Resources

Connolly, M. (2005). Differential responses in child care and protection: Innovative approaches in family-centered practice. Protecting Children, 20(2 & 3), 8-20. 

This article is a cross-cultural comparison of the development of traditional child protection approaches and collaborative family support processes. New Zealand, a country that requires by law family involvement in child welfare decision making, is offered as having a representative system that includes elements of both orientations. The two approaches are compared with respect to legal frameworks, social work practice, professional decision making and risk assessment, service coordination, prevention efforts, community support and resources. The author summarizes the benefits of differential response (DR) systems, including the provision of family support services for low-risk cases, and presents a model of a DR pathway. Best practices regarding service coordination, interagency collaboration and the reduction in duplication of services are also presented, and the complexity of differentiating families according to need and circumstance is acknowledged. The author proposes that a shift toward a hybrid child welfare system that includes aspects of DR would better support both low-risk families and long-term safety. Moreover, philosophical shifts toward family support approaches would lead to enhanced service integration and coordination, and thus, improved outcomes for children, families, professionals and communities. Still, the article maintains that more cross-national research is needed in order to better understand the impact of differing orientations on outcomes for children and families.

Keywords: best practice, bureaucratized, child protection, competence-centered, cross-national, culture, decision making, deficit model, differential response, duplication, family-centered, family empowerment, family preservation, family service, family support, forensic approach, hybrid systems, ideology, interagency collaboration, interventionist approach, kinship network, legalistic, low risk, neglect, New Zealand, outcome, philosophical shift, prevention, procedural mechanisms, research, reunification, risk assessment, safety, service coordination, staff retention, statutory responses, strengths-based, structural systems, universal welfare

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Connolly, M. (2007, November). Practicing for outcomes: Differential response model, New Zealand style. Presentation at American Humane’s Conference of Differential Response, Long Beach, CA. [PowerPoint available at http://www.americanhumane.org/protecting-children/programs/differential-response/past-conferences-events.html 

This presentation of New Zealand’s differential response program follows a logic model process in presenting a conceptual framework for policy and protocol development and outcome-focused casework practice. It offers a detailed description of the questions that child protective services staff asks themselves as they work with families, to ensure that their approach is child-centered, family-led, culturally responsive, strengths- and evidence-based, and outcome-focused. The phases of this approach are described as: 1) engagement and assessment; 2) seeking solutions; and 3) securing safety and belonging. Partnership with nongovernmental and community-based service providers is also thoroughly addressed.

Keywords: assessment, culturally responsive, evidence-based, family engagement, family participation, outcome-focused practice, pathways of support, practice framework, strengths-based, transactional practice

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Costello, T. (1998). West Virginia Family Options Initiative, Final pilot evaluation report. Unpublished manuscript. 

This report describes West Virginia’s Family Options Initiative (FOI), and the evaluation findings of an initial five-county pilot. Based on a system of tracking child protective services cases to determine necessary types, frequencies and durations of services, FOI’s principles, design, objectives, evaluation methodology, which includes consumer, community family and worker surveys, case reviews, and state and county quantitative data are outlined. All evaluation findings were available at the state level, and some were available at the county level. The five counties included in the pilot were Barbour, Fayette, Preston, Raleigh and Taylor. Data for Beckley County was also included. Recommendations included replication, further testing of the system and workload management challenges.

Keywords: community partnerships, assessment and safety analysis, safety management, community cases, recidivism, family ownership, workload management, community satisfaction, provider involvement, staff morale, tracking, multi-disciplinary team process, response capacity, family outcomes

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Dudding, P. (2003). Foreword. In N. Trocmé, D. Knoke, & C. Roy (Eds.), Community collaboration and differential response: Canadian and international research and emerging models of practice (pp. 32-48). Ottawa, Ontario, Canada: Child Welfare League of Canada. 

This two-page foreword for a Canadian collection of articles on differential response (DR) summarizes the history of DR in Canadian child welfare, with a particular focus on a 2003 symposium and the initiatives presented there. The author indicates that DR is a promising approach in Canadian child protection efforts.

Keywords: independent variables, standards, risk assessment, training, sustainability, evidence-based practice, research, outcome methodologies, evaluation, First Nations, community

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English, D., Fluke, J. D., & Yuan, Y-Y. T. (2003). Alternative response to child protective services investigations in the United States. In N. Trocmé, D. Knoke, & C. Roy (Eds.), Community collaboration and differential response: Canadian and international research and emerging models of practice (pp. 64-74). Ottawa, Ontario, Canada: Child Welfare League of Canada. 

