Child Welfare / Permanence
Every child needs and deserves to grow up in a safe, loving, and nurturing family – a family whose support is unconditional and will last a lifetime. Yet for the half million children in foster care on any given day, these necessary family connections are too often lost. We are committed to ensuring that every child has a safe and lifelong connection to a caring, nurturing family.
The Child Welfare/Permanence section of the Casey Foundation Knowledge Center offers resources that are either published or funded by the Casey Foundation. See also:
Featured Publications

Voice: Summer/Fall 2008: Volume 9, Issue Two
2008
This issue of Voice highlights Casey Family Services' 2008 National Convening on Youth Permanence as well as the outcomes and implications of the 2008 KIDS COUNT Data Book.
more >>
View the Casey Family Services Voice Series >>

Racial Disproportionality, Race Disparity, and Other Race-Related Findings in Published Works Derived from the National Survey of Child and Adolescent Well-Being
2008
This paper draws on studies of data gathered during the National Survey of Child and Adolescent Well-being (NSCAW). It examines child welfare in the context of race and ethnicity.
more >>

A Call to Action: An Integrated Approach to Youth Permanency and Preparation for Adulthood
2007
Children who ‘age out’ of the child welfare system without a permanent family and/or adequate preparation for adulthood often do not have the supports needed to thrive independently. This report highlights efforts to ensure that youth currently in the foster system benefit from the most strategic preparation and supports for entering adulthood.
more >>

Unsuccessful In-Home Child Welfare Service Plans Following a Maltreatment Investigation: Racial and Ethnic Disparities
2007
This study, based on data from the National Survey of Child and Adolescent Well-Being (NSCAW), examines the racial inequity and disproportionality in children remaining in the home following an investigation for maltreatment and neglect.
more >>

An Analysis of Racial/Ethnic Disproportionality and Disparity at the National, State, and County Levels
2007
This report from Casey-CSSP Alliance for Racial Equity in Child Welfare makes many contributions to the study of disproportionality in the child welfare system by incorporating the experiences of a variety of populations, such as American Indians, Asians and Pacific Islanders, and Hispanics. Unlike other studies, this analysis describes racial inequity and disproportionality as it exists across national, state, and county levels.
more >>

The Story of Family to Family: The Early Years (1992-2006) of an Initiative to Improve Child Welfare Systems
2008
This case study explains why and how Casey set out to improve systems and practices across the country in ways that benefit children and families, and what the Foundation learned in the process. It outlines the crises and responses that pre-dated Family to Family; describes the initiative’s premise, framework, and strategies; and covers its evolution from the rollout in pilot sites to replication across the country. The report offers observations about Family to Family’s core features and what they imply for the field of child welfare system reform.
more >>

Children With Incarcerated Parents: A List of Selected Resources
2008
This resource guide, last updated in June 2008, lists selected citations of documents and resources in four categories: general, research, program and practice, and policy and state/local level activity. While the guide is not meant to be inclusive of all relevant information available on children with incarcerated parents, it represents informative work in the topic areas addressed.
more >>

Understanding the Experiences and Needs of Children of Incarcerated Parents: Views from Mentors
2008
To better understand the experiences and needs of children with incarcerated parents, Urban Institute researchers collaborated with mentors from Big Brothers, Big Sisters organizations in Baltimore, Maryland; Milwaukee, Wisconsin; and Washington, D.C. Researchers were able to gather qualitative data through the use of focus groups with the mentors of children whose parents are incarcerated. The group discussions focused on the children’s living situations, relationships with their parents, and emotional and behavioral outcomes. Findings from the discussions indicate considerable variation between children with incarcerated mothers and those with incarcerated fathers.
more >>

Children and Families with Incarcerated Parents: Exploring Development in the Field and Opportunities for Growth
2008
Children and families with incarcerated parents not only face the trauma of loss, but also a range of economic and social conditions that result from incarceration. Concerned about the vulnerability of this population, the Annie E. Casey Foundation began an exploration of the nature and scope of this issue and the gaps that need to be filled. This report provides a summary of the Foundation’s findings, a listing of the Foundation’s recent investments in this area, and synthesizes the learnings into potential opportunities for the field at large.
more >>

Children of Incarcerated Parents Fact Sheet
2008
This fact sheet includes data on incarceration of adults, its affects on children and families left behind, and how it affects children and youth with respect to foster care. The fact sheet was produced by the Annie E. Casey Foundation, Casey Family Programs, and Marguerite Casey Foundation.
more >>
view all Child Welfare / Permanence publications