Children at Risk in the Child Welfare System: Collaborations to Promote School Readiness (start date 10/1/04) University of Southern Maine Edmund S. Muskie School of Public Service Institute for Child and Family Policy

Project Overview Children in the child welfare system are at much greater risk of developmental problems and poor educational outcomes. In order to achieve positive outcomes for these children, it is critical that state and local programs are coordinated in a way that enhances the early learning environments of these at-risk children during the most critical stages of their development before they reach school age. Children in the child welfare system are at much greater risk of developmental problems and poor educational outcomes. In order to achieve positive outcomes for these children, it is critical that state and local programs are coordinated in a way that enhances the early learning environments of these at-risk children during the most critical stages of their development before they reach school age. This project, which began on 1/1/04, will examine current practice across systems to determine the degree to which the educational needs of children younger than five in the child welfare system are being addressed through collaborations between child welfare agencies, early intervention/preschool special education programs under IDEA and quality early care and education programs. This project, which began on 1/1/04, will examine current practice across systems to determine the degree to which the educational needs of children younger than five in the child welfare system are being addressed through collaborations between child welfare agencies, early intervention/preschool special education programs under IDEA and quality early care and education programs.

Research Questions Overarching Research Question Overarching Research Question To what extent are the child welfare, IDEA early intervention and ECE systems collaborating with each other to promote the school readiness needs of very young children (ages 0 to 5) in the child welfare system?

Research Questions Selected research questions include: Selected research questions include: What array of services does the child welfare system consider relevant to the educational needs of very young children? Does that service array include ECE settings? What array of services does the child welfare system consider relevant to the educational needs of very young children? Does that service array include ECE settings? To what degree do public policies and agency missions support effective collaboration between the ECE, IDEA and child welfare systems? To what degree do public policies and agency missions support effective collaboration between the ECE, IDEA and child welfare systems? To what degree does the training provided to these groups promote effective collaboration with players in the ECE and Early Intervention/Preschool Special Education systems? To what degree does the training provided to these groups promote effective collaboration with players in the ECE and Early Intervention/Preschool Special Education systems? To what extent, if any, are the educational needs of children age 0 to 5 considered in the initial assessment of the needs of the family and child(ren)? To what extent, if any, are the educational needs of children age 0 to 5 considered in the initial assessment of the needs of the family and child(ren)?

Mixed Method Exploratory Study Qualitative Methods Qualitative Methods Systematic review of statutory and regulatory policies and agency-based policies and protocols Systematic review of statutory and regulatory policies and agency-based policies and protocols Field Study: interviews with key players in the child welfare, early intervention, and early care and education systems in three regions of Colorado (El Paso County, the Southern Denver Metropolitan Region, and the San Luis Valley), as well as foster parents and biological parents, still caring for their children and receiving family preservation services, with at least one child aged 0-5. Field Study: interviews with key players in the child welfare, early intervention, and early care and education systems in three regions of Colorado (El Paso County, the Southern Denver Metropolitan Region, and the San Luis Valley), as well as foster parents and biological parents, still caring for their children and receiving family preservation services, with at least one child aged 0-5. Identification of models and best practices through interviews with national experts Identification of models and best practices through interviews with national experts

Field Study Interviews Child Welfare Key Players: State DHS Child Welfare Div. officials State DHS Child Welfare Div. officials County DSS child welfare caseworkers and supervisors County DSS child welfare caseworkers and supervisors Family Court Judges Family Court Judges Guardians ad litem (GALs) Guardians ad litem (GALs) Court-Appointed Special Advocates (CASAs) Court-Appointed Special Advocates (CASAs) Education surrogates Education surrogates Foster Parents Foster Parents Custodial Biological Parents Custodial Biological Parents ECE Key Players: State DHS Child Care Div. officials State DHS Child Care Div. officials Child Care Resource & Referral Agencies Child Care Resource & Referral Agencies Early Head Start/Head Start Directors Early Head Start/Head Start Directors Public Preschool Program Directors Public Preschool Program Directors Child Care providers with subsidized slots Child Care providers with subsidized slots IDEA Early Intervention Key Players: State DOE Early Connections and Preschool Special Education Officials Early Connections Case Managers in regional offices Preschool Special Ed. Coordinators in school districts Therapists (OT, Speech, etc.)

Mixed Method Exploratory Study Quantitative Methods Quantitative Methods Foster Parent Survey - A random sample of 750 foster families will be selected from a list of foster care homes statewide provided by the Child Welfare Division and surveyed by telephone. Foster Parent Survey - A random sample of 750 foster families will be selected from a list of foster care homes statewide provided by the Child Welfare Division and surveyed by telephone. Child Welfare Caseworker Survey - A random sample of 300 case workers will be selected from a list provided by the Child Welfare Division and surveyed by telephone. Child Welfare Caseworker Survey - A random sample of 300 case workers will be selected from a list provided by the Child Welfare Division and surveyed by telephone. Analysis of State Administrative Data- Analyzing state administrative data to track children 0 to 5 in the child welfare system to determine how and to what degree they are being connected to early intervention/preschool special education services and early care and education programs (linking data between child welfare, Medicaid billing data, referral and enrollment data from ECE programs and Part C and B of IDEA.) Analysis of State Administrative Data- Analyzing state administrative data to track children 0 to 5 in the child welfare system to determine how and to what degree they are being connected to early intervention/preschool special education services and early care and education programs (linking data between child welfare, Medicaid billing data, referral and enrollment data from ECE programs and Part C and B of IDEA.)

Contact Information For more information, please contact: Helen Ward, JD., Project Director/Co-PI Sun Young Yoon, Ph.D., Co-PI Erin Oldham, Ph.D., Co-PI Glenwood Associates