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Child and Family Services Reviews

The child and family services reviews are designed to enable the Children's Bureau to ensure that State child welfare agency practice is in conformity with Federal child welfare requirements, to determine what is actually happening to children and families as they are engaged in State child welfare services, and to assist States to enhance their capacity to help children and families achieve positive outcomes.

• General Information
  Fact sheets about the child welfare reviews, the Child Welfare Review Project, which supports the Children's Bureau in administering the reviews, and the tentative schedule for the child and family services reviews taking place in fiscal years 2001-2004.
• Legislation/Policy
  Information about legislation and policy related to the child welfare reviews, including final rules, press releases, and policy issuances.
• Instruments/Tools/Guides
  Procedures manuals, instruments, training materials, and planning documents for the child welfare reviews.
• Consultant Recruitment
  The Children's Bureau, through the Child Welfare Review Project, recruits and trains child welfare professionals to serve as reviewers to supplement the Federal review team. This section contains information about how to apply to serve as a consultant reviewer.
• Cross State Participants
  Information about the Cross State Participants program.
• State Team Training
  Information about the training provided for State review team members.

Reports and Results

• Statewide Assessments
  Before the onsite review, the Administration for Children and Families (ACF) Regional Office staff will review the completed Statewide Assessment to prepare a preliminary assessment of the State's performance. Information on ordering copies of these reports is provided.
• Final Reports
  Following the onsite review component of the child and family services review, the Children's Bureau prepares a Final Report for each state containing the review outcomes. Copies of the Final Reports and Executive Summaries completed to-date are provided.
• Program Improvement Plans
  States are required to submit a Program Improvement Plan if found out of conformance on any one of the seven outcomes or seven systemic factors subject to review. Information on ordering copies of these reports is provided.
• Individual Key Findings Reports, 2001-2004
  Key Findings for 2001-2004 are available for the U.S. States and territories.
• Compiled Results of the Fiscal Years 2001 - 2004 Child and Family Services Reviews
  The compiled results of the child and family services reviews completed in this time period.

Special Commentary and Information

• Partners in Progress: Improving Outcomes through Systemic Change
  Presentation by Joan Ohl — Annual Meeting of States and Tribes — January 28, 2003
• Changing the Culture of the Workplace
  Comments by Jerry Milner — Closing Plenary Session — Annual Meeting of States and Tribes — January 29, 2003
• Promising Approaches
  Information about child welfare approaches worth noting that were identified during the child and family services reviews. These approaches are recognized as potential contributions toward good child welfare practice.

Title IV-E Foster Care Eligibility Reviews

The reviews of the Federal title IV-E foster care program focus on determining whether children in foster care meet the statutory eligibility requirements for foster care maintenance payments.

• Children's Bureau Program Assessment for Child and Family Services Reviews and Title IV-E Foster Care Eligibility Reviews Fact Sheet
  Information on the history, purpose, and process of the Child and Family Services Reviews as well as a summary of Title IV-E reviews.
• Title IV-E Foster Care Eligibility Review Schedules
  A listing of when States are scheduled to be reviewed.
• Title IV-E Legislation and Policy
  Information about legislation and policy related to the title IV-E reviews.
• Title IV-E Foster Care Eligibility Reviews Final Reports
  Following the onsite review, the ACF Regional Office prepares a Final Report containing the review results, including a summary of the errors and the cases in error; strengths and model practices revealed during the review; and weakness or deficiencies that need to be addressed in the program improvement plan. Copies of the Final Reports completed to-date are provided.