Nurturing and safe parental relationships are essential to the healthy physical and emotional development of children; when interrupted, children and parents suffer trauma, sometimes for a lifetime. The resources below can help agencies develop prevention-focused, community-based services that strengthen the protective capacities of families to keep children in the home and help them thrive.

Videos and Recorded Webinars

• Protective Capacities and Protective Factors: Common Ground for Protecting Children and Strengthening Families webinar explores how the protective capacities and protective frameworks can be used together for stronger safety assessments and sharper prevention focus in child welfare practice.

Publications

• Promoting Safe and Stable Families factsheet describes the Promoting Safe and Stable Families program, which supports state child welfare agencies and eligible tribes in establishing and operating integrated, community-based services for families.
• Decision-Making in Child Welfare for Improved Safety Outcomes brief reviews current research around decision science and safety decision-making practices in child welfare to raise awareness regarding decision-making challenges and strategies for improved safety outcomes.
• Building and Sustaining Collaborative Community Relationships tip sheet highlights the importance of effective, ongoing collaboration between child welfare agencies and community-based partners to provide better support to children and families.
• Protective Capacities and Protective Factors: Common Ground for Protecting Children and Strengthening Families infographic describes the protective capacities framework and the protective factors framework, both of which are used by child welfare practitioners to assess, intervene, and serve children and families.

Peer Groups

The following peer groups can help connect child welfare professionals working on developing community-based programs focused on prevention. Visit the Center’s Current Peer Groups page for more information or to sign up for a peer group.

The Center also offers tailored services to states and jurisdictions to help build agency capacity for prevention programs. For more information, contact your Tailored Services Liaison.

Virtual Events

• Visit the Center’s Events page to learn about upcoming events focused on building family engagement and maintaining continuity of relationships.

The Center also offers tailored services to states and jurisdictions to help build agency capacity for prevention programs. For more information, contact your State Liaison.