Child Welfare

Researchers & Policy Analysts

The Mack Center and BASSC have an ongoing investment in analyzing current public policies, seeking alternatives, and deriving lessons learned from public policy implementation. Most of the policy analyses and policy implementation case studies and reports are in three primary service delivery areas: child welfare, adult and aging, and welfare to work. This policy work includes materials designed for non-academic audiences.

BASSC Policy Groups

The BASSC agency members have established three policy groups related to core services (child welfare, adult and aging, and welfare to work)...

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Child Welfare

The Child Welfare Qualitative Data Mining Project, aimed at developing more effective strategies for research utilizing narrative data in child welfare case records, builds on previous work that includes case studies documenting promising data mining practices in four public social service agencies, as well as Performance Pointers synthesizing the research literature related to the federal child welfare performance indicators. Earlier projects in the child welfare field have examined...

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Family-Focused Services for TANF Participants Facing Acute Barriers to Work: Pathways to Implementation

Stanczyk, A.

Carnochan, S.

Hengeveld-Bidmon, E.

Austin, Michael J.

2018

In 2014, California implemented the Family Stabilization (FS) program within its Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program, California Work Opportunity and Responsibility to Kids (CalWORKs). FS fills two key service gaps in TANF that have been identified in the literature—namely, addressing participant barriers to work and supporting child well-being. Research on programs addressing these gaps in TANF remains limited. This qualitative policy implementation study describes FS program design and implementation in 11 California county human service agencies and explores...

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Using Qualitative Data-Mining to Identify Skillful Practice in Child Welfare Case Records

Carnochan, S.

Weissinger, E.

Henry, C.

Liner-Jigamian, N.

Austin, Michael J.

2018

Using qualitative data-mining methods, this study analyzed 39 child welfare case records in order to identify examples of skillful practice. Conducted in partnership with a public child welfare agency in northern California, the study found that child welfare workers are implementing many of the practices promoted by statewide and national child welfare practice frameworks. Broad categories of skillful practice identified included: (1) effective communication by social workers, (2) support for client self-determination, and (3) active intervention strategies. Study findings provide...

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Parental substance use: How child welfare workers make the case for court intervention

Henry, C.

Liner-Jigamian, N.

Carnochan, S.

Taylor, S.

Austin, Michael J.

2018

Parental substance use (PSU) is a factor in many child welfare cases; however, little is known about how child welfare agencies and their workers make the case to juvenile or family courts that PSU-related acts and omissions are harmful to children. This qualitative data-mining study explores the ways in which child welfare workers draw on child maltreatment statutes, risk assessment tools, and practice guidelines to frame evidence and make the case that PSU is harmful or poses a substantial risk of harm to children. Narrative data were extracted from child welfare court reports located in...

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Exploring trauma-informed practice in public child welfare through qualitative data-mining of case records

Taylor, S.

Battis, C.

Carnochan, S.

Henry, C.

Balk, M.

Austin, Michael J.

2018

The overwhelming majority of youth in the child welfare system (CWS) have experienced trauma. This qualitative data-mining study of case records explores how trauma manifests in child welfare and how child welfare workers engage youth who have experienced trauma. Case records revealed that youth exhibit many signs and symptoms of complex trauma, however, most did not have a trauma-related mental health diagnosis. The records included examples of how child welfare workers utilized elements of trauma-informed practice. Findings support universal application of trauma-informed...

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Emancipating from Foster Care in the Bay Area: What Types of Programs and Services Are Available for Youth Aging Out of the Foster Care System?

Lenz-Rashid, Sonja

2006

This BASSC Monograph examines the current needs of youth aging out of the foster care system and programs developed to assist youth with their transition to adulthood and independent living. It is based upon a review of the most up to date national and state empirical research to identify what the challenges youth aging out of care face. It is also based upon interviews with program administrators of Independent Living Skills Programs, communitybased organizations, and private foundations and endowments.