1. ©2008 National Association of Social Workers. All Rights Reserved. 1 Child Protection and Family Care Cora Hardy, LCSW Clinical Director Better Life Children Services Foster Family & Adoption Agency Sacramento, CA USA Johannesburg, South Africa Thursday, October 16, 2008

2. USA Child Protective Services Overview US Child Protective Services is mandated and funded by the government to: Report and investigate child abuse and neglect Protect children from abuse and neglect Strengthen families Provide alternative settings or substitute care for children who cannot safely remain at home

3. Child Protective Services Strive to ensure that all children are provided with safe, permanent, nurturing families by protecting them from abuse and neglect.

4. When Children Cannot Remain Safely at Home Most are placed in a foster home setting with: Relatives Non-related extended family members Non-relatives

5. Foster Care Placement Definition: Temporary out of home care, and support to children who have been removed from their homes due to abuse or neglect.

6. Requirements to Become a Foster Parent Criminal Background and Fingerprinting Clearance Home, Health and Safety Study Pre-Service Training References

7. Priorities in Foster Care Placement Relatives and non-related extended family members as caregivers Siblings placed together Placing children in foster homes in their communities and neighborhoods Educational continuity Independent living skills

8. Positive Trends in Foster Care Increase in permanency families for children in foster care Team Decision Meetings Foster families are Resource families Lifelong connections for youth Extending services to youth to age 21 Outcome based system

9. Promising Practices Partnerships with faith-based organizations Role clarity for inclusion of resource families Relationships between resource families and birth families Educating and engaging the community Including the voice of foster children, youth, birth families and resource families

10. Additional information: Child Welfare League of America www.cwla.org