November 2014Vol. 15, No. 10Print issueSpotlight on National Adoption Month

Youth who have been placed in out-of-home care are more likely to become involved with the justice system than their peers who have not been placed into care. A recent article published in the Journal of the Society for Social Work and Research assessed a sample of 794 youth in an urban Pennsylvania county who had been placed in out-of-home care to determine if they could be categorized based on their justice system involvement and if there were any predictors of their involvement.

The study authors identified five groups of youth based on their justice system involvement:

• No/low-involved (70.7 percent)
• Early-age involvement (5.9 percent), which included youth whose involvement peaked around ages 15 or 16 and then decreased
• Late adolescent/adult involvement (7.9 percent), which included youth whose involvement began around ages 16 or 17 and peaked around 20 or 21
• Short-term/highly involved (7.8 percent), which included youth who generally had low involvement but had a sharp increase over a brief period between ages 16 and 18
• Chronically involved (7.7 percent), which included youth who had early involvement that persisted into adulthood

Except for the no/low-involved group, every other group had more males than females, especially the chronically involved group (93.4 percent male). African-American youth were more likely than Caucasian youth to be in the chronically involved (five times more likely) and short-term/highly involved (three times more likely) groups.

The grouping with which youth were identified also was affected by time in care and type of care. Youth in the no/low-involved group had the highest percentage of total time in foster homes (as opposed to congregate care) and the highest percentage of having been in only one placement type (foster home, group home, or regular residential). Additionally, having ever been in congregate care was a significant predictor for being in the chronically involved group.

"Developmental Trajectories and Predictors of Juvenile Detention, Placement, and Jail Among Youth With Out-of-Home Child Welfare Placement," by Karen Kolivoski, Jeffrey Shook, Sara Goodkind, and Kevin Kim, Journal of the Society for Social Work and Research, 5(2), doi: 10.1086/676520, is available here:

http://www.jstor.org/stable/10.1086/676520

A recently published bulletin from the National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges (NCJFCJ) uses the latest data from the Adoption and Foster Care Analysis and Reporting System (AFCARS) and 2010 census data to examine national- and State-level disproportionality rates for children of color in foster care. Nationwide data show that children of color are consistently represented in foster care at disproportionate rates, and these data can vary by State and even by county. For example, African-American and Native American children tend to be represented at higher rates than other child populations in most States, while some States exhibit a higher proportion of Hispanic/Latino children.

The bulletin also compares data on disproportionality rates from 2000 with data from 2012 to examine how rates have changed over time. Results indicate that overall disproportionality rates among African-American children decreased from 2.5 times the rate of the general population to 2 times the rate; the rate among Native American children increased from 1.5 to 2.4; and the overrepresentation of Hispanic/Latino children occurred in seven States in 2000 but in only five States as of 2012. The changes observed during these 12 years also varied by State, with some States reducing their disproportionality rates while others experienced rate increases; some States remained relatively consistent over the years, and others had rates change mainly for certain populations.

This bulletin is part of NCJFCJ's Disproportionality Rates for Children of Color in Foster Care Technical Assistance Bulletins series, which it has published since 2011. To learn more and to download this bulletin, visit the NCJFCJ website:

Disproportionality Rates for Children of Color in Foster Care (Fiscal Year 2012) Technical Assistance Bulletin:

http://www.ncjfcj.org/resource-library/publications/disproportionality-rates-children-color-foster-care-fiscal-year-2012

A June 2014 Youth Equality Alliance (YEA) report, Living in the Margins, examines the challenges lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and questioning (LGBTQ) youth often encounter as they navigate the education, child welfare, and juvenile justice systems in Maryland. The report also highlights the State's current efforts to address the needs of this vulnerable and underserved youth population, and it provides recommendations for addressing these issues.

