This guide is designed to support administrative leaders in states and other jurisdictions in using data to assess and identify ways to improve their service array.

Learn the definition and find information about normalcy and the reasonable and prudent parent standard in the PL 113-183.

Frankie is 14 years old and lives with his sister, brothers, and moms. He and his sister were adopted when they were 2 years old and 4 years old, respectively. He loves spending time with his aunts, uncles, and cousins and loves being part of a big family.

Explore how data reported in AFCARS about youth who run away from state custody can be used to inform interventions.

Explore how child welfare professionals and organizations can build capacity for implementing the reasonable and prudent parent standard (RPPS) for children and youth in foster care. 

Learn about the practice and systemic changes Hawaii, Indiana, and Westchester County, NY, made in partnership with their youth and young adult partners.

Examine current research and how best to build organizational capacity in five areas, and learn about possible challenges and solutions.

Learn about theory of change and why it is critical to implementing effective changes to improve outcomes. 

Presents the fifth task, documenting assumptions and rationale, and provides examples of how to apply strategies. A clear, concise narrative can help to engage stakeholders, decision makers and potential funders in future steps to address the root cause and problems identified.

Explores the first task of how to gather information on the problem statement, root cause(s), and target population and provides examples of how to apply strategies.

Watch the Change and Implementation in Practice: Overview video to learn how key steps, tasks, and concepts fit together to support your agency’s change initiatives. 

Presents the second task, identifying a long-term outcome, and provides examples of how to apply strategies. Identifying a long-term outcome that is specific, achievable, and understandable helps teams establish a goal that is focused, feasible, and clear.

Learn to select, design, or adapt an intervention to address an identified problem.

Examines the third task, developing the pathway or pathways of change to reach the long-term outcome, and provides examples of how to apply strategies. Casual links connect the root cause(s) of the problem to the long-term outcome, and “tell the story of how success will be recognized” at each level in the pathway.

Presents the fifth task, documenting assumptions and rationale, and provides examples of how to apply strategies. A clear, concise narrative can help to engage stakeholders, decision makers and potential funders in future steps to address the root cause and problems identified.