CASCW collaborations with academic and community partners have resulted in thousands of video, print, and audio resources across a myriad of practice areas impacting child welfare. We hope these resources, divided by topic, will be helpful to students, practitioners, policymakers, administrators – and anyone working with children and families!
CHILD DEVELOPMENT
Early Childhood Development and Child Welfare
Ten episode podcast series in collaboration with CEED, featuring interviews with various professionals on the intersection of child welfare and aspects of childhood development.- Impact of Early Trauma on the Developing Brain
Module based on four videos created by Institute of Child Development at the University of Minnesota – discussing the impact of early trauma on the brain, connecting child welfare practice with child development. - Understanding Child Development: A Training Series for Child Welfare Workers
Series of six training videos on child development, especially development related to children in out-of-home placements, trauma, and resilience. - Healthy Serve and Return Interactions
Series of five training videos for child welfare workers on healthy serve and return interactions between children and parents and how to support parents in producing these quality interactions and relationships. - Early Intervention / Part C for Children in the Child Welfare System
Module that discusses the importance of early intervention in child welfare as it relates to the impact of abuse on child development. - Using a Developmental Approach in Child Welfare Practice
CW360º (2012 Issue): highlights the challenge of providing services appropriately tailored to the developmental ages of the children served by child welfare. Articles include research on early childhood development and maltreatment, policy issues related to children birth to five in the child welfare system, and practice points for addressing early childhood experiences of trauma and abuse. - Healthy Youth Development for Adolescent Parents in Foster Care and Working with Young Parents in Foster Care
Two-part module on Healthy Youth Development (HYD) Framework, challenges for adolescent parents in foster care, and how to use the HYD framework for positive outcomes. - Developing Protective Factors for Vulnerable Children in High Risk Families: Messages from Resilience Research
Summary of highlights, powerpoint, and selected articles from an event in 2011 on resilience. - Theory of Mind
Module on the theory of mind as it relates to child development and the influence on young children’s interactions with others. - Reinforcing the Importance of Attachment in Child Welfare Practice
Practice Note from 2007 that defines aspects of attachment, its importance in child development, and how it can be gauged and supported in child welfare practice.
DISPARITIES
- Center for Regional and Tribal Child Welfare Studies: Reducing Disparities Through Indigenous Social Work Education
3-part module series on Indigenous child welfare, Indigenous social work, and utilizing this approach to reduce disparities. - Be@School Podcast Episodes
3 podcast episodes with Be@School on disparities in school absenteeism, students with disparities, and supports for county-involved youth. - Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder in Child Protection: Disparities, Allegations, and Services
Minn-LInK report brief on a study of child protection involvement for children with ASD as compared to other disabilities and children without disabilities, highlighting demographic differences and disparities. 
Risks and Protections for Black Girls’ Receipt of Out-of-School Suspension
OSS disparities for Black Girls in Minneapolis public schools are discussed in this module. PG- Guest Blog: Risks and Protections for Black Girls’ Out-of-School Suspension
This guest blog was written by faculty members studying OSS in Minneapolis public schools and the reality of racial disproportionality that affects Black girls. PG - Parental Disability and Termination of Parental Rights in Child Protection
Minn-LInK report brief from 2015 on overrepresentation of parents with disabilities in cases involving TPRs. - Racial Disparities in Child Welfare & Minnesota Child Welfare Reform
Short blog post from 2015 in response to a Star Tribune article on child welfare disparities in Minnesota, what is being done to address this, and past federal policies passed to address disparities. - Culturally Responsive Child Welfare Practice
CW360º issue from 2015, created in partnership with the Center for Regional and Tribal Child Welfare Studies, centered on using culturally responsive practice to work with families. Through this practice it is hoped that disparity and disproportionality will be reduced. - Child Protection and the Achievement Gap
Minn-LInK report brief from 2014 on educational outcomes for youth involved in CPS. - The Achievement Gap and Students in Child Protection: Are Open Enrollment Policies the Answer?
Minn-LInK report brief on utilization of MN’s Open Enrollment Policy on students involved with CPS and effect on academic achievement. - Examining the Impact of Differential Response on Racial Equity Outcomes
Minn-LInK report brief examining the impact of Differential Response (known as Family Assessment in Minnesota) on racial equity and child safety outcomes, focusing on over-represented groups in Minnesota’s child welfare system, including African American, Native American and Multiracial children. - Today’s Disparities & Our Role in Creating Change
2014 blog post highlighting disparities on child welfare disparities, using a racial equity lens, and practices we can implement to reduce disparity. - Health and Child Welfare Disparities in Minnesota
Blog post on health disparities in Minnesota after a 2014 report released by the Minnesota Department of Health and possible ways to address these through education and legislation. - Legislative Responses to Reduce Racial & Ethnic Disparities in Child Welfare
2012 policy brief on racial and ethnic disparities in Minnesota’s Child Protection, Foster Care and Adoption service systems. - Open Enrollment and Racial Segregation in the Twin Cities: 2000-2012
Minnlink report on a study that analyzed open enrollment’s effects on racial and economic segregation across the metro’s 69 school districts between 2000 and 2010. - Child Welfare and Cultural Diversity Resources
Resource guides for various populations within Minnesota experiencing disparities in the child welfare system – first created in 2011 and updated over the years since then. Guides include general cultural resources, African American community, Native American community, Latinx and Hispanic communities, and multiple Immigrant and refugee communities. - Costs of Out-of-School Suspensions for African American Caregivers
Module from 2011 describing the implications of zero tolerance as it relates to school suspensions and the resulting impact on experiences of caregivers. PG - The Impact of Child Welfare Services on Racial Disparities in Outcomes: Child Welfare Services for African American and Caucasian Children in Four Minnesota Counties
This 2009 subject summary details a case study done by The African American Disparities Committee of the Minnesota Department of Human Services, with assistance from the University of Minnesota, following neglect cases from the time of substantiation through a minimum of eighteen months or case closure. PG - White Privilege and Racism in Child Welfare
Module created to assist child welfare workers and social workers in general understand the effect of white privilege on child welfare and our social work practice. - Breaking the Silence: A Candid Discussion on the Disproportionality of African American Children in Out-of-Home Placement
Papers published from the proceedings of a Gamble-Skogmo Lecture and Issues Forum on the concerns for children and families of color following ASFA’s passage in 1997. Specifically, concerns over African American children and disproportionality in the child welfare system are discussed. - Sovereignty: The Heart of the Matter – Critical Considerations on the Interface Between ICWA and ASFA
A summary of proceedings of the conference by the same name held on May 17, 2000. These proceedings provide information on the work accomplished between a number of tribes and their county affiliates in Minnesota. The aim was to mark where Minnesota was in 2000.
Child Welfare and Technology
CW360º issue dedicated to exploring how the field of child welfare currently develops, utilizes, and evaluates its interaction with technology.- Youth in Care and Social Media Use (Resource Page)
Web page dedicated to a variety of resources related to supporting foster youth and social media use. - Youth in Care and Social Media Use (Modules)
3-part module which focuses on engaging social workers and caregivers to consider how social media and technology use impact youth. - Long-Lost Links – Searching for Permanency Options for Children
Guest blog post on the use of social media to unearth previous family and foster connections as permanency options for youth. - New WI law bans individuals from advertising their children for adoption online
Blog post on a 2014 Wisconsin law which banned using media to advertise children waiting for adoption. - For adopted youth – staying safe online
Blog post from 2012 with ideas for youth to be safe when using the internet. - A policy perspective on addressing the mental health needs of child abuse hotline workers
Blog post on the impact of technology – voicemail recordings – on child maltreatment reports made by mandated reporters. - Child Welfare and Technology: A guide for policymakers
Policy brief from 2011 on emerging uses of technology in child welfare. - Social Media, Smart Phones & Safety: How Technology is Changing Child Welfare Practice
Conference proceedings from 2011, including powerpoints and tip sheets from presentations, on the impact of technology on child welfare practice. - Sorting Out the Evidence for Interventions that Work in Child Protection: Intuition, Experience and Technology
Highlights from a forum in 2005 on child welfare interventions and the power of technology.
