Child Welfare / Permanence
Every child needs and deserves to grow up in a safe, loving, and nurturing family – a family whose support is unconditional and will last a lifetime. Yet for the half million children in foster care on any given day, these necessary family connections are too often lost. We are committed to ensuring that every child has a safe and lifelong connection to a caring, nurturing family.
The Child Welfare/Permanence section of the Casey Foundation Knowledge Center offers resources that are either published or funded by the Casey Foundation. See also:
Featured Publications
Racial Disproportionality, Race Disparity, and Other Race-Related Findings in Published Works Derived from the National Survey of Child and Adolescent Well-Being
2008
This paper draws on studies of data gathered during the National Survey of Child and Adolescent Well-being (NSCAW). It examines child welfare in the context of race and ethnicity.
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A Call to Action: An Integrated Approach to Youth Permanency and Preparation for Adulthood
2007
Children who ‘age out’ of the child welfare system without a permanent family and/or adequate preparation for adulthood often do not have the supports needed to thrive independently. This report highlights efforts to ensure that youth currently in the foster system benefit from the most strategic preparation and supports for entering adulthood.
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Synthesis of Research on Disproportionality in Child Welfare: An Update
2007
It is estimated that nearly 60 percent of our nation's children living in foster care are children of color. Such disproportionate representation of minority children in the child welfare system has been a major concern for decades. This paper explores recent patterns involving child maltreatment and disproportionality and the role it plays at various decision-making stages in child welfare.
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An Analysis of Racial/Ethnic Disproportionality and Disparity at the National, State, and County Levels
2007
This report from Casey-CSSP Alliance for Racial Equity in Child Welfare makes many contributions to the study of disproportionality in the child welfare system by incorporating the experiences of a variety of populations, such as American Indians, Asians and Pacific Islanders, and Hispanics. Unlike other studies, this analysis describes racial inequity and disproportionality as it exists across national, state, and county levels.
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Unsuccessful In-Home Child Welfare Service Plans Following a Maltreatment Investigation: Racial and Ethnic Disparities
2007
This study, based on data from the National Survey of Child and Adolescent Well-Being (NSCAW), examines the racial inequity and disproportionality in children remaining in the home following an investigation for maltreatment and neglect.
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Broken Bonds: Understanding and Addressing the Needs of Children with Incarcerated Parents
2008
This report by the Urban Institute reviews the current research on children with incarcerated parents, and offers recommendations on how to reduce the negative impact of parental incarceration. The authors of the report pay particular attention to the influence that supportive relationships with the incarcerated parent and other adults has on children’s outcomes.
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Executive Summary: Racial Disproportionality, Race Disparity, and Other Race-Related Findings in Published Works Derived from the National Survey of Child and Adolescent Well-Being
2008
This summary highlights the outcomes of a recent research paper that draws on studies of data gathered during the National Survey of Child and Adolescent Well-being (NSCAW).
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Children and Families with Incarcerated Parents: Exploring Development in the Field and Opportunities for Growth
2008
Children and families with incarcerated parents not only face the trauma of loss, but also a range of economic and social conditions that result from incarceration. Concerned about the vulnerability of this population, the Annie E. Casey Foundation began an exploration of the nature and scope of this issue and the gaps that need to be filled. This report provides a summary of the Foundation’s findings, a listing of the Foundation’s recent investments in this area, and synthesizes the learnings into potential opportunities for the field at large.
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Understanding the Experiences and Needs of Children of Incarcerated Parents: Views from Mentors
2008
To better understand the experiences and needs of children with incarcerated parents, Urban Institute researchers collaborated with mentors from Big Brothers, Big Sisters organizations in Baltimore, Maryland; Milwaukee, Wisconsin; and Washington, D.C. Researchers were able to gather qualitative data through the use of focus groups with the mentors of children whose parents are incarcerated. The group discussions focused on the children’s living situations, relationships with their parents, and emotional and behavioral outcomes. Findings from the discussions indicate considerable variation between children with incarcerated mothers and those with incarcerated fathers.
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Proceedings from the Research Roundtable - National Convening on Child Welfare and Permanence
2008
On September 12-13, 2006, the Annie E. Casey Foundation and its direct services agency, Casey Family Services, brought together leading child welfare researchers from across the United States to lend their collective expertise to the urgent need of achieving family permanence for older children and youth in foster care.The report offers an overview of the research roundtable on how to document and understand youth permanence strategies for children in foster care.
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