Michael & Susan Dell Foundation’s Post

May is #nationalfostercaremonth and the Child Welfare Information Gateway has put the spotlights on supporting & uplifting adolescents in the foster care system. Did you know a reported 77% left foster care without receiving the federally funded services needed to support them? This year’s theme, “Engaging Youth. Building Supports. Strengthening Opportunities.” will raise awareness about authentic youth engagement, the importance of life-long connections, and how to best support youth as they transition out of foster care. https://lnkd.in/dHYXvThc.

New Federal Rule Supports Kinship Families in Foster Care Resource & Webinar Recording This short resource explains the final rule that was published by the U.S. Administration for Children and Families (ACF) on September 28, 2023. The rule explicitly gives all Title IV-E child welfare agencies the option to use kin-specific foster care licensing or approval standards and encourages them to limit those standards to federal safety requirements. This change will allow more children to be cared for by those they know and love and requires that they be financially supported like children with non-kin foster parents. You can download the resources regarding the ruling as well as watch the webinar at this link- https://buff.ly/46ADiUL #FFA #fostercare #fosterfamilies #lovemakesafamily #socialworker #fosterfamily #Kinship #webinar #resource

What will the Permanency Project do for foster children? Find children at the greatest risk of aging out of foster care a permanent home by requiring the state to convene a specialized team to: ✅ Identify youth likely to age out of the child welfare system ✅ Thoroughly review the child’s case file from a fresh perspective ✅ Remove barriers to permanency and determine the assistance needed ✅ Create a written, individualized permanency plan ✅ Explore options to place a child with individuals or families ✅ Provide a report on project outcomes #azleg Read Bill: https://bit.ly/3x5yzON #fosteryouth #childrensrights

May is National Foster Care Month! Join us all month long as we share child welfare-related facts, figures, and resources to help raise awareness and support for Mississippi children in foster care. By staying informed, you can contribute to improving outcomes for Mississippi’s children to the best of your potential! 💙 To kick off National Foster Care month, we encourage you to check out our “An Overview of Child Welfare in Mississippi” report on our website! The goal of this research is to facilitate improvements to programs and policies throughout Mississippi’s child welfare system while also spotlighting areas that are working well.  Access the report here: https://bit.ly/OVCWFMS #NationalFosterCareMonth #FosterCareAwareness

Today we release our report on Colorado #childwelfare and our Colorado Rate-of-Removal Index, which compares the rate at which Colorado's largest counties take away children. #familypreservation #fostercare #childabuse. Among the highlights: Colorado takes children at a rate 30% above the national average. Colorado uses the worst form of foster care, group homes and institutions, at a rate 33% above the national average, and Colorado uses the least harmful form of foster care, kinship foster care, at a rate 30% *below* the national average.

Social work is integral to Voices for Children and our mission. Social workers play a vital role in providing critical support to children living in foster care and our Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) volunteers. Social workers have expertise in assessing and addressing the needs of children and families. They may guide a CASA in understanding the child's history, needs, and strengths. Social workers can also assist with identifying resources and services that may be helpful to the child and their family, such as counseling, medical care, or educational support. They can help facilitate communication and collaboration between the various parties involved in the child welfare system, including the CASA, the child's family, the courts, and other professionals. Ultimately, the partnership between social workers and CASA volunteers can be a powerful force for positive change in the lives of children in foster care. We appreciate all social workers' important role in the child welfare system and commend their efforts to help individuals, families, and communities. #socialworkday #communitybuilding #advocacy #empathyinaction #strengthinunity #courtappointedspecialadvocates #fostercare #childwelfare #socialwork #socialworkersrock #socialworkmonth #volunteer #becomeacasa #community #giveback #dogood #makeadifference #helpothers

The Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) recognizes the importance of providing students in foster care with consistent educational experiences. 📚 Our blog, ESSA and Foster Care Transportation: Ensuring Educational Stability, explores what this law says about transportation for students in foster care and why it matters. 🚗 Here are some key takeaways: - Students are entitled to appropriate transportation accommodations if they meet requirements - Emphasizes the importance of keeping children and youth in foster care in their "school of origin" whenever possible - Encourages stakeholder collaboration between schools, child welfare agencies, transportation providers, and other relevant parties Read now: https://hubs.la/Q02t_-w00 #ESSA #AlternativeStudentTransportation

The final rule issued by The U.S. Administration for Children and Families (ACF) stated that that all Title IV-E child welfare agencies the option to use kin-specific foster care licensing or approval standards and encourages them to limit those standards to federal safety requirements. This is such a huge win for thousands of youth and their families, but many agencies may still have questions. That's why we put together this resource about what this rule means and doesn't mean: https://lnkd.in/e3RF2rH6 Still have questions? Join us at our webinar tomorrow, October 11, at 4 pm ET. Register here: https://lnkd.in/esWufnDW. #KinshipFamilies #GrandFamilies

Child Welfare #attachment #attachmentstyles #childabuse #childdevelopment #childhealth #childhealthcare #childprotection #earlyintervention #emotionalabuse #fostercare #nochildleftbehind