Heart of Supervision podcast
4-episode podcast series featuring interviews of various professionals on the importance of reflective supervision and the perspectives of various child welfare supervisors and supervisees.- Theoretical Underpinnings in Child Welfare: Neoliberalism and Child Welfare
3-part podcast series about the effect of neoliberalism on social work and child welfare practice. - Reflective Supervision/Consultation for Child Welfare Workers
Module on using reflective supervision and consultation which includes current workers’ perspective on its use in the field. - Confronting Racism | Engaging Partners | Finding Solutions
CW360º issue from 2021 focusing on the disparities for Black, Indigenous, and families of color in child welfare and solutions to address these disparities. - Realistic Job Preview
A series of videos and interviews that give a realistic preview of the job of child welfare social workers. These can be used to assist in hiring processes, as they are particularly helpful in the recruitment, selection, and retention of child protection workers - Child Welfare Reformx
CW360º issue from 2016 focusing on the complexities and nuances of reform in the child welfare field through policy and practice. - Workforce Stabilization Study 2016
Study summary and results from a 2016 study of the child welfare workforce. CASCW partnered with the Minnesota Association of County Social Service Administrators (MACSSA) Children’s Committee and the Minnesota Department of Human Services to better understand the state of Minnesota’s child welfare workforce in order to develop strategies to stabilize and strengthen the workforce in a time of child protection reform. - “The Art of Social Work” – Reflections from the field on Child Protection court
Blog post from a former IV-E MSW student on the different roles played by social workers when practicing in the field of child welfare. - Efficacy of Social Work for Public Child Welfare Practice
An annotated bibliography of resources discussing the efficacy of social work degrees for public child welfare practice. - How Social Justice was Inserted into the Framework of Child Welfare
Blog post by Esther Wattenberg from 2014 on the influence of social justice on social work practice in child welfare. - Supervision: The Key to Strengthening Practice in Child Welfare (PN#22)
Practice Note from 2009 that focuses on different kinds of supervision: group supervision, reflective supervision, supervision for new workers, and ethical considerations. - Sorting Out the Evidence for Interventions that Work in Child Protection: Intuition, Experience and Technology
A summary of forum proceedings, held in 2005, with local and international speakers and panelists on the interventions shown to be effective in social work practice. - A Social Justice Framework for Child Welfare: The Agenda for a New Century
Summary of conference proceedings from a 2000 conference on the development of social justice in social work practice as it relates to the child welfare field.
- Unexcused! Attendance Policies and the School-to-Prison Pipeline (ML#46)
Minn-LInK report brief that discusses results of a
study on the racial disparities of youth more likely to become crossover youth via juvenile court and child welfare involvement. - Students’ Risks for Out-of-school Suspensions: Indigenous Heritage and Child Protection System Involvement (ML#45)
Minn-LInK report brief which examines factors predicting the likelihood of and number of out-of-school suspensions, focusing on the association with ethnicity/indigeneity and Child Protective Services involvement. - Be@School 2020 Webinar Series
3-part webinar series from 2020, featuring Be@school, a program that often collaborates with child welfare in response to truancy, focusing on inequitable school absenteeism policies, serving students with disabilities during COVID-19, and leveraging education partnerships in support of county-involved youth. - A Prospective Longitudinal Study of Risk Factors for Delinquency Among Maltreated Youth (ML#39)
Minn-LInK report brief from 2019 discusses results of a study which prospectively examined risk factors for maltreated youth who have their delinquency cases adjudicated for the first time between ages 9 and 14 – an early onset of delinquency for crossover youth. - Evaluation of Ramsey County’s Truancy Intervention Programs: Policy Implications for Court Diversion Programs (ML#37)
Minn-LInK report brief which presents findings from a rigorous evaluation of whether a court diversion program in Ramsey County, Minnesota improved school attendance for chronically absent students in grades 2-10. - Crossover Youth: Implications for Research and Practice
Module from 2018 on a study of early involvement in juvenile justice for maltreated youth. - Delinquency Trajectories and Prevention with Crossover Youth
Two-part module series on developmental outcomes and delinquency trajectories for crossover youth - Crossover Youth (FAQs)
This Fact Sheet discusses essential information on crossover youth: youth who have experienced some form of maltreatment and are also engaged in delinquency systems. - Cross-systems Collaboration for Crossover Youth: Resources for Professionals
Blog post discussing the Crossover Youth Practice Model (CYPM) and multi-system collaboration. - Crossover Youth in a Developmental Ecological Framework
Module that discusses crossover youth experiences, from maltreatment to delinquency. - Out-of-school Suspension and recidivism among Crossover Youth (ML#30)
Minn-LInK 2016 report brief discussing a study on the relationship between out-of-school suspension and reoffending in Crossover Youth. Included are a discussion guide and academic article of the research study. - Crossover Youth Practice Model (CYPM) (ML#27)
Minn-LInK report brief outlining results of a study of outcomes after use of the Crossover Youth Practice Model (CYPM). CYPM is an innovative conceptual model and guide to systems change through strengthened collaborations and increased family engagement. Included are a discussion guide and academic article on this research study. - Crossover Youth & Well-Being (Crossover Youth Series)
Blog post from the Crossover Youth series in 2015, briefly highlighting concerns for the well-being of youth involved in dual systems. - An Outcome Evaluation of the Crossover Youth Practice Model in Oak County, MN
A module from 2015 discussing the Crossover Youth Practice Model (CYPM) and its implementation and outcome in Oak County, Minnesota. - Lessons Learned from the Implementation of the Crossover Youth Practice Model (Crossover Youth Series)
Blog post from the Crossover Youth Series, discussing what was learned from the implementation of the CYPM in five Minnesota counties. - Intervention with youth dually-involved in child welfare and juvenile justice systems (Crossover Youth Series)
Blog post from the Crossover Youth series discussing the CYPM and the phases of implementation. - New MN Laws related to harm reduction, financial stability, and juvenile justice
Blog post from 2014 discussing new child welfare policies and how it could impact harm reduction approaches, financial stability, and juvenile justice. - A National Decline in Youth Confinement: Improving Permanency for Crossover Youth
Guest blog post critiquing a 2013 article on the reduction in overall youth incarceration rates and the alternative approaches for crossover youth. - Bill to provide funding for grants for disadvantaged youth
Blog post on child welfare policy from 2011 that would impact crossover youth and provide a grant for the Civic Justice Corps Model. - Double Jeopardy: Youth Involved in Dual Systems of Child Welfare and Juvenile Justice & Mental Health Screening (PN#17)
Practice Note from 2005 discussing the impact of Minnesota mental health screening legislation from 2003 which directed the child welfare and juvenile justice systems to pursue mental health screening of crossover youth. - Male Offenders in Child Welfare and Juvenile Justice Systems
A 2004 subject summary with results from an ethnographic study identity, treatment, and behavior change in Minnesota male crossover youth.
study on the racial disparities of youth more likely to become crossover youth via juvenile court and child welfare involvement.- Moral Injury in Emerging Adults with Child Welfare Histories
Two-part module series on moral injury experienced in childhood and adolescence by 28 emerging adults with histories of child welfare involvement. - Moral Injury Experienced by Emerging Adults within the Child Welfare System
3-part webinar recording on moral injury experiences by emerging adults, child welfare system reform, and insights. - Impact of Early Trauma on Developing Brain
Module based on four videos created by Institute of Child Development at the University of Minnesota – discussing the impact of early trauma on the brain and connecting child welfare practice with child development that was impacted by trauma. - Guide to Understanding the Use of Medication for Children with Mental Illness in the Child Welfare System
This guide provides child welfare workers with a quick reference for accessing additional information about medications they may hear or read about when reviewing a child or adolescents’ file, related to the child’s experience of maltreatment and trauma. - Barriers To Traumatic Stress Screening In Child Welfare Settings (PN#28)
Practice Notes which discusses barriers to identifying and screening children for traumatic stress. - Screening for Traumatic Stress in Child Welfare (PN#27)
Practice Notes which briefly reviews the importance of screening for traumatic stress in children and practice considerations for this type of assessment. - Core Story 5: Resilience
Video which discusses promoting resilience in children. - Resilience in Maltreated Children (PN#25)
Practice Notes on resilience research on children affected by abuse and neglect. - Child Complex Trauma (Guest Series)
A series of five blog posts by guest author Dr. Jane Gilgun, discussing child complex trauma, coping, and factors associated with good outcomes.
— What is Complex Trauma?