Bullying from peers, rejection (or fear of rejection) from family, and lack of assistance from misinformed and/or prejudiced school personnel and related professionals can have dire consequences for this marginalized population. For example, LGBTQ youth in out-of-home care settings may encounter hostility or indifference from case workers, foster families, and other youth because of institutional bias, lack of understanding and training, and intolerance. As a result, LGBTQ youth may be removed from or run away from their foster or group homes. Data from national studies are alarming and highlight these issues:

• LGBTQ youth are overrepresented in the foster care system (approximately 17.5 percent compared to 5 to 10 percent of the general population).
• Three out of four LGBTQ youth experience prejudicial treatment by foster care service providers because of their sexual orientation or gender identity.
• Approximately 70 percent of LGBTQ youth report being victims of physical violence in State-run group homes, and 78 percent report being removed or running away from placements.
• Approximately 40 percent of homeless youth identify as LGBTQ.

Recommendations for addressing these myriad challenges are provided for each area—education, foster care, and juvenile justice—and include three or more overarching recommendations that are presented in more specific bulleted lists of recommendations. Regarding the challenges faced by LGBTQ youth involved in the child welfare system, YEA proposes the following actions for the Maryland Department of Human Resources (DHR):

• Identify the needs of LGBTQ youth in the child welfare system and develop appropriate resources:
  
  • Conduct needs assessments of LGBTQ youth in care to identify gaps in policy and service delivery
  • Develop/expand counseling programs and community resources for LGBTQ youth
  • Ensure that child welfare staff and foster parents are made aware of the LGBTQ-specific agency and community resources that are available
• Develop, adopt, and enforce statewide LGBTQ-specific nondiscrimination policies in all child welfare agencies:
  
  • Create comprehensive policies that provide guidance for working with LGBTQ youth
  • Mandate LGBTQ training for State and local child welfare and related staff and foster parents, and make completion of the training a condition of employment/licensing
• Create points of contact throughout the child welfare system for youth and professionals:
  
  • Develop a confidential grievance procedure for LGBTQ youth reporting harassment and designate an ombudsman to oversee this grievance process
  • Designate an LGBTQ agency coordinator and local LGBTQ staff liaisons

Appendices of terminology and report contributors are also included.

Living in the Margins: A Report on the Challenges of LGBTQ Youth in Maryland Education, Foster Care, and Juvenile Justice Systems is the first report developed by YEA. The full report is available on the Free State Legal Project website:

http://freestatelegal.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/YEA-Report-2014.pdf (1 MB)

The State Policy Advocacy and Reform Center (SPARC) published a research brief highlighting how consumers of child welfare research can access data from the field and use them to inform their work on issues related to vulnerable children and families. The brief gives an overview for each of the relevant datasets used by the child welfare community. It includes information on Federal sources for child welfare data; other Federal data sources that provide contextual information about the broader population of children, families, and communities; and additional, non-Federal resources containing child welfare data.

For each of these Federal child welfare data sources, the brief provides detailed information on how to access the datasets, how the data can be utilized, and examples of reports with tabulated statistics from the data sources. The brief covers the following federally sponsored datasets specific to the population of children and youth involved with child welfare:

• Adoption and Foster Care Analysis and Reporting System (AFCARS)
• National Child Abuse and Neglect Data System (NCANDS)
• National Survey of Child and Adolescent Well-Being (NSCAW)
• National Youth in Transition Database (NYTD)

Datasets highlighted in the brief that pertain to the broader population of children and families and not just those involved with child welfare include the following:

• American Community Survey (ACS)
• National Survey of Children's Health (NSCH)
• National Survey of Adoptive Parents (NSAP)
• National Survey of Children in Non-Parental Care (NSCNC)

The brief concludes with case study examples from Pennsylvania that illustrate how data can be used by child welfare advocates. Knowing the Numbers: Accessing and Using Child Welfare Data is available on the SPARC website:

http://childwelfaresparc.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/Knowing-the-Numbers.pdf (521 KB)

