Use

<a style="color: blue; text-decoration: underline;" href="https://www.connectsafely.org/" rel="nofollow">ConnectSafely</a> is a nonprofit organization dedicated to helping people—especially children and youth, parents, and educators—use the internet and other technology safely. Its website contains an abundance of research-based information about online safety, privacy, security, and digital wellness that through tip sheets and guides, news and commentary, podcasts, videos, and more.
Printable quick guides are available for popular social media apps and games and on topics such as internet safety and wellness (e.g., cyberbullying and hate speech, media literacy, security). The quick guides are available in Spanish. A larger selection of full-length parent and educator guides provide more detailed discussions of similar topics.
ConnectSafely produces two podcasts. ConnectSafely Live features guests from education, health care, mental health, and other professions, as well as social media companies, who discuss technology and digital wellness. Media in the Middle is a teen-led podcast that emphasizes youth’s voice and their experiences and challenges living in an internet age. 
For more information, visit the <a style="color: blue; text-decoration: underline;" href="https://www.connectsafely.org/" rel="nofollow">ConnectSafely</a> website.

The Capacity Building Center for Tribes offers a free leadership academy for tribal child welfare program leaders at all levels. The goal of the Tribal Child Welfare Leadership Academy is to enhance the

Tribal Child Welfare Leadership Academy Offers Training for Tribal Leaders 

The Capacity Building Center for Tribes offers a free leadership academy for tribal child welfare program leaders at all levels. The goal of the <a style="color: #0563c1; text-decoration: underline;" href="https://tribalinformationexchange.org/index.php/tcwla/" rel="nofollow">Tribal Child Welfare Leadership Academy</a> is to enhance the skills of tribal child welfare leaders to support their workforces and improve outcomes for Native families.
 
The academy, designed for leaders from tribal programs with title IV-B funding, is grounded in Indigenous values, knowledge, and ways of being and defines child welfare success from a tribal perspective. It has four focus areas:
 
<ul style="margin-bottom: 0in; margin-top: 0px; list-style-position: inside;"><li style="margin: 0in 0in 0in 0px; font-size: 8pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">Leading in context: Building communities</li><li style="margin: 0in 0in 0in 0px; font-size: 8pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">Leading people: Workforce development</li><li style="margin: 0in 0in 0in 0px; font-size: 8pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">Leading change: Goal setting</li><li style="margin: 0in 0in 0in 0px; font-size: 8pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">Leading for results: Accountability</li></ul>
 
The academy guides participants through learning components that promote critical thinking and supports them as they apply lessons learned to an organizational change project for their program. Participants also receive individualized coaching on how to successfully lead their programs from a tribal perspective.
 
For more information about the academy, contact Rachel Fore at <a style="color: #0563c1; text-decoration: underline;" href="mailto:rachel.fore&#64;du.edu" rel="nofollow">rachel.fore&#64;du.edu</a>. You can also <a style="color: #0563c1; text-decoration: underline;" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v&#61;-ZshMWOr7nA" rel="nofollow">view a presentation</a> about the academy on YouTube.

Upcoming conferences and events on child welfare and adoption include the following: March Race Equity Virtual Training Series [Virtual] National Association of Counsel for Children March 1–3 The Innovations

Upcoming conferences and events on child welfare and adoption include the following:
March
<a title="Race Equity Virtual Training Series" href="https://www.naccchildlaw.org/events/EventDetails.aspx?id&#61;1696252&amp;group&#61;" rel="nofollow">Race Equity Virtual Training Series</a> [Virtual] National Association of Counsel for Children March 1–3
<a title="The Innovations and Solutions for Ending Unsheltered Homelessness Conference" href="https://endhomelessness.org/events/conferences/innovations-and-solutions-2023" rel="nofollow">The Innovations and Solutions for Ending Unsheltered Homelessness Conference</a> National Alliance to End Homelessness Oakland, CA, March 1–3
<a title="6th Asia Pacific Safe and Together Model Conference" href="https://safeandtogetherinstitute.com/events/6th-asia-pacific-safe-together-model-conference/" rel="nofollow">6th Asia Pacific Safe &amp; Together Model Conference</a> Safe &amp; Together Institute, Berry Street, Centre for Excellence in Child and Family Welfare, &amp; Safe and Equal Melbourne, Australia, March 9–10
<a title="2023 National Conference on Juvenile Justice" href="https://ncjfcj.org/events/2023-national-conference-on-juvenile-justice/" rel="nofollow">2023 National Conference on Juvenile Justice</a> National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges Addison, TX, March 19–22 April
<a title="41st Annual Protecting Our Children Conference" href="https://www.nicwa.org/conference/" rel="nofollow">41st Annual Protecting Our Children Conference</a> National Indian Child Welfare Association Reno, NV, April 2–5
<a title="23rd National Conference on Child Abuse and Neglect" href="https://nccan.acf.hhs.gov/register.html?utm_medium&#61;email&amp;utm_source&#61;23NCCANreg011323" rel="nofollow">23rd National Conference on Child Abuse and Neglect</a> [Virtual] U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families, Children&#39;s Bureau April 11–13 &amp; April 18–20
<a title="24th Annual Families and Fathers National Conference" href="https://fathersandfamiliescoalition.org/conferences.html" rel="nofollow">24th Annual Families and Fathers National/International Conference</a> Fathers and Families Coalition of America Los Angeles, CA, April 24–27
<a title="2023 National Conference" href="https://www.cwla.org/cwla2023/" rel="nofollow">CWLA 2023 National Conference</a> Child Welfare League of America (CWLA) Washington, DC, April 26–28
May
<a title="2nd National Conference on Interdisciplinary Parent Representation" href="https://www.americanbar.org/content/dam/aba/administrative/child_law/std-interdisciplinary-conf23.pdf?ct&#61;t%28EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2_7_2018_COPY_01%29&amp;mc_cid&#61;a1c317e16a&amp;mc_eid&#61;2f795b3f56" rel="nofollow">2nd National Interdisciplinary Parent Representation Conference</a> American Bar Association Center on Children and the Law, National Alliance for Parent Representation, &amp; Colorado Office of Respondent Parents’ Counsel Denver, CO, May 11–12
<a title="2023 APSAC Colloquium" href="https://www.memberleap.com/members/evr/reg_event.php?orgcode&#61;APSA&amp;evid&#61;31411189" rel="nofollow">2023 APSAC Colloquium</a> American Professional Society on the Abuse of Children (APSAC) Denver, CO, May 22–26
<a title="Supportive Housing Summit 2023" href="https://www.csh.org/csh-summit/" rel="nofollow">Supportive Housing Summit 2023</a> Corporation for Supportive Housing  Philadelphia, PA, May 31–June 2

March 2023Vol. 24, No. 2ACF Announces New Proposed Foster Family Licensing Regulation to Help Expand Access to Kin Caregiving