— Coping with Trauma and Impact of Insecure Relationships
— Case Study
— Factors Associated with Good Outcomes
— Discussion - Trauma-Informed Child Welfare Practice
CW360º 2013 issue which addresses how to incorporate trauma-informed organizational and practice strategies into child welfare practice, in addition to promising research on complex trauma. - Child Complex Trauma and Parental Belief Systems
A module from 2013 which delves into a child’s experience of complex trauma and how parental belief systems can perpetrate complex trauma on their children. - Patterns of Disclosure in Child Sexual Abuse Cases
Module providing training which describes the conditions under which children disclose sexual abuse during forensic interviews when law enforcement and child protection professionals have reason to believe child sexual abuse has occurred. - Developing Protective Factors for Vulnerable Children in High Risk Families: Messages from Resilience Research
Highlights, notes, and powerpoints from presentations at a 2011 conference discussing protective factors that build resilience. - Resilience and Adult Attachment in Cases of Child Sexual Abuse
Module that presents information on the skills needed to assess adult attachment to promote resilience in children who have experienced sexual abuse. - Child Sexual Abuse: Understanding the Issues
Subject summary from 2007 on child sexual abuse (CSA), providing an overview and clarified definition of CSA in addition to discussion of healthy relationships with victims of CSA. - Reinforcing the Importance of Attachment for Child Welfare Practice (PN#19)
Practice Notes that outlines the relevance of attachment theory to case planning and prevention tasks in child welfare, especially with its relation to child maltreatment and trauma.
- Creative Arts and Body-Based Approaches for Group Work with Survivors of Trauma (PN#38)
Practice Notes on the evidence of the use of creative arts and body-based work with survivors of trauma. - Mindful Therapies with Teen Girls who Experienced Sexual Abuse
Practice Notes on movement and creative art therapies for survivors (teen girls) of sexual abuse. - Complex Trauma, Self-Regulation, and Mindfulness-based Practices
Fact sheet, available in both English and Spanish, discussing the experience of complex trauma for children, capacity for self-regulation, and the use of mindfulness-based practices with clients. - Complex Trauma, Self-Regulation, and Mindfulness-Based Practices in Child Welfare
Guest blog post by Dr. Jane Gilgun, a researcher on complex trauma, with resources and a brief reflection on the importance of mindfulness for children with complex trauma. - Traumatic Stress Screening for Child Welfare Professionals
3-part module describing a tool, the Traumatic Stress Screening for Children and Adolescents (TSSCA) for professionals to use with children and adolescents to screen for traumatic stress. - Helping Maltreated Children Understand and Recognize Emotions (PN#24)
Practice Notes with overview of how to help children that have experienced abuse and neglect read emotional cues and build successful relationships, given an awareness of how maltreatment can impact emotion-processing. - Trauma-Informed Practice
Brief notes and powerpoints published from a 2011 seminar on incorporating trauma-informed practice in assessment of children and families. - Developing Protective Factors for Vulnerable Children in High-Risk Families: Messages from Resilience Research
Highlights and powerpoints published from a 2011 seminar about identifying protective factors and promising practices that promote resilience in families experiencing trauma. - Children in “Newly Poor” Families: Coping with the Economic Crisis (PN#23)
Practice Notes from 2010 discussing children’s coping mechanisms for poverty, resiliency factors, preventing involvement in child welfare systems, and more innovating practices. - Child Sexual Abuse: Assessment, Intervention, and Prevention
Subject summary providing an overview of research surrounding childhood sexual abuse survivors and perpetrators. - In These Distressing Times: Fresh Responses to Vulnerable Children in High-Risk Families: A Prevention Focus
A powerpoint shared from a 2009 forum on the impact of trauma, assessment of trauma in children, and possible interventions and resources for these children. - Responding to Traumatic Events: Children in Life-Threatening Circumstances (PN#20)
Practice Notes from 2008 which briefly reviews life-threatening, traumatic events and the impact on children as well as therapeutic responses. - The NEATS: A Competency-Based, Ecological Assessment for Children and Families
The NEATS (neurobiology, executive function, attachment, trauma, and self-regulation) is a competency-based, ecological assessment for children and families that directs practitioner attention to five areas of fundamental functioning, including trauma and attachment.
- Integrating Motivational Interviewing in Case Planning with Youth in Foster Care
Practice card created in collaboration with University of Minnesota Center for Research and Outreach (REACH) for professionals to reference and learn how to use motivational interviewing with youth in foster care.
- Well-being Indicator for Youth (WIT-Y)
Well-being Indicator Tool for Youth (WIT-Y), for youth aged 15-21 years who currently are in or in the past have had contact with the child welfare system; this tool includes an assessment, snapshot, and blueprint planning document. Available in English and soon in Spanish! - Child Well-Being in Minnesota: Higher Education and Foster Care (PB#9)
This policy brief from 2015 focuses on increasing access to and preparation for higher education opportunities for current and former foster youth. - Substance Abuse Treatment Among MN Youth in Foster Care: Implications for Policymakers (PB#8)
A policy brief discussing Minnesota state policy for treatment of substance use disorders for youth in foster care. - Attending to Well-Being in Child Welfare
The 2014 issue of CW360° discusses holistic views of well-being with a strong emphasis on addressing unresolved trauma as a key to better outcomes for children and families, especially youth in foster care. - Chronic Health Conditions, Child Welfare, and Vital Involvement: Strategies for Promoting Well-Being
A module which examines the strengths, supports and vital involvement of families with fostered or adopted children with chronic health conditions. - Understanding Credit: An Online Training for Youth in Foster Care
Module to assist youth in foster care manage and monitor their credit and understand the importance of their credit report. - Case Worker Responsibility & Credit Reports for Youth in Foster Care
Module which presents the roles and responsibilities of child welfare case workers in the event of a credit report on foster youth’s record. - Youth Connections Scale (YCS Module)
Module reviewing research behind youth connections with adults and overview of YCS tool. - Youth Connections Scale (YCS)
A tool, created in collaboration with Anu Family Services, to be used by professionals to guide case planning and strengthen youth connections and relational permanence. It also includes a summary of the research behind the tool and a scoring guide. - Special Health Care Needs, Child Welfare, & Vital Involvement: When Things Go Well
A module that explores the strengths and supports of a specific family who is successfully raising fostered and adopted children with special needs. Information is provided on how to use the concept of Vital Involvement as well as a blank template. - Educational Experiences of Youth with Disabilities in Foster Care (PB #6)
Policy brief discussing older youth with disabilities in the Minnesota foster care system and their educational experiences. - Older Youth with Disabilities in Foster Care (PB #5)
Policy brief on the prevalence and experience of youth with disabilities in foster care in MN, including an analysis of state administrative data - Promoting Placement Stability
This CW360° issue from 2010 presents a variety of research findings and perspectives in order to address the need for placement stability. - Promoting Placement Stability
Published conference materials from a 2010 conference on promoting placement stability, including powerpoint presentations and articles. - Promoting Placement Stability
Module which shares the importance of placement stability, introduces research findings on risk factors and protective factors related to placement stability, and explains how these findings can be used to reduce the risk of unplanned placement disruptions. - Establishing Case Typologies in Foster Care: Summary of Research Results
A subject summary of study results on the use of case typologies and outcomes for children in foster care. - Children in Treatment Foster Care: Using Agency Data to Study Cross-System Child Outcomes (ML#6)
Minn-LInK report brief on a study of administrative data from one treatment foster care (TFC) agency in Minnesota, in which a number of cross-system child outcomes were explored. Concrete recommendations for TFC agency data systems and collection were made. - Foster Care Re-Entry Study
A subject summary on a study of foster care re-entry rates in Minnesota; variables which predict re-entry or stability after exiting foster care are discussed. - Hennepin County Placement Stability/Instability Study
A subject summary from 2009 which discusses a study of factors that were associated with the stability and instability of placement experiences for children in foster care. - Visiting Children in Foster Care: Messages from the Practice Field (PN#21)
A project report of the results from the PATH Bremer Project: a comprehensive literature review on preventing placement disruptions in foster care from 2007-2008. The literature review is organized into two broad topic areas: 1) risk and protective factors for placement stability and 2) preventing disruptions in foster care. - PATH/Wisconsin Bremer Project: Preventing Placement Disruptions in Foster Care
A Practice Notes issue from 2008 which discusses standardization of social workers’ visits to children in out-of-home placements in foster care and attention to promoting positive outcomes from these visits. - Trial Home Visits: Strengthening Reunification Practices (PN#18)
Edition of Practice Notes providing guidelines for strengthening practice during the tenuous period of reunification, known as the “trial home visit.” - Assuring the Well-Being of School-Aged Children in Foster Care (PN#8)
A Practice Notes issue from 2000 discussing ways to support school-aged children with emotional and behavioral concerns who are in foster care.
- Applying an infant mental health lens to child welfare work
A podcast episode from the podcast series “Early Childhood Development and Child Welfare Practice” in which a mental health professional discusses using the Infant Mental Health framework with families. Listen to the individual episode in the series. - Environmental Risks and Children’s Mental Health Treatment Outcomes: A Person-Centered Analysis (ML#38)
A Minn-LInK report brief which shares results of a study on the mental health outcomes for children and adolescents served by a community mental health clinic.