The summer 2014 issue of FOCUS, the newsletter of the Foster Family-Based Treatment Association (FFTA), highlights migration and its implications for child welfare services in the United States. According to 2010 U.S. Census data, 40 million immigrants live in the United States today; children of these immigrants make up one-quarter of all children in the United States. Most of these children are U.S.-born citizens, often living in mixed-status families where the children are citizens, but one or both parents are not. This population, along with foreign-born children and youth who have experienced migration (e.g., immigrants, refugees, asylum-seekers, undocumented persons, or unaccompanied immigrant youth) have increasingly come to the attention of child welfare. The diverse cultural, ethnic, and religious backgrounds of these children, as well as their unique needs, requires culturally competent and respectful child welfare intervention and services.

Staff from the Migration and Child Welfare National Network (MCWNN), Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service, the Migration and Refugee Services Department at the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB/MRS), and the Institute for Women in Migration contributed articles to this issue. One article, "Meeting the Unique Needs of Unaccompanied Refugee and Migrating Children in Specialized Foster Care in the United States," by Anne Mullooly, M.S.S.W., and Kristyn Peck, M.S.W., of USCCB/MRS, briefly explains the Unaccompanied Refugee Minors (URM) program, developed in the 1970s to enable the placement of foreign-born children in community-based foster care in the United States. The children served by the program include refugees, asylees, abused and abandoned children, and victims of human trafficking, and some of their personal stories are shared. The article also discusses how URM adapts its service provision to meet the needs of this population, specifically, refugees and victims of human trafficking.

Other articles written by subject matter experts discuss:

• An overview of the topic, including data, service barriers, new approaches, and an introduction to URM and MCWNN
• Reuniting children with their families in other countries, the associated challenges and proposed solutions, and tips for child welfare professionals working with these children and families
• Evidence-based parent training programs used with U.S.-born and immigrant Latino families

A list of additional State and national migration and child welfare resources is also provided. To read more, access this issue of FOCUS, 20(3), 2014, on the FFTA website:

http://www.imis100us2.com/FFTA/New_FFTA_Content/Learn/FFTA_Publications.aspx

New technologies and data systems have the capability of supporting cross-systems collaboration through improved information sharing among agencies, but only if the needed data are entered into the system. However, concerns about confidentiality requirements can often hinder data collection efforts.

To support efforts to improve the level of interoperability, the Department of Health and Human Services' Administration for Children and Families (ACF) created ACF's Interoperability Initiative. The Initiative has produced a new toolkit to provide guidance to States on improving the level of information sharing in the context of the laws and rules that govern confidentiality in ACF-supported programs. The toolkit specifically addresses how States can effectively share information among agencies that provide services to families while maintaining necessary levels of confidentiality.

For each program, applicable Federal legislation and regulations are described. In addition, the toolkit provides examples of how confidentiality requirements can be addressed and met in a manner fully consistent with governing laws and underlying policies. Sample Memoranda of Understanding and data sharing agreements also are provided.

Confidentiality Toolkit: A Resource Tool From the ACF Interoperability Initiative is available on the ACF website:

https://www.acf.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/assets/acf_confidentiality_toolkit_final_08_12_2014.pdf (2 MB)

This month kicks off an annual campaign sponsored by the National Center on Shaken Baby Syndrome (NCSBS) that brings together knitters from across the country to make purple baby caps and create awareness about the leading trigger of infant abuse—infant crying. The purple caps are given to new parents during the month of November, in addition to a video, booklet, and other educational materials about the Period of PURPLE Crying. The "click" in the campaign title is representative of the sound knitters make, in addition to the sound of mouse and keyboard clicks by users sharing and gaining information.

The Period of PURPLE Crying is an evidence-based infant abuse prevention program that educates both parents and caregivers about normal infant crying and the dangers of shaking an infant. The program aims to remind parents that all babies go through a normal period of increased crying in the first few months of life and that it is never okay to react to the crying by shaking or otherwise harming an infant.

