CD-44168
Child Welfare for the Twenty-first Century: A Handbook of Practices, Policies, and Programs.
Mallon, Gerald P. (Editor)
Hess, Peg McCartt (Editor)
Book
xviii, 764 p.
Copyright
Published: 2005
Publication Information: New York: Columbia University Press
Available from: Columbia University Press
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This book begins by explaining the key principles of safety, permanency, and well-being of children and youth embodied in the Adoption and Safe Families Act of 1997, and how these principles impact child welfare services to children and families. The historical evolution of child welfare services is then traced. Following this introduction, Section 1 explores and examines the varied perspectives that frame what is currently known about child and adolescent well-being. Chapters address: risk and resilience in child development, client engagement in child welfare services, assessment of children and families in the child welfare system, community family support meetings, the use of family team conferences, healthcare needs of foster youth, child and adolescent mental health, children with disabilities in the child welfare system, educational needs of foster youth, serving foster youth in the school setting, co-constructing adolescence for gay and lesbian youth and their families, runaway and homeless youth, and spiritually sensitive practice with children, youth, and families. Section 2 focuses on child and adolescent safety. Chapters address: prevention of physical child abuse and neglect, child protective services, risk assessment in child welfare, family preservation, substance abuse issues in the family, family reunification practice with drug-abusing parents, and domestic violence in child welfare. The following section addresses permanency for children and youth and includes chapters that discuss: defining and achieving family reunification, family reunification of substance-abusing families, the evolution of private guardianship as a child welfare resource, customary adoption as a resource for American Indian and Alaska Native children, social polices affecting adoption, adoption disruption, services to birth mothers whose parental rights are terminated, birth mother reunions, facilitating permanency for youth, family foster care, kinship care, sibling issues in child welfare practice, birth parent visits, residential services for children and youth in out-of-home care, independent living services for youth, and post-permanency services. The final section explores systemic issues in child welfare, including placement stability in foster care, overrepresentation of minority children and youth in foster care, the involvement of African American fathers, immigrant children and youth in the child welfare system, foster parent recruitment and retention, the role of the legal and judicial system for children in foster care, Child and Family Services Reviews, strategic planning for child welfare agencies, and accreditation of child welfare organizations. Numerous references.
Keywords:
well being; child safety; policies; permanency; systemic factors