- Guide to Understanding the Use of Medication for Children with Mental Illness in the Child Welfare System
This guide provides child welfare workers with a quick reference for accessing additional information about medications they may hear or read about when reviewing a child or adolescents’ file, related to the child’s experience of maltreatment. - Health & Mental Health Literacy in Child Welfare (HT#2)
Hot topic published in 2017 discussing the influence of health/mental health literacy on barriers for immigrant families. - Outcomes of Children Receiving Mental Health Services from Washburn Center for Children (ML#25)
Minn-LInK Report Brief on changes in children’s functioning and symptomatology after receiving services from Washburn Center. - Attending to Well-Being in Child Welfare
This 2014 issue of CW360° is dedicated to exploring holistic views of well-being with a strong emphasis on addressing unresolved trauma as a key to better outcomes for children, youth, and families. - A Review of Refugees’ Involvement in the Child Welfare System
This three-part module from 2014 series assesses mental health services for refugees in child welfare: the process of resettlement and support received by families, background information on the mental health of Minnesota’s refugee groups and recommendations for connecting refugee families to services. - The Intersection of Child Welfare and Disability: Focus on Parents
The 2013 issue of CW360º, focusing on the experiences of parents with disabilities and mental illness (MI) in the child welfare system. - Maternal Depression: Double Jeopardy for Mother and Child
A module which discusses characteristics of maternal depression, assessment tools to diagnose maternal depression, the importance of cultural competence when working with depressed mothers, and some interventions and resources for depressed mothers and their children. - Double Jeopardy-Depressed Mothers and their Very Young Children: A Remarkable Prospect for Change
Highlights, brief notes, and selected readings from an event held in 2011 discussing infant and early childhood mental health in response to depressed mothers. - Beyond the Baby Blues V: Motherhood, Mood Disorders and Anxiety: Before, During and After Pregnancy
Recordings of keynote speakers and panelists from a 2010 event on maternal mental health during birth and postpartum. - “The Co-occurring Conditions of Mental Illness and Substance Abuse: The Search for an Integrated Treatment Plan” with Dee Wilson
Summary of proceedings from a 2005 forum when Dee Wilson presented on the scope of co-occurring conditions of mental illness and substance abuse, and discussed implications for child welfare. - The Fragile Early Years: Assessing the Mental Health of Infants and Toddlers
Summary of proceedings from a 1999 symposium which highlighted infant and toddler mental health. - Practice Issues in Concurrent Planning (PN#05)
Practice Notes edition from 1999 which discusses issues of parenting and caring for young children when parents are experiencing severe mental illness.
- CW360°: Supporting Collaborative Birth and Foster Parent Relationships
The 2022 CW360º issue highlighting practice approaches and perspectives on promoting healthy, supportive relationships between foster and birth parents. - Effective Strategies for Working with Involuntary Clients: International Perspectives
Conference proceedings materials, including keynote summaries, presenting strategies for working with involuntary clients in a range of practice settings. Program themes for the conference give particular attention to evidence-based effective strategies in child welfare, corrections, domestic violence, substance use/abuse, social welfare, disability and family services and health and mental health. - Engaging families and children in prevention and early intervention services
Three-part module that discusses barriers to family engagement and recommended best practices to support engagement, prevention, and early intervention with birth parents. - CW360°: Criminal Justice Involvement of Families in Child Welfare
This 2018 issue of CW360° explores the impact and implications of the intersection of child welfare and criminal justice involvement on families, particularly when birth parents are incarcerated. - Parental Disability and Termination of Parental Rights in Child Protection (ML#12 revised) A Minn-LInK report brief on the overrepresentation of parents with disabilities in cases involving TPRs.
- Parental Incarceration and Child Welfare
Three-part module that serves as a primer for child welfare workers who have contact with families affected by family incarceration. - CW360°: The Intersection of Child Welfare and Disability: Focus on Parents
The 2013 issue of CW360º focuses on the experiences of parents with disabilities and mental illness (MI) in the child welfare system. - Father Engagement in Child Welfare (PB#7)
A policy brief from 2013 discussing important ways to engage fathers when their children are involved in child welfare. - Engaging Fathers in Child Welfare
This module emphasizes the importance of father engagement by presenting research from studies involving child welfare practitioners and fathers. - Maternal Depression: Double Jeopardy for Mother and Child
A module which discusses characteristics of maternal depression, assessment tools to diagnose maternal depression, the importance of cultural competence when working with depressed mothers, and some interventions and resources for depressed mothers and their children. - Moral Injury among Parents and Professionals involved in the Child Protection System
Three-part module which reviews the concept of moral injury, the relevance of moral injury among parents involved in CPS, and the importance of retention of professionals in child welfare. - Parental Disability in Child Welfare (PB#10)
This policy brief provides an overview of how the child welfare system uses parental disability as a consideration in removing children and termination of parental rights. - The Parent Representation Clinic: A mixed method evaluation of parent representation and law student education (ML#23)
A Minn-LInK report brief on the results of free law student representation of birth parents in child welfare court proceedings, examining effectiveness in achieving outcomes, strengths, and challenges of the clinic. - Influences on Parenting
A module which explores the importance of quality parenting, predictors of parenting, and how to support parents in improving their abilities in this area. - Motivational Interviewing Techniques in Child Welfare
A module that provides a background of principles related to motivational interviewing and techniques to employ this in child welfare practice. - Resources for Engaging Fathers in Child Welfare
A resource page compiled in 2012 for resources on the engagement of fathers – resources are Minnesota-specific, county-specific, nationwide, and for practitioners and policymakers. - Double Jeopardy: Depressed Mothers and their Very Young Children: A Remarkable Prospect for Change
Highlights, brief notes, and selected readings from an event held in 2011 discussing infant and early childhood mental health in response to depressed mothers. - Beyond the Baby Blues V: Motherhood, Mood Disorders and Anxiety: Before, During and After Pregnancy
Recordings of keynote speakers and panelists from a 2010 event on maternal mental health during birth and postpartum. - Factors Associated with Good Outcomes for At-Risk Children who Receive Social Services
A subject summary reviewing research indicating that parents are key to outcomes for children. - Familyconnect: Making Family Visits work for Children in Foster Care
Published materials from a 2008 event on best practices and guides to supporting children during family visits with birth parents. - Trial Home Visits: Strengthening Reunification Practices (PN#18)
Edition of Practice Notes providing guidelines for strengthening practice in the tenuous period of reunification, known as the “trial home visit.” - The Fatherhood Factor in Permanency Planning (PN#15)
Practice Notes issue reinforcing the importance of strengthening children’s relationships with their fathers during permanency planning. - Mediation for Child Welfare (PN#11)
Practice Notes on using mediation, or conflict resolution, when professionals are partnering with parents during a child protection case. - Reunification (PN#2)
A Practice Notes edition which reviews factors that maximize success of reunification. - Visitation (PN#1)
The first edition of Practice Notes, in 1997, which discusses supporting visitation between parents and children in foster care.
- Sibling Relationship Strategies Resource Card
A resource card for child welfare professionals addressing the developmental importance of sibling relationships. These strategy reminders can be useful when working with siblings and families in the child welfare system. - Strengthening Sibling Relationships for Youth in Care: Considerations for Child Welfare Professionals
Module on the importance of sibling relationships and various interventions to improve these relationships when siblings are separated in out-of-home placements.
- Positive Youth Development for Siblings in Foster Care
Module on impact of positive youth development as imparted by Camp to Belong which provides reconnection for siblings separated in foster care. - Siblings in Foster Care: Assessment Considerations for Child Welfare Professionals
Module providing an overview of sibling relationships and their influence on child development. Research regarding the impact of siblings on foster care placement stability, permanency, and well-being are discussed. - Siblings of Children who have been Physically Abused (ML#33)
Minn-LInK report brief which discusses a study exploring differential education outcomes for children who were allegedly physically abused and children who were exposed to child physical abuse. - Understanding the Sibling Bill of Rights
A reference card created for professionals to refer to and better understand Minnesota’s Sibling Bill of Rights which was passed in 2018. - Siblings in the Child Welfare System: Implications for Policy and Practice
Hot Topic issue giving a summary of county child protection agencies’ approach to siblings from assessment through permanency planning in Minnesota. - Siblings and Child Maltreatment Series
A blog series on the impact of exposure to IPV on children and how siblings play a role in this exposure. - Visitation: Through the Eyes of a Child (PN#13)
A Practice Notes edition focusing on the experience of visitation for children, focusing on sibling separation and incarcerated mothers. - Siblings in Foster Care: Maintaining the Ties that Bind (PN#9)
An early edition of Practice Notes on policy and practice when maintaining sibling bonds throughout placement separation.