To learn more, visit the Click for Babies campaign website:

http://www.clickforbabies.org

To learn more about shaken baby syndrome/abusive head trauma, visit:

http://www.dontshake.org/sbs.php?topNavID=3&subNavID=317

Teens and young adults need to develop a variety of life skills to help them attain life goals, both personal and economic. Education is a vital aspect of attaining these goals, and so is job training and career development. But there are other life skills that can significantly impact a young person's success, as well as the well-being of their own children. The Annie E. Casey Foundation published a report on the importance of healthy relationship skills in the economic success and well-being of disadvantaged teens and young adults. Child welfare and related professionals can help teens and youth find programs and services aimed at building healthy relationship skills to help ensure positive outcomes for both youth and their children.

The report summarizes research on the increase in births of children outside of marriage and its impact on a widening income gap and poor outcomes in children. In the past few years, the Foundation has worked on strategies aimed at helping pregnant and parenting youth form and maintain healthy, two-parent relationships or marriages (when desired and appropriate). Starting in 2007, the Foundation partnered with the National Crittenton Foundation (NCF) and YouthBuild USA on initiatives to work with and support youth in building healthy relationship skills. NCF offers life-skills training to girls who are at risk or system involved and, with the aid of a Foundation grant, is developing a curriculum on healthy relationships for residents in two pilot sites. A Federal project of the Department of Labor that helps youth earning their high school diploma or GED gain job skills, YouthBuild USA developed a healthy relationship curriculum with the support of another Foundation grant, which it tested with 6 pilot programs and later expanded to 10 more programs.

When pregnant and parenting teens and youth have the skills to recognize and build the foundations of healthy relationships, they improve their own chances for life success. When children have parents that are in stable relationships, they also tend to have more positive social and economic outcomes.

To learn more about Annie E. Casey's work on this topic, read More Than Jobs: Providing Disadvantaged Teens and Young Adults With Healthy Relationship Skills as a Strategy to Reduce Poverty and Improve Child Well-Being:

http://www.dibbleinstitute.org/NEWDOCS/reports/MoreThanJobs-SummaryReport.pdf (5 MB)

The National Center on Substance Abuse and Child Welfare (NCSACW) recently posted several new resources and materials, including new and updated webpages and a new webinar.

• "Opioid Use in Pregnancy, a Community's Approach: The Children and Recovering Mothers (CHARM) Collaborative": This recent webinar outlines issues involved in opioid use during pregnancy, medication-assisted treatment, and how these issues can affect child welfare policy and practice. The webinar focuses on the CHARM Collaborative, a group of agencies that offer multidisciplinary and comprehensive care and consultation to pregnant women dealing with opiate addiction. Access the webinar recording and materials here: http://www.cffutures.org/presentations/webinars/opioid-use-pregnancy-community%E2%80%99s-approach-children-and-recovering-mothers-cha
• Trauma Among Families Affected by Substance Use Disorders: A new NCSACW webpage addresses the link between psychological trauma and child abuse, neglect, or exposure to substance use disorder (SUD) or mental illness. The page provides resources for professionals working with traumatized children and families who are involved with the substance abuse treatment, child welfare, and court systems: https://www.ncsacw.samhsa.gov/resources/trauma/default.aspx
• Regional Partnership Grantees (RPG) Round I (2007–2012): NCSACW updated this webpage with RPG Round I Final Reports, as well as the RPG Final Synthesis and Summary Report, the RPG Third Annual Report to Congress, program briefs, and a related webinar: https://www.ncsacw.samhsa.gov/technical/rpg-i.aspx
• Regional Partnership Grantees (RPG) Round II (2012–2017): This new webpage provides background information on the RPG Round II grant program and links to the 17 grantee profiles. To learn about the programs and the grantees, visit: https://www.ncsacw.samhsa.gov/technical/rpg-ii.aspx

Outreach activities, community partnerships, and fund raising efforts are a few of the many highlights in Toward a Breakthrough Year: National Court Appointed Special Advocate Association 2013 Annual Report. In 2013, the National Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) Association provided training and other support to 951 State and local CASA programs. These programs supported the work of nearly 75,000 CASA volunteers, serving more than 238,000 children who experienced abuse and/or neglect nationwide.

