Use this tool with your prevention planning team to prepare for and tackle the adaptive challenges that many states face as they develop and implement prevention plans. 

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.

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.

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

Use this crosswalk to start thinking concretely about prevention planning as a change and implementation process. 

This tool is a role-playing activity, designed to help child welfare workers and supervisors become more familiar with the process of recognizing and translating buzzwords into descriptive language.

Learn about applications that can make information gathering more efficient, increase useful data, and help you better understand those you serve. 

Discusses new software and technologies used in child welfare.

Read recent research on child welfare workforce management, including recruitment and retention, professional development, and organizational culture.

Tells the story of a family from the perspectives of the father of five children; his mother, who takes on the parenting role for her five grandchildren; and their social worker.

Portrays one family's story from the perspectives of the child’s mother, the grandmother, and the resource parent.

Demonstrates the importance of collaboration and trusting relationships between a grandmother, a resource parent, and a social worker.

Describes the complex nature and special support needs of kinship care. 

Portrays a young woman's story of growing up in foster care, from 5 months through 7 years old, and the difficulties of transitioning back to her family. 

Watch this video to learn more about prevention planning advice and lessons learned from state child welfare leaders.