- Refugee Communities Minnesota: Updated Information for Child Welfare Professionals in Changing Communities
A module with an update from the 2019 module on how the resettlement of refugee communities in Minnesota is ever-changing and tips for best practice with these communities. - Best Practices Guide for Working with Karen, Nepali-Bhutanese, Oromo, and Somali Families in Child Welfare (2nd Edition)
A guide that is intended as an overview of selected topics that are relevant to providing culturally responsive services to families with refugee backgrounds and understanding their unique needs. - Minnesota’s Child Protection System: From the Voices of Refugee Community Members
A four-part video series of interviews with members from four of Minnesota’s largest refugee communities (Somali, Karen, Oromo, and Nepali-Bhutanese). The videos cover such general topics as the communities’ awareness of child protection services’ mission (or lack thereof) and other different concepts that are important considerations for child welfare workers. - Refugee Families in Minnesota and their Experiences in the Child Welfare System
Two-part module that shares the experience of refugee families in Minnesota with the child protection system. - Health & Mental Health Literacy in Child Welfare (HT#2)
Hot Topic published in 2017 discussing the influence of health/mental health literacy on barriers for immigrant families. - Culturally Responsive Child Welfare Practice
A 2015 issue of CW360º examines how culture can be used to make a difference in work with all families. Through culturally responsive practice, CASCW believes we will see true change in disparity and disproportionality in child welfare. - Health and Mental Health Literacy and their Link to Health Disparities in Immigrant and Refugee Families
A module which discusses the risk factors faced by immigrant and refugee children, with a focus on Minnesota, as well as provides strategies for working with families to improve health and mental health literacy in the child welfare system. - A Review of Refugees’ Involvement in the Child Welfare System
This three-part module from 2014 series assesses mental health services for refugees in child welfare: the process of resettlement and supports received by families, background information on the mental health of Minnesota’s refugee groups, and recommendations for connecting refugee families to services. - Perceptions of Mental Health: Working with Somali Clients Involved in the Child Welfare System
A module which discusses the intersections among the child welfare, immigration, and mental health systems and provides information and recommendations for working with Somali clients involved in the child welfare system. - Special Education and Child Welfare: Involvement of Immigrant and Non-Immigrant Children
Module which contrasts the extent to which Minnesota’s immigrant children are more likely than non-immigrant children to: receive special education, experience disruptive changes to their education, and to be involved with child welfare services. - Involvement of Somali and Oromo Youth in Minnesota’s Child Protection System (ML#36)
Minn-LInK report brief which examines results of a study on the proportion of Somali and Oromo youth involved and their experiences in Minnesota’s Child Protection System as well as family strengths and needs. - Healthy Youth Development for Adolescent Parents in Foster Care
Two-part module on Health Literacy as a social determinant of health in Asian American Immigrants, parents’ health literacy and its link to children’s health and mental health service utilization and outcomes in Asian and Latino American immigrants. - Health & Mental Health Literacy in Child Welfare: Implications for Reducing Child Neglect and Health Concerns in Immigrant Families
This Fact Sheet defines Health Literacy, details how a parent’s low health literacy can impact child health outcomes, and provides implications for prevention of child neglect and health concerns in immigrant families. - Child Welfare and Cultural Diversity Resources
Resource guides for various populations within Minnesota experiencing disparities in the child welfare system – first created in the early 2000s and updated most recently in 2014 and 2016. Guides include resources for general cultural groups, African American community, Native American community, Latinx and Hispanic communities, plus multiple Immigrant and refugee communities. - Working with Refugee Families in the Child Welfare System
A module which provides information about the major refugee groups in Minnesota in 2011: the Karen, Bhutanese, Oromo, Somali, and Iraqi. It provides political and cultural context for these groups as well as information about factors that impact them in the child welfare system. - Working with Karen Refugee Youth and Families
A module which provides information about working with Karen refugees from Burma, their history in Minnesota, their experiences while living in camps, and the effects of the trauma they have experienced on their mental health. - Somali Cultural Guide: Building Capacity to Strengthen the Well-Being of Immigrant Families and Their Children: A Prevention Strategy
A cultural guide which presents an overview of selected factors that are critical to understanding child and family environments of Somali immigrants. - Latino Cultural Guide—Building Capacity to Strengthen the Well-Being of Immigrant Families and Their Children: A Prevention Strategy
A cultural guide that is intended as an overview of selected highlights of items that are critical to understanding children and family environments of Latino immigrant groups. - Hmong Cultural Guide—Building Capacity to Strengthen the Well-Being of Immigrant Families and Their Children: A Prevention Strategy
A cultural guide presenting an overview of selected factors that are critical to understanding child and family environments of Hmong refugee and immigrant groups. - Special Practice Prompt on Developmental Risk
Practice Notes edition with an overview of developmental risk in early childhood in immigrant and refugee families. - Discipline in Somali Families: Challenges and Responses
Published presentation materials from a 2009 conference which discussed the cross-section of child welfare intervention and discipline in Somali families. - New Populations in Rural Counties: Implications for Child Welfare
The published results of a study of county child welfare services in response to the increased movement of immigrant families to more rural counties in Minnesota. - Responding to Immigrant Families and Children: Rising to the Challenge
Published conference presentation material on child welfare practice with immigrant families in rural counties. - The Contribution of Ethnographic Interviewing to Culturally Competent Practice (PN#10)
This edition of Practice Notes provides an overview of ethnographic interviewing when engaging with families of different countries of origin, cultures, and languages in order to be culturally competent.
- Risks, Outcomes, and Inequities in Out-of-School Suspension
Module series that discusses the risks and outcomes of out-of-school suspension, disparities in school discipline, and how these issues affect children involved in child welfare services. - Unexcused! Attendance Policies and the School-to-Prison Pipeline (ML#46)
Minn-LInK report brief discussing results of a study on the racial disparities in youth more likely to become crossover youth via truancy, court involvement, and child welfare. - Be@School podcast series
Three podcast episodes with Be@School on school absenteeism, students with disabilities, and supports for county-involved youth. - Who is Homeless in School? Evaluating Overlap and Outcomes of Student Homelessness (ML#43)
Minn-LInK report brief on demographics and academic outcomes of students identified as experiencing homelessness. - Guest Blog: Risks and Protections for Black Girls’ Out-of-School Suspension
Guest blog post by faculty members studying OSS in Minneapolis public schools and the reality of racial disproportionality that affects Black girls. - Minn-LInK Child Welfare and Education Compendiums
A compiled compendium of 10 Minn-LInK research briefs and accompanying discussion guides, to highlight collaborative work — with a focus on issues critical to education and child welfare. - School counselor-to-student ratio: Does having a school counselor matter? (ML#28)
Minn-LInK report brief on the effect of school counselors-to-student ratio on academic achievement. - Educational Stability and Achievement among Youth in Foster Care
Module on educational outcomes for youth involved in CPS, barriers to achievement, and promising practices and interventions. - Costs of Out-of-School Suspensions for African American Caregivers
Module describing the implications of zero tolerance as it relates to school suspensions and the resulting impact on experiences of caregivers. - The Child Protection and Special Education Outcomes of Part C Participants (ML#5)
Minn-LInK report brief which examined a set of outcomes related to children who received Part C early intervention services as infants and toddlers using differently constructed comparison groups. - Effects of Housing Subsidies and Community Social Support on School Attendance (ML#47)
Minn-LInK report brief which examines the relationship between community-level social supports and student school attendance in two place-based programs. - Students’ Risks for Out-of-school Suspensions
Module which summarizes the results of a study on the relationship between students’ child welfare system involvement, Indigenous heritage, and out-of-school suspension in Minnesota. - Be@School: Engaging Children and Youth in Uncertain Times
A two-part webinar hosted in collaboration with the Be@School program, discussing issues of engaging youth in schools during the COVID-19 pandemic. - Be@School 2020 Three-Part Webinar Series
Three-part webinar series from 2020, featuring Be@school, a program that often collaborates with child welfare in response to truancy, focusing on inequitable school absenteeism policies, serving students with disabilities during COVID-19, and leveraging education partnerships in support of county-involved youth. - A Mixed Methods Study of Black Girls’ Vulnerability to Out-of-school Suspensions: The Intersection of Race and Gender (ML#41)