In the aggregate, CASA volunteers provided 5.7 million hours of service, which would be worth approximately $285 million if compensated. Beyond these numbers, the report focuses on the mission of volunteer advocates who work to make a difference in the lives of the children they represent.

The report is presented on an interactive webpage that can be accessed on the CASA website:

http://nc.casaforchildren.org/apps/annualreport2013/index.html

The Washington Coalition of Sexual Assault Programs recently released a resource guide for educators, parents, and community members on identifying and preventing commercial sexual abuse and trafficking of children. After the Washington State Legislature enacted a law in 2013 pertaining to training school employees on preventing sexual abuse, the coalition was tasked with developing and distributing educational materials to help inform jurisdictions about abuse and trafficking. This resource guide is one such resource developed by the collaborative coalition.

The guide is intended to inform readers about:

• Recognizing the signs and symptoms of sexual exploitation and trafficking
• Recognizing the behaviors of sexual offenders
• Preventing victimization
• Preventing child human trafficking recruitment

Definitions of sexual exploitation and trafficking, information about resources to assist victims, and information about Washington State laws on trafficking, exploitation, and abuse also are included in the guide.

Commercial Sexual Exploitation, Abuse and Trafficking of Children and Youth: A Prevention and Intervention Resource Guide for Educators, Parents and Community Members is available here:

http://www.k12.wa.us/safetycenter/CSEC/pubdocs/Sexual-Exploitation-and-Trafficking-of-Children-and-Youth.pdf  (780 KB)

The ARCH National Respite Network and Resource Center has released a compendium of State factsheets highlighting key activities and programs of State Respite Coalitions affiliated with ARCH. These State coalitions are mandated partners in the operation of the Lifespan Respite Care Program, which is funded by the Administration for Community Living, Administration on Aging, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

Available for 31 States and the District of Columbia, each factsheet identifies the unique aspects of State coalitions, including their involvement with their State's Lifespan Respite program, if applicable. The factsheets cover topic areas such as:

• Structure
• Staff
• Funding
• Membership
• Meetings and Communication
• Major Activities

Although there are significant differences among States, nearly all State coalitions have an advocacy component, as well as a focus on networking, research, and public awareness. Additional documents and State contact information are also provided. 

The compendium was designed to promote information sharing among State respite coalitions; national, State, and local agencies; and legislators and administrators. 

ARCH State Respite Coalitions: A Compendium of Fact Sheets is available on the ARCH website:

http://archrespite.org/images/docs/Guides_Compendiums_2014/ARCH_State_Respite_Coalitions_2014.pdf  (2 MB)

The Center for the Study of Social Policy (CSSP) developed a resource guide for States that aims to enhance knowledge about specific evidence-informed programs for expectant and parenting youth in foster care and their children. A compendium of evidence-informed programs serving this population was released by CSSP in 2011. Over the past 2 years, CSSP has worked in four jurisdictions (Knox County, TN; New York City, NY; Washington, DC; and Washington State) to improve child welfare systems serving expectant or parenting youth in foster care, and this new resource guide includes updated information about program efficacy.

The guide is organized by three major program categories: (1) parenting supports, including coparenting and fatherhood; (2) developmental supports for children and parents, including health care and trauma-informed interventions; and (3) preparation for adulthood, including education, housing, and employment. The impact of each program, intervention, and initiative is highlighted, and training curricula are described that can increase the capacity of professionals and resource parents to better serve this young population. Other related resources such as factsheets, reports, and toolkits are also included.

Expectant and Parenting Youth in Foster Care: A Resource Guide is available on the CSSP website:

http://www.cssp.org/reform/child-welfare/pregnant-and-parenting-youth/Expectant-and-Parenting-Youth-in-Foster-Care_A-Resource-Guide.pdf (2 MB)

Child Welfare Information Gateway offers two resource lists of organizations that offer training, including online training, for child welfare workers and related professionals.

