Child Welfare Reform: A Scoping Review

Abstract

While there have been ongoing calls to reform child welfare so that it better meets children’s and families’ needs, to date there have been no comprehensive summaries of child welfare reform strategies. For this systematic scoping review, we summarized authors’ recommendations for improving child welfare. We conducted a systematic search (2010 to 2021) and included published reviews that addressed authors’ recommendations for improving child welfare for children, youth, and families coming into contact with child welfare in high-income countries. A total of 4758 records was identified by the systematic search, 685 full-text articles were screened for eligibility, and 433 reviews were found to be eligible for this scoping review. Reviews were theoretically divided, with some review authors recommending reform efforts at the macro level (e.g., addressing poverty) and others recommending reform efforts at the practice level (e.g., implementing evidence-based parenting programs). Reform efforts across socioecological levels were summarized in this scoping review. An important next step is to formulate what policy solutions are likely to lead to the greatest improvement in safety and well-being for children and families involved in child welfare.

Case conceptualization in child welfare: an underused resource to improve child, family, and provider outcomes

“…Providers need to consider these principles at all phases of assessment and intervention, including when doing a case conceptualization. Some of these principles include the need for support and services to be evidence-based; tailored to the specific family/child including to the child’s age and stage of development; culturally sensitive; trauma-informed; comprehensive; and strengths-based ( 21 ). For example, principles of trauma-informed practice are increasingly incorporated into core competencies for healthcare and social service providers supporting children and families involved in child welfare ( 22–24 ).…”

Joint Assessment of Care Needs of Children and Families: Development and Description of an Innovative Assessment and Shared Decision-Making Methodology

“…The literature review found that most screening instruments focus on specific domains of child development, while a broad perspective is needed for adequate assessment and identification of solutions [12,[29][30][31][32]. The child's well-being often depends on their parents and cannot be assessed in isolation from the care needs of parents.…”

Deinstitutionalization of children in residential care facilities: Experiences and perceptions of professionals in Ghana

“…Over the last two decades, Ghana, along with a number of LMICs, has redesigned its childcare system with a focus on deinstitutionalization, which has become a global norm in alternative care for children (Frimpong‐Manso, 2014; McTavish et al, 2022). Deinstitutionalization (DI) refers to the policy of dismantling or reforming large institutions in favour of family‐based and family‐like care for children in the community (Goldman et al, 2020; Terziev & Arabska, 2016).…”

“…Quality residential care, provided in small family-like settings, could serve as a measure of last resort for specific groups of children. UNGAC's recommendations are based on a large body of research evidence showing the negative effects of institutionalization on children's general well-being, health and developmental outcomes (van IJzendoorn et al, 2020).Over the last two decades, Ghana, along with a number of LMICs, has redesigned its childcare system with a focus on deinstitutionalization, which has become a global norm in alternative care for children (Frimpong-Manso, 2014;McTavish et al, 2022). Deinstitutionalization (DI) refers to the policy of dismantling or reforming large institutions…”