This chapter summarizes the findings of a two-year national study of child protective services and reform efforts (2001) and an evaluation of the alternative response system (ARS) implemented in Washington State (1999). The findings of the 2001 study describe the scope and characteristics of ARS implemented across the United States. ARS initiatives sought to provide less intrusive services, to facilitate access to and engagement in services for lower-risk families, and to avoid labeling caretakers as perpetrators. Nearly half of the states reported having alternative response policies but implementation of ARS varied across agencies. Most policies emphasize that ARS is more family-oriented, less coercive and more focused on community services. The evaluation of the ARS model implemented in Washington state revealed that a minority of the ARS families actually engaged in services. The rate of re-referral among families receiving ARS (25%) was comparable to families not served or families receiving CPS services as usual (16%). In addition, many more families were identified as needing service than received services. This chapter asserts that in general, alternative response services offer the potential for a broader and more flexible set of services for lower-risk families and may lead to greater family engagement and improved child safety. ARS must be supported by state policy, appropriate resources, assessment processes and specialized workers to effectively provide services focused on family needs and strengths.

Keywords: child protective services, alternative response, alternative response services, ARS; re-referral, track, assessment, evaluation, engagement, Washington, policy, site visits, survey, services, safety, reform, domestic violence, substance abuse, risk, resources, workers, needs, strengths

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English, D. J., Wingard, T., Marshall, D., Orme, M., & Orme, A. (2000). Alternative responses to child protective services: Emerging issues and concerns. Child Abuse & Neglect, 24(3), 375-387. 

This article reports on outcomes for 1,263 low-risk child protective services (CPS) referrals that were diverted to a community-based alternative response systems (CBARS) in Washington state between 1992 and 1995. CBARS is operated by a nonprofit social service agency that has a contract with CPS to provide assessment, case management, referral and ancillary services to low- or moderate-risk families referred to CPS. Families were diverted from CPS at intake and offered assessment and other voluntary services. Assessment services included assessment of family housing needs, social support, level of risk to families (WRM model) and substance abuse screening. Workers could also offer community referrals and had access to concrete and ancillary services (child care, transportation). The authors examined outcomes including services, re-referrals, types and severity of re-referrals, placement and characteristics of families that did not re-refer. Outcome data indicated that the majority of families did not re-refer, whether they agreed to voluntary services or not. The study also found that the risk level and severity of some of the cases referred to CBARS seemed too high and that there was no significant difference in re-referral rates for CBARS families versus CPS investigation families. Re-referral rates were highest for those families where domestic violence was present. More information is needed about the explanation for why families did not re-refer.

Keywords: community-based alternative response systems, CBARS, domestic violence, DV, differential response, Washington Risk Model, WRM, maltreatment classification code scheme, MCS, alternative response, assessments, risk level, re-referral, community, services

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Foxcroft, D., & Blackstock, C. (2003). USMA: Cherished ones, precious ones, the children: A First Nations approach to child, family, and community well-being. In N. Trocmé, D. Knoke, & C. Roy (Eds.), Community collaboration and differential response: Canadian and international research and emerging models of practice (pp. 105-111). Ottawa, Ontario, Canada: Child Welfare League of Canada. 

This book chapter describes emerging models of aboriginal child welfare, particularly the USMA Nuu-chah-nulth Family and Child Services agency of British Columbia, Canada. USMA has gained official jurisdiction over the services they provide to First Nations communities; this authority is a key step in providing more culturally appropriate services based on aboriginal values and traditions. In addition, USMA has sought to develop alternative child welfare practices that actively engage the community by emphasizing the strengths and capacities of aboriginal families. The authors describe community education, community consultation and the incorporation of holistic perspectives as three vital features of the community engagement process. The authors also provide a historical overview of the child welfare sector in British Columbia, including how early colonization and culturally-biased practices have contributed to the overrepresentation of aboriginal youth in care. By highlighting the differences in values between British Columbia child welfare advocates and First Nations people, this overview underscores the importance of culturally appropriate services for aboriginal families. Finally, the authors discuss the notion that aboriginal self-government, engagement and empowerment may have broad implications for how authority is distributed and actualized in the Canadian child welfare system.

Keywords: aboriginal child welfare, alternative model, British Columbia Ministry of Children and Family Development, British Columbia treaty process, capacity building, colonization, communal traditions, community accountability, community consultation, community education, culturally appropriate services, culturally based professional development, culturally biased practices, engagement, delegated authority, First Nations, holistic perspectives, multigenerational service response, off reserve, overrepresentation, self-government agreements, tribal-based, USMA Nuu-chah-nulth Family and Child Services

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Hardin, M. (1996, Winter). Responsibilities and effectiveness of the juvenile court in handling dependency cases. The Future of Children, 6(3), 111-125. Retrieved October 2, 2009, from http://www.princeton.edu/futureofchildren/publications/docs/06_03_08.pdf

This article describes the history of juvenile court involvement in child abuse and neglect cases, as a result of changes in federal and state laws between 1980 and 1996. The thesis of the article is that the court system’s response to the new requirements led to uneven effectiveness regarding workload, management and court–child protective services relationships. Concerns are expressed regarding the quality of representation received and the courts’ ability to monitor subsequent rulings and case progress. The author concludes that these issues are being addressed by the courts and child welfare agencies, and that there is hope for optimism.