Minn-LInK report brief on a mixed methods study examining OSS experiences of Black girls and possibilities of reducing OSS rates by boosting girls ability to resist micro-aggressions and self-advocate. - Risks and Protections for Black Girls’ Receipt of Out-of-School Suspension
Module which presents research results regarding risks and protection for black girls’ receipt of out-of-school suspensions. - Education Disengagement of Homeless and Unstably Housed Youth (ML#35)
Minn-LInK report brief discussing the characteristics and experiences as well as the educational engagement of homeless and unstably housed youth in comparison to that of their peers. - Impact of Plus education services: for county-involved youth (ML#34)
Minn-LinK report brief which discusses a study on educational outcomes for youth receiving support from the Plus program, which provides additional support to disengaged students. - Intergenerational Child Maltreatment and MCA Proficiency among 3rd through 8th graders (ML#29)
Minn-LInK report brief discussing whether children in families experiencing child maltreatment across multiple generations differ in Minnesota Comprehensive Assessment (MCA) proficiency from maltreated children whose parents were not maltreated. - Chronic School Absenteeism in Elementary Grades
A module which reviews a year-long collaboration between CASCW and the be@school truancy intervention program to increase the understanding of and improve interventions for chronic school absenteeism for children in kindergarten through 5th grade. - Chronic School Absenteeism in Elementary Grades: Contributing Factors, Interventions, and Outcomes
Publication presenting the results of a year-long study aiming to increase the understanding of the nature of chronic absenteeism in the elementary grades among Hennepin County children and to evaluate one stage of the be@school model. - An Evaluation for the Boys and Girls Clubs of the Twin Cities (ML#24)
Minn-LInK report brief on experiences and academic outcomes for members of the Twin Cities Boys and Girls Club. - Girls’ Aggression and Child Welfare Series
A blog series on how aggression develops in maltreated girls and how this relates to punitive measures in schools. - Child Protection and the Achievement Gap (ML#21)
Minn-LInK report brief on educational outcomes for youth involved in CPS. - The Achievement Gap and Students in Child Protection: Are Open Enrollment Policies the Answer? (ML#20)
Minn-LInK report brief on the utilization of Minnesota’s Open Enrollment Policy by students involved with CPS and the effect on academic achievement. - Longitudinal effect of high quality early care and education experiences on children’s outcomes in elementary school
A published study from 2014 by CASCW and Minn-LInK staff on the differences in the early care and education needs of young children involved in child protection. - Academic Achievement of Youth in the 4-H Program (ML#19)
Minn-LInK report brief which examined academic outcomes of youth who participated in 4-H compared to outcomes of youth who did not participate, and to understand how parent engagement and duration of 4-H participation affects youth achievement and attendance trajectories over five years. - Educational Outcomes for Children Participating in Athletes Committed to Educating Students (ACES) (ML#18)
MinnLInK report brief evaluating a study of the educational outcomes of students who participated in the Athletes Committed to Educating Students (ACES) after-school tutoring and mentoring program in comparison to the educational outcomes of their peers. - Educational Outcomes of Children in Families Receiving Assistance from the Minnesota Family Investment Program (MFIP) (ML#16)
Minn-LInK report brief sharing results of a study exploring the status of children from families with varying levels of TANF participation by examining a set of educational outcomes that have been shown to be important indicators of child well-being. - An Evaluation of the Northwest County Collaborative: Our Children Succeed Initiative (ML#14)
Minn-LInK report brief examines the associated effect of Minnesota’s Northwest Counties’ Our Children Succeed Initiative (OSCI) as it relates to children’s educational outcomes and out-of-home placement experiences. - Educational Outcomes for Children in Out-of-Home Placement (ML#13)
Minn-LInK report brief which explores the educational well-being of Minnesotan children whose out-of-home care experience occurred during the 2009-2010 academic year in conjunction with a child protection case. - Learning Dreams
A module from 2010 which focuses on understanding the community-centered module of education, being able to talk with young people and the adults in their lives about personal learning dreams, and understanding the power of educational advocacy for the child welfare system. - Sanctions and Education Outcomes for Children in TANF Families (ML#10)
Minn-LInK report brief presenting the results of a study that addressed the impact of TANF sanctions on children’s educational outcomes. - Strong Beginnings: Establishing a Baseline of Intermediate Outcomes to Support Long-term Study (ML#9)
Minn-LInK report brief from 2010 which reviews results of a longitudinal study on the impact of early education – Strong Beginnings – on children’s outcomes. - Are Attendance Gains Sustained? A Follow-Up on the Educational and Child Welfare Outcomes for Students with Child Welfare Involvement for Educational Neglect (ML#8)
Minn-LInK report brief on a study which reexamines the school attendance and child welfare involvement of a group of students for whom a report of educational neglect was received by child welfare during the 2000-2001 school year in Minnesota. - Educational Outcomes and Family Well Being of Teen Parents (ML#4)
Minn-LInK report brief on a study to understand whether Public Health nurses were able to successfully integrate MFIP tasks into their existing public health service model and whether there were resulting impacts to select outcomes for teens. - High School Graduation and Child Welfare: Status of Older Minnesota Adolescents in the Academic Year After Substantiated Child Maltreatment Findings
This subject summary provides information on the educational outcomes of older adolescents who have had contact with the child welfare system in Minnesota, over 30 months, prior to the 2002-2003 academic year. - Child Welfare, High School Graduation, and Economic Outcomes (ML#2)
Minn-LInK report brief which explores the economic outcomes of the cohort of former high school seniors, examining their wages and public assistance use two years after they left high school. - High School Graduation and Child Welfare (ML#1)
Minn-LInK report brief on whether the high school graduation rates for teens who have had contact with the child protection system in Minnesota were different from those found in other state studies. - High School Graduation and Child Welfare: A Description of the Education Status of Older Minnesota Adolescents in the Academic Year after Substantiated Child Maltreatment Findings
Subject summary from 2006 which gives information on the educational outcomes of older adolescents who have had contact with the child welfare system in Minnesota, over 30 months, prior to the 2002-2003 academic year. - Child Protection and Educational Neglect: A Preliminary Study (ML Special Issue #1)
Minn-LInK report brief on the beginnings of the exploration of child protection intervention into educational neglect in the State of Minnesota. - Child Protection and Educational Neglect: A Preliminary Study
A subject summary from 2005 discussing a study of child protection cases in 2000-2001 involving educational neglect, assessing whether attendance rates improved with CP involvement.
- What is CASCW? Interview with Jean Quam
Podcast episode on the origins of CASCW and hopes for its future. - Putting on your oxygen mask while helping others
Podcast series discussing strategies and tips for how child welfare professionals can sustain their practice and well-being - Mindfulness Mondays
4-episode podcast series designed to provide brief mindfulness meditations for child welfare professionals. - Tending Our Garden, Cultivating Resilient Roots
4-part webinar workshop for cultivating resilience in child welfare workers by filling their cups, The Sanctuary Model, and navigating systems. - CPT Tip 2: Mindfulness for Child Welfare Workers
Practice tip from the Center for Practice Transformation on mindfulness techniques for child welfare professionals. - The Heart of Supervision
4-episode podcast series featuring interviews of various professionals on the importance of reflective supervision and the perspectives of various child welfare supervisors and supervisees. - It Takes a Village
Podcast series on the shift in the child welfare workforce and best practice for families in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. - Reflective Supervision/Consultation for Child Welfare Workers
Module on using reflective supervision and consultation which includes current workers’ perspective on its use in the field. - Positive Psychology and Well-Being of Child Welfare Workers
This 3-part training series focuses on the application of positive psychology in order to improve the well-being of child welfare workers. - Strengthening Child Welfare Supervision Initiative
Modules and written materials from various presentations between 2011-12 on the importance of supervision and methods to strengthen supervision for child welfare professionals. - Supervision: The Key to Strengthening Practice in Child Welfare (PN#22)
A 2009 edition of Practice Notes which focuses on different kinds of supervision: group supervision, reflective supervision, supervision for new workers, and ethical considerations. - Ethics in Child Welfare Supervision
A module which shares information on ethics, ethical dilemmas and ethical decision making with a focus on ethics in child welfare supervision. - Improving Child Welfare Supervision
Presentation materials from a 2009 conference on improvements in child welfare supervision.
