Provides basic information to families about the child welfare system, with the goal of helping families reach positive solutions. The guide follows a family’s path through the child welfare system from first contact. Families learn about the experiences that other families have had in the child welfare system, the laws and policies underlying the decisions of agency workers and courts, the roles of different personnel within the child welfare system, and ways to advocate for their family’s and children’s rights and also to understand their own responsibilities. They also get background on child protective services and what parents can expect when they get involved with this part of the child welfare system; the service planning process, which is meant to help parents, the child, and the child welfare agency devise a plan for making the necessary changes to ensure that the child is safe at home; out-of-home placement and choices for permanent placements; the Indian Child Welfare Act, applicable to- tribes and Indian families; and improvements to the child welfare system aimed at helping families reach their goals. A better understanding of the child welfare system can ease fear and anger and create a sense of empowerment. This resource is also available in Spanish.
