Decision-Making in Child Welfare for Improved Safety Outcomes

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. This brief provides an overview of relevant child welfare safety assessment tools and decision-making theories and frameworks to expand agency knowledge on safety decision-making issues. It also illustrates influences and factors that impact child safety decision-making and describes the relationship between decision-making influences and decision-making tools commonly used to support child welfare agencies in improving safety outcomes.