- What is CASCW? Interview with Jean Quam
Podcast episode on the origins of CASCW and hopes for its future. - Fact Sheets about Child Welfare Social Workers’ Working Conditions
Two fact sheets which present results of a study on neoliberal managerialism in child welfare workplace and ways child welfare professionals can apply professional discretion. - Moral injury in Child Welfare Professionals
Podcast episode on moral injury and healing among child welfare professionals. - Moral Injury in Child Welfare Workers Video
Video of three frontline social workers at various stages of their child protection careers and highlights their experience with moral injury in their work with children and families. - Moral Injury and Child Welfare
Created by Gamble-Skogmo Chair in Child Welfare and Youth Policy, this training course is accessible to the community on moral injury in child welfare. This self-paced course is free and available to the public. The course is divided into five learning modules on moral injury and healing for mental health, addictions, social work and child welfare professionals. - Moral Injury among Parents and Professionals involved in the Child Protection System
Three-part module which reviews the concept of moral injury, the relevance of moral injury among parents involved in CPS, and the importance of retention of professionals in child welfare. - Workforce Stabilization Study 2016
Study summary and results from a 2016 study of the child welfare workforce. CASCW partnered with the Minnesota Association of County Social Service Administrators (MACSSA) Children’s Committee and the Minnesota Department of Human Services to better understand the state of Minnesota’s child welfare workforce in order to develop strategies to stabilize and strengthen the workforce in a time of child protection reform. - Moral Injury Module
Module which defines and discusses impact of moral injury on professionals and families. - Moral Injury (FAQs)
Fact sheet which discusses definitions of moral injury, its difference from PTSD, and the impact on child welfare professionals. - Safety in the Workplace
A blog post on safety in the workplace for child welfare professionals and its relation to secondary traumatic stress. - Secondary Trauma & the Child Welfare Workforce
The 2012 issue of CW360º which highlights research on secondary traumatic stress and how outside influences can impact work, prevention and intervention from an individual to organizational to policy level, and strategies for practice improvements. - Secondary Traumatic Stress
A module from 2012 which introduces secondary traumatic stress (STS), its impact on the child welfare system and workforce, and strategies to address it.
- Students’ Risks for Out-of-school Suspensions
Module which summarizes the results of a study on the relationship between students’ child welfare system involvement, Indigenous heritage, and out-of-school suspension in Minnesota. - Center for Regional and Tribal Child Welfare Studies: Reducing Disparities Through Indigenous Social Work Education
Three-part module on Indigenous child welfare, Indigenous social work, and utilizing this approach to reduce disparities. - Students’ Risks for Out-of-school Suspensions: Indigenous Heritage and Child Protection System Involvement (ML#45)
Minn-LInK report brief which examines factors predicting the likelihood of and number of out-of-school suspensions, focusing on the association with ethnicity/indigeneity and Child Protective Services involvement. - Perspectives on Indigenous Child Welfare in Minnesota
Video series of interviews with three frontline workers in Indigenous child welfare in Minnesota. - Indigenous Child Welfare: The Long Emergency and a Way Forward
Two-part module which explores the findings of a scoping study on Indigenous child welfare within Turtle Island (Canada and U.S.). - Assessing Risk: A Comparison of Tools for Child Welfare Practice with Indigenous Families
In this report, readers will find a description of commonly used risk assessment approaches and a comparison of instruments used in North America, Europe, and Australia. Copies of the risk assessment instruments mentioned in this report are also available in the report appendices. - Minnesota Tribal/State Agreement
Module developed by the Center for Regional and Tribal Child Welfare Studies at the University of Minnesota-Duluth, which provides students and practitioners with in-depth training on the Minnesota Tribal/State Child Welfare Agreement, including legal and practice issues. - Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA)
Module created by the Center for Regional and Tribal Child Welfare Studies which gives an overview of the historical context that led to the development of the Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA), the Minnesota Indian Family Preservation Act (MIFPA), and the Tribal-State Agreement. - Culturally Responsive Child Welfare Practice
CW360º issue from 2015, created in partnership with the Center for Regional and Tribal Child Welfare Studies, centered on using culturally responsive practice to work with families. Through this practice it is hoped that disparity and disproportionality will be reduced. - Understanding sovereignty as key to addressing disparities?
Blog interviewing an MSW IV-E student interning at an ICWA unit on tribal sovereignty and ICWA. - Relational Worldview: A Tribal and Cultural Framework for Improving Child Welfare Outcomes
Video training for professionals and organizations working with American Indian communities. This video training was created in collaboration with National Indian Child Welfare Association (NICWA) and can be ordered at the CASCW website. - Indian Child Welfare Matrix
Interactive resource page created by the Center for Regional and Tribal Child Welfare Studies at UMD, which indicates programs/services that are provided by Minnesota tribal and non-profit agencies and accessible to American Indian children. - Deconstructing the Baby Veronica Case: Implications for Working with Fathers in Indian Child Welfare Practice
Brief publication from a 2013 forum featuring moderated discussion of the Baby Veronica case by various parties and perspectives on the matter. - Sovereignty: The Heart of the Matter — Critical Considerations on the Interface Between ICWA and ASFA
Summary of proceedings of the conference by the same name held on May 17, 2000. These proceedings provide information on the work accomplished between a number of tribes and their county affiliates in Minnesota. The aim was to mark where Minnesota was in 2000.The Stability, Permanency, and Adoption (SPA) blog series was developed by CASCW as a way to inform child welfare professionals and others about practice, research, and policy issues regarding adoption.
- Expanding Knowledge Series
Blog series by CASCW staff on various forms of media and resources concerning adoption with a focus on adoptee voices. Resources include social media accounts, podcasts, visual media, nonfiction and fiction books, and more. - Dr. Kimara Gustafson: UMN Adoption Medicine Clinic
Podcast episode with an interview of Dr. Kimara Gustafson from the University of Minnesota Adoption Medicine Clinic on services offered to families and how this was impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. - Permanency & Transitions to Adulthood
The 2020 issue of CW360° explores permanency and supporting transitions to adulthood for youth in foster care. It also provides updates to the 2009 issue, titled Permanency or Aging Out: Adolescents in the Child Welfare System, reflecting on ways the knowledge base has grown in 10 years. - Preparing for the Potential Re-opening of Inter-country Adoption from Romania (PN#33)
Practice Notes issue that prepares adoption and child welfare workers in the United States so they can better support children adopted from Romania, taking into account historical and current trends in Romanian child welfare and the latest research on the impact of institutionalization on child development. - Institutionalization and History of Adoption in Romania
Blog series on the history of institutionalization of children in Romania and the resulting impact on children, especially those adopted in the United States. - PACC Blog
Blog series by alumni from the Permanency and Adoption Competency Certificate program discussing issues of permanency and adoption. - Adoption and Permanency: 3 part series
Three-part module focusing on adoption and permanency, by JaeRan Kim. - Creating a Permanence Driven Organization: A Guidebook for Change in Child Welfare
Guidebook, created from partnership with Anu Family Services, which provides information in support of developing permanency practices and seeking to limit unnecessary out-of-home placement in temporary, stranger foster care and residential or group care. - Stability, Permanency, and Adoption Blog
The Stability, Permanency, and Adoption (SPA) blog series was developed by CASCW as a way to inform child welfare professionals and others about practice, research, and policy issues regarding adoption.
