Resource Library

The Center for States designs products, services, and learning experiences to increase understanding and awareness, and build knowledge and skills. The Center focuses its attention on developing products and resources on several core organizational and practice topics.

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The Center for States provides research assistance and responds to information requests on building capacity in child welfare.

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Showing 16 - 30 of 51 resources
Video

Recorded webinar of youth with lived expertise and child and family serving agency leaders discussing strategies to support meaningful youth engagement and integrating family and youth voices at individual, practice, and system levels.

Publication Year 2021
Video

Watch this recorded webinar to learn how other jurisdictions encourage kinship care placements and then discuss kinship support with your team.

Publication Year 2021
PDF

Get ideas for working with community foundations, endowments, and charitable trusts to improve outcomes for children and youth.

Publication Year 2019
PDF

Learn how leveraging NGO connections in the community can help child welfare systems be more flexible and adaptable in achieving program goals.

Publication Year 2019
Webinar

Explore how child welfare agencies, legal and judicial stakeholders, prevention partners, and communities can work together to build prevention-focused systems, starting with jurisdictions' 2020–24 Child and Family Services Plans (CFSPs). 

Publication Year 2019
Webinar

Get practical information about supporting coordinated strategic and long-term planning.

Publication Year 2019
Webinar

See how staff can boost their knowledge and skills for engaging families, community providers, and others.

Publication Year 2019
PDF

See strategies and examples for partnering with faith-based communities and leaders on behalf of children and youth in foster care waiting to be adopted.

Publication Year 2019
PDF

Explore tips and strategies to effectively engage and sustain the involvement of families and youth at the agency level. 

Publication Year 2019
PDF

Use this discussion guide to lead your team to integrate strategies into practice for immediate improvements and to identify models you can adapt for long-term change.

Publication Year 2018
PDF

The kinship caregivers featured in the video series speak candidly about the challenges they face, the support they need, and the rewards that motivate them to continue. Use this video series and discussion guide to create a more supportive environment and develop an agency culture that responds to caregivers’ needs.

Publication Year 2018
PDF

The kinship caregivers featured in the video series speak candidly about the challenges they face, the support they need, and the rewards that motivate them to continue. Use this video series and discussion guide to create a more supportive environment and develop an agency culture that responds to caregivers’ needs.

Publication Year 2018
PDF

The kinship caregivers featured in the video series speak candidly about the challenges they face, the support they need, and the rewards that motivate them to continue. Use this video series and discussion guide to create a more supportive environment and develop an agency culture that responds to caregivers’ needs.

Publication Year 2018
PDF

This publication looks at buzzwords in the context of words or phrases commonly used in child welfare reporting and documentation that can be subjective or carry negative connotations, and offers strategies to minimize their negative impact.

Publication Year 2017
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.

Publication Year 2017