Emerging Research, Resources and Trends in Child Welfare

EMERGING RESEARCH, RESOURCES AND TRENDS

Several bills passed during the 2020 Florida Legislature that aim to improve child welfare outcomes. SB 1326, which passed unanimously, requires the Florida Institute for Child Welfare to: • Collaborate with the FSU College of Social Work to redesign the social work curriculum to include interactive and interdisciplinary approaches for students to gain an understanding of real-world child welfare cases. • Collaborate with the Florida Department of Children and Families (DCF) and other stakeholders to design and implement a career-long professional development curriculum for child welfare workers. • Establish a consulting program to assist child welfare organizations improve retention, effectiveness, and the overall well-being of staff to improve child welfare outcomes.

RESOURCES

Podcasts

The institute’s first podcast series, Child Protection Caseworker Support features the institute’s director, Dr. Jessica Pryce, sitting down with child welfare professionals to discuss and offer guidance on issues pertinent to the field. The second series, Innovations in Child Welfare launches in Fall 2020.

Infographics

The institute provides monthly infographics on key topics.

Webinars

The institute provides webinars with experts on a variety of topics to help increase the knowledge base of frontline child welfare workers. For more information, see ficw.fsu.edu/ media

CURRENT PROJECTS

In 2020, the Florida Institute for Child Welfare will complete four projects:

CHILDREN’S SERVICES COUNCIL OF BROWARD COUNTY: Co-Researching Disparities with Broward’s Child Welfare Participants and System Partners

The Children’s Services Council of Broward County enabled a grassroots, qualitative examination of Broward County’s child welfare system to examine the racial disparities in Broward County’s child welfare removals through a Community Participatory Action Research framework that employs a racial equity lens. The final report will be available in August 2020.

UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH FLORIDA: An Examination of Racial Disparities in the Experiences and Outcomes of Crossover Youth

This study examines whether different treatment program models for crossover youth (youth who have crossed over from DCF to the Department of Juvenile Justice) meet the needs of minority families and produce equitable outcomes across racial and ethnic minority groups. The research team is collaborating with two agencies contracted by DCF to provide a service program to crossover youths and their families: the National Youth Advocate Center and the Children’s Home Society. The final report will be available in August 2020.

Florida Study on Professionals for Safe Families (FSPSF)

The FSPSF is in the final year of a five-year longitudinal, statewide study that examines individual, organizational, and community influences on child welfare workforce retention. To learn more, visit ficw.fsu.edu/FSPSF.

Evaluation of the Guardianship Assistance Program

Florida Statutes, Section 39.6225 requires the institute to determine the impact of the Guardianship Assistance Program (provides assistance payments to relatives who meet eligibility requirements). The evaluation identifies barriers that may prevent eligible caregivers from participating and provides recommendations to enhance the state’s system of supporting kinship caregivers. The full project report is to be submitted to the Florida Legislature and DCF in January 2021.