- Educational Disengagement among Youth Experiencing Homelessness and Unstable Housing
Module that evaluates a Minnesota study on the disengagement patterns (low attendance and high school dropout) of youth experiencing homelessness and/or unstable housing as compared to their peers. - Permanency & Transitions to Adulthood
The 2020 issue of CW360° explores permanency and supporting transitions to adulthood for youth in foster care. It also provides updates to the 2009 issue, titled Permanency or Aging Out: Adolescents in the Child Welfare System, reflecting on ways the knowledge base has grown in 10 years. - Motivational Interviewing in Transition Planning: Supporting Youth Transitioning Out of Foster Care (PN#32)
Practice Notes issue on how to use motivational interviewing techniques with older youth transitioning out of foster care. - Healthy Youth Development for Adolescent Parents in Foster Care
Two-part module on parents’ health literacy and its link with children’s outcomes. - Violent Victimization Among Adolescent Youth in Minneapolis (ML#22)
Minn-LInK report brief on a study of violent victimization of adolescents in Minneapolis – characteristics, experiences, and their interrelation. - Well-being Indicator Tool for Youth (WIT-Y)
Well-being Indicator Tool for Youth (WIT-Y), is a tool for youth aged 15-21 years who currently are in or in the past have had contact with the child welfare system, includes assessment, snapshot, and blueprint planning document. Available in English and soon in Spanish. - Exploration of a screening tool for predicting increased risk of young people in Minneapolis becoming victims of violent crime (ML#26)
Minn-LInK report brief to identify a set of indicators available from existing administrative databases that could be used to identify adolescents at elevated risk for being a victim of violent crime in order to direct early intervention resources to the young people who would most benefit from services. - Substance Abuse Treatment Among MN Youth in Foster Care: Implications for Policymakers (PB#8)
Policy brief on policy for treatment of substance use disorders for MN youth in foster care. - Understanding Credit: An Online Training for Youth in Foster Care
Module to assist youth in foster care manage and monitor their credit and understand the importance of their credit report. - Case Worker Responsibility & Credit Reports for Youth in Foster Care
Module on roles/responsibilities of case workers in the event of a credit report on foster youth’s record. - The Role of Supportive Housing in Improving Responses to High-Risk Young Parents and Adolescents in Cross-Sector Involvement
Conference materials published from a 2012 event on the importance of supportive housing to helping young parents and adolescents. - Healthy Youth Development for Adolescent Parents in Foster Care and Working with Young Parents in Foster Care
Two-part module on Healthy Youth Development (HYD) Framework, challenges for adolescent parents in foster care, and how to use HYD framework for positive outcomes. - Systems of Care Report
This report on systems of care working with long-term foster care youth transitioning to adulthood is the product of a collaboration between Hennepin County and the University of Minnesota. - Permanency or Aging Out: Adolescents in the Child Welfare System
CW360º Issue (2009) on complexities, solutions, and innovations for practice with youth aging out of care. - Adolescents Aging out of Foster Care
The published presentation materials and the Q&A responses from the 2009 conference on permanency for adolescents aging out of foster care – accompanying the CW360 issue that same year. - Involving Foster Parents: Planning for Adolescents in Treatment Foster Care – Evidence Based Practices
Executive summary report based on empirical literature from CASCW, report on practice implications for treatment foster care agencies and involving TFC parents in permanency planning for adolescents. - The Transition of Youth with Disabilities from the Child Welfare System
A subject summary on youth with disabilities and transition outcomes when aging out of foster care. - Educational Outcomes and Family Well-Being of Teen Parents (ML#4)
Minn-LInK report brief from 2007 on a study which explored whether Public Health nurses were able to successfully integrate MFIP tasks into their existing public health service model and whether there were resulting impacts to select outcomes for teens. - Leave No Adolescent Behind: Issues in Transition to Adulthood
Summary of proceedings from the forum held in 2005 regarding adolescents transitioning to adulthood. - Debating the Options for Adolescents: Can we safeguard the interests of endangered adolescents?
Summary of proceedings from a 2001 forum held on how to protect the interests of adolescents in the child welfare system w
- Parenting Done Differently: Parents with Disabilities
Podcast series that explores how professionals can best support parents with disabilities. - Parent Centered Planning for Parents with Disabilities
Three-part module on engaging and supporting parents with disabilities by using parent centered planning. - Disability and Child Welfare
Four-part podcast series on the intersection of parents and children with disabilities and involvement in the child welfare system. - Navigating the System: Addressing the Overrepresentation of Parents with Disabilities in CPS
Module which pinpoints the overrepresentation of parents with different types of disabilities and how professionals can best serve these parents. - Parent-Centered Planning for Parents with Disabilities (PN#36)
Practice Notes issue which shares the parent-centered planning model, a new strengths-based model to help parents with disabilities plan for parenting. - Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder in Child Protection: Disparities, Allegations, and Services (ML#40)
Report brief on a study of child protection involvement for children with ASD as compared to other disabilities and children without disabilities, highlighting demographic differences and disparities. - Promising Practices to Support Parents with Disabilities (PN#34)
Practice Notes providing an overview of promising practices that support parents with intellectual disabilities, including interventions that focus on building parenting skills and increasing social connections and social supports. - Supporting Parents with Disabilities in Clinical and Macro Practice
Two-part module which focuses on how child welfare professionals can support parents with disabilities in both clinical and macro practice. - Parents with Disabilities in Child Welfare
Three-part module providing historical context and prevalence for parents with disabilities in child welfare, related policies, and social supports for parents with disabilities. - A Cross-Cultural Look at Stigmatization: Caregiver Relationships of Children with Disabilities
Two-part module which delves into the stigmatization of children with disabilities and solutions for professionals to provide support to caregivers. - Parental Disability in Child Welfare (PB#10)
Policy brief that provides an overview of how the child welfare system uses parental disability as a consideration in removing children and termination of parental rights. - Autism, Service Delays, and Educational Outcomes (ML#32)
Minn-LInK report brief on the effects delayed starts in early intensive behavior intervention (EIBI) on later educational outcomes for Medicaid-enrolled children who were diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder between the ages 3-5. - Youth with Disabilities in Minnesota’s Juvenile Delinquency Courts (ML#31)
Minn-LInK report brief on whether youth with disabilities were overrepresented in the juvenile court system as a group and whether youth with particular disability labels were overrepresented. - Child Welfare Disability Resource Cards
Resource cards identify types of disabilities for children, prevalence, and practice suggestions for each type of disability. - Parental Disability and Termination of Parental Rights in Child Protection (ML#12 revised)
Minn-LInK report brief on overrepresentation of parents with disabilities in cases involving TPRs. - Cross-Cultural Discussion of Disability Policies for Child Welfare Professionals
Module which discusses federal and national policies on school-based disability support for children with mild cognitive and behavioral disabilities, such as special education, in Minnesota and Japan. - Disability and Child Maltreatment: Perceptions of Professionals in East Asian Countries
Module providing results to research which considers how communication between elementary school educators and child welfare professionals occurs in Japanese and South Korean contexts. - Chronic Health Conditions, Child Welfare, and Vital Involvement: Strategies for Promoting Well-Being
Module which examines the strengths, supports and vital involvement of families with fostered or adopted children with chronic health conditions. - The Intersection of Child Welfare and Disability: Focus on Children
2013 CW360º issue which explores the issues of children with disabilities in the child welfare system, a population that is overrepresented in child welfare. - The Intersection of Child Welfare and Disability: Focus on Parents
The 2013 issue of CW360º, focusing on the experiences of parents with disabilities and mental illness (MI) in the child welfare system. - The Intersection of Child Welfare & Disability
Published highlights, powerpoints, and notes from a conference on the CW360 issues, “The Intersection of Child Welfare & Disability.” - Educational Experiences of Youth with Disabilities in Foster Care (PB#6)
Policy brief discussing older youth with disabilities in MN foster care system and their educational experiences. - Older Youth with Disabilities in Foster Care (PB#5)
Policy brief on prevalence and experience of youth with disabilities in foster care in MN, analysis of state administrative data. - Child Protection and Child Disability
Module discussing the school functioning of elementary school-age children with mild cognitive and behavioral disabilities who are receiving child protection services. - Special Health Care Needs, Child Welfare, & Vital Involvement: When Things Go Well
Module that explores the strengths and supports of a specific family who is successfully raising fostered and adopted children with special needs. Information is provided on how to use the concept of Vital Involvement as well as a blank template. - Disability Child Welfare Collaborative (DCWC)
Resource page curated since 2011 for providers to access resources related to disabilities in children and families, as well as to answer frequently asked questions. - Special Education and Child Welfare: Involvement of Immigrant and Non-Immigrant Children
Module which contrasts the extent to which Minnesota’s immigrant children are more likely than non-immigrant children to: receive special education, experience disruptive changes to their education, and to be involved with child welfare services. - Prevalence of Children and Disabilities in the Child Welfare System: An Analysis of Administrative Data
Subject summary exploring the prevalence and characteristics of children with disabilities within the child welfare system using administrative data, focusing particularly on ethnicity, gender, rural/urban location, and out-of-home placement rates. - The Transition of Youth with Disabilities from the Child Welfare System
Subject summary on youth with disabilities and transition outcomes when aging out of foster care. - The Child Protection and Special Education Outcomes of Part C Participants (ML#5)
Minn-LInK report brief which examined a set of outcomes related to children who received Part C early intervention services as infants and toddlers using differently constructed comparison groups. - Guide for Creating Legislative Change: Disability in the Termination of Parental Rights and Other Child Custody Statutes
Guide created with The Disability and Parental Rights Legislative Change Project at the University of Minnesota in 2007. It provides key principles for protecting parents with disabilities; model statutory language and accompanying definitions; a legislative change strategy; practice suggestions for modifying services and providing parental accommodations. - Managing Child Protection Cases Involving People with Disabilities
Subject summary presenting preliminary findings from a 2005 study of the management of child protection cases involving individuals with disabilities in Minnesota. - Referral for Disabilities: A New Responsibility for Child Protection (PN#16)
Practice Notes that concentrates on early identification of children with developmental delays and disabilities.