• State Child Welfare Training Resources provides links to State-specific agencies, organizations, and universities providing training and/or continuing education for the child welfare workforce:
  https://www.childwelfare.gov/pubs/reslist/rl_dsp_scwt.cfm?typeID=144&rate_chno=19-00082
• National Child Welfare Training and Staff Development Resources provides links to key national organizations that provide child welfare training and staff development resources:
  https://www.childwelfare.gov/pubs/reslist/rl_dsp.cfm?rs_id=26&rate_chno=19-00087
  
  

Adoption Learning Partners provides an array of web-based educational adoption resources for child welfare professionals, adoptive and prospective adoptive parents and families, and adopted persons. The interactive, e-learning courses are designed to increase each individual's understanding of domestic, intercountry, and foster care adoption, as well as the joys and challenges associated with each.

Each month, Adoption Learning Partners features a course or webinar costing $10. The October feature is "Expert Advice on Your Top 5 Attachment Concerns." The website also features a Hague Package and a Hague Package China Edition, which provides coursework that meets the Hague training requirements.

In addition to the variety of online courses, Adoption Learning Partners also provides training and tools for adoption professionals, a number of articles and papers that may be downloaded for free, webinars, and a community forum. The Bite Sized Tips section provides short videos with tips for adoptive parents. Links to the organization's twitter and Facebook feeds also are available.

For more information, including a full list of courses, fees, and credit hours, visit the Adoption Learning Partners' website:

http://www.adoptionlearningpartners.org/index.cfm

Upcoming national conferences on child welfare and adoption through October 2014 include:

December 2014

• 14th National Indian Nations Conference: Justice for Victims of Crime
  Office for Victims of Crime and The Office of Justice Programs
  December 10–13, Coachella Valley, CA
  http://www.ovcinc.org
• ZERO TO THREE 29th National Training Institute
  ZERO TO THREE: National Center for Infants, Toddlers and Families
  December 10–12, Ft. Lauderdale, FL
  http://www.zerotothree.org/about-us/areas-of-expertise/nti
• 16th Annual Ending Sexual Assault & Domestic Violence Conference
  Kentucky Domestic Violence Association
  December 10–12, Lexington, KY
  http://www.kdva.org/

January 2015

• 2015 Children's Law Institute
  Southwest Region National Child Protection Training Center at New Mexico State University, the New Mexico Children Youth and Families Department Protective Services and Juvenile Justice Divisions, the New Mexico CASA Network, the University of New Mexico School of Law's Corinne Wolfe Children's Law Center, the Casey Family Foundation, and the Rozier E. Sanchez Judicial Education Center
  January 7–9, Albuquerque, NM
  http://www.childrenslawinstitute.org
• Society for Social Work and Research Annual Conference
  The Social and Behavioral Importance of Increased Longevity
  January 14–18, New Orleans LA
  http://www.sswr.org/conferences.php
• ISPCAN Global Institute 2015
  Positive Parenting to Improve Outcomes for Children
  The International Society for the Prevention of Child Abuse and Neglect (ISPCAN)
  January 25, San Diego, CA
  http://www.ispcan.org/events/event_details.asp?id=480287
• 29th Annual International Conference on Child and Family Maltreatment
  Chadwick Center for Children & Families
  January 26–29, San Diego, CA
  http://www.sandiegoconference.org/

February 2015

• 29th Annual Conference on the Prevention of Child Abuse
  Prevent Child Abuse Texas
  February 23–24, Las Colinas, TX
  http://www.preventchildabusetexas.org/nextconference.html

Further details about national and regional child welfare and adoption conferences can be found through the Conference Calendar Search feature on the Child Welfare Information Gateway website:

http://www.childwelfare.gov/calendar/index.cfm