Buzzwords: Moving to Behavioral Descriptors Video
Buzzwords: Moving to Behavioral Descriptors doodle video is a short, animated video that follows a child involved in a child welfare investigation. The video describes what buzzwords are and illustrates the impact they can have on children and families. It also demonstrates how to recognize buzzwords and offers strategies for transforming buzzwords into objective, behavior-based descriptors.
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ADA Compliant Video
Description
Highlights the impact of negative, subjective language in child welfare reporting and documentation, including the effects of unintended biases that can adversely affect assessment, decision-making, and engagement and lead to inappropriate labeling, disproportionality, inadequate services, and other negative effects. This video promotes using more objective language when reporting and recording information from the first intake call throughout the life of the case and offers tips and strategies to translate commonly used subjective language in child welfare into behavior-based descriptions that can lead to more informed assessment and decision-making, improve targeted service delivery, alleviate unintended biases, and promote better outcomes overall for children and families.
Suggested Citation
Capacity Building Center for States (2021). Buzzwords: Moving to Behavioral Descriptors Video. Children’s Bureau, Administration for Children and Families, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
This material may be freely reproduced and distributed. However, when doing so, please credit Capacity Building Center for States.
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