Keywords: juvenile court, allegations, permanency planning, Public Law 96-272 (the Adoption Assistance and Child Welfare Act), reasonable efforts, statutory mandates, reasonableness of services, judicial monitoring

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Huebner, R. A. (2005, August 21). Program evaluation of the multiple response system: Kentucky. Retrieved October 2, 2009, from http://www.americanhumane.org/assets/docs/protecting-children/PC-MRS-eval-KY.pdf

Huebner, R. A., Durbin, L., Brock, A. (2009, April 3). Program evaluation of the multiple response system Kentucky Department for Community Based Services. Retrieved October 2, 2009, from http://www.americanhumane.org/assets/docs/protecting-children/PC-DR-ky-evaluation.pdf

The earlier, 2005 report summarizes the background and evaluation findings for Kentucky’s Multiple Response System (MRS), 2001-2005. Primarily a formative evaluation, the data presented indicates that risk had thus far been inconsistently assessed and therefore the system had not been effectively utilized. Quantitative data is analyzed for 20,965 cases meeting child abuse and neglect criteria from July 2002 to March 2003. The 20,965 cases included in the 2003 evaluation of MRS (Time #1) are also matched to cases with recurrence of child abuse and neglect in the NCANDS data (Time #2) from January 1, 2003, to December 30, 2003, to estimate subsequent referrals. Worker focus groups and surveys were conducted to obtain qualitative input. The state’s Continuous Quality Assessment (CQA) system for risk and safety assessment is also evaluated using a set of eight criteria to determine reliability, usefulness in subsequent casework planning and consistency with best practice. At the time of this report, the decision had been made to redo the assessment component of the system.

The recent 2009 evaluation study updates the 2005 report, and examines a broad range of practices related to intake, risk assessment case tracking and CQA. Data is analyzed for all CPS referrals for the 2007/2008 fiscal year, and additional analyses are conducted across years of administrative referral data regarding specific cases and children. Centralized intake and the Dynamic Family Assessment process were implemented after the 2005 report, in response to concerns raised at that time. These recent analyses find that the state had been able to successfully engage leadership and create an administrative structure that supports the principles behind MRS, but the approach was not successful in reducing caseloads

Keywords: case work planning, community partners, comprehensive family services, CFS, Continuous Quality Assessment, CQA, dynamic family assessment, DFA, Families in Need of Services Assessment, FINSA, law enforcement, NCANDS, reliability criteria, resource linkages, risk matrix, safety assessment, worker focus groups, worker surveys

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Institute of Applied Research. (2005, April). Effectiveness and costs of the new paradigm: Alternative response in Minnesota. Presentation at the 15th National Conference on Child Abuse and Neglect, Boston, MA.

This presentation is based on a 2004-2005 study of alternative response (AR) implementation in 20 Minnesota counties. An overview of AR and a comprehensive description of the Minnesota child welfare system are provided. Empirical data is presented regarding child safety, family engagement, services to families, recurrence of maltreatment and cost-effectiveness of AR. Results indicate that low- to moderate-risk families that were randomly assigned to an AR approach showed improvements in child safety, decreases in maltreatment recurrence and child removals, increased family engagement, enhanced family involvement and satisfaction, increased cooperation among workers and caregivers, and expansion in the depth and breadth of post-assessment family services (including community-based services). The growth in many basic family support services suggests that the shift toward prevention as part of the AR model addresses many basic family risk factors (e.g., financial risk factors). In addition, the program evaluation includes a cost-effectiveness component that indicates that the initial costs of the AR model were greater than for control cases (i.e., traditional investigative responses), but that costs of case management and post-assessment services in the follow-up period were greater for the control group. Overall, the total costs of the AR model were less for AR cases than they were for control cases.

Keywords: alternative response system, AR, community resources, comprehensive, control group, cooperation, costs, decision making, effectiveness, engagement, experimental design, flexibility, Hennepin County, investigation, less serious, Minnesota, outcomes, partner, pilot, placement, practice values, prevention, random assignment, recurrence, safety, sample, satisfaction, services, substantiation, survival analysis, track

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