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.

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.

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

Shares Stephen’s story about being a community-based provider and policymaker in Florida, the need for laws that empower caregiver decision-making, creating Florida’s reasonable and prudent parent standard (RPPS), and the effect RPPS and normalcy laws can have on foster care.

Learn solid strategies for understanding and implementing the trauma-informed care provisions of the FFPSA.

Develop a better understanding of customized congregate care and learn about implementing the FFPSA provisions in congregate care QRTP assessment.

Access strategies to better understand and implement the family engagement requirements of the FFPSA.

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.

Explore tools, resources, and strategies to build a continuum of behavioral health care for children and youth involved with child welfare. 

Facilitates discussion about the normalcy issues raised in the Young Adult Formerly in Foster Care: This Is My Family, This Is Where I Call Home video, which is part of the Center for States’ Perspectives on Normalcy: Videos and Discussion Questions product.

Hear about the challenges and experiences of an adoptive family and how they created belonging, healthy development, and normal experiences.

This handout is part of the series, “Perspectives on Normalcy: Videos and Discussion Questions.” It is designed to facilitate discussion about the issues raised in the video, “Young Adult Formerly in Congregate Care: Treat Me Like a Normal Child.”