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Archive: February 2019

Fred Wulczyn, Scott Huhr, and Jamie McClanahan | 2018 In this report, prepared for the Tennessee Department of Children’s Services’ Accountability Center, we examine whether African American children are 1) more likely to enter Tennessee’s foster care system and 2) less likely to leave placement. With the findings we aim to reinforce strategic targeting of resources within an overall accountability framework. Download the PDF >

Fred Wulczyn, Arno Parolini, and Scott Huhr | 2018 In this paper, we propose a framework that adds human capital and human capital formation to the list of outcomes child welfare agencies think about when their attention turns to child well-being. Human capital and human capital formation, we argue, offer a conceptual language for bringing greater focus to well-being as an inherently developmental construct. The framework also provides a useful guide to research. Download the PDF >

Fred Wulczyn, Britany Orlebeke, Kristen Hislop, Florie Schmits, Jamie McClanahan, and Lilian Huang | 2018 In this report, we demonstrate the potential of administrative data to contribute robust evidence in support of child welfare systems’ efforts to maintain a stable supply of high-quality foster homes. Download the PDF >

Fred Wulczyn, Lily Alpert, Zach Martinez, & Ava Weiss | 2015 Despite the mandate to place children in foster care in the least restrictive environment possible, the practice of placing children in congregate care settings persists in most places around the country.  The question is why and what can be done, from a policy perspective, to ensure that group care is used for the children and youth who need it most. Answering that question begins with learning how the use of group care varies in different parts of the country and why. In the new research brief Within and Between State Variation in the Use of Congregate Care we illustrate how reliance on group care placement differs throughout the country and explore how child characteristics (age, race/ethnicity, and gender) influence the odds of being placed in a group setting. We then take that analysis to the next level by examining how attributes of… Read more >

Fred Wulczyn, Lily Alpert, Britany Orlebeke, & Jennifer Haight | 2014 Today, child welfare agencies are taking stock of their capacity for CQI and considering the investments they will make in order to build that capacity. While the structure of CQI systems will differ from one agency to the next, all of them will be responsible for supporting the same basic CQI process—a  cycle of problem solving activities that requires the deliberate use of evidence. In this paper we propose a fundamental vocabulary for describing what CQI is, the core principles on which CQI rests, and the critical role that evidence plays throughout the CQI process. Download the PDF >

On May 5th and May 9th, in partnership with APHSA/NAPCWA, Casey Family Programs, and the Annie E. Casey Foundation, The Center for State Child Welfare Data presented a national webinar on the newly proposed CFSR 3 measures. In this session, Data Center Director Fred Wulczyn provided a high-level overview of the new measures, discussed the proposed methods for setting national standards, baselines, and targets, and highlighted issues for states to consider as they prepare comments to the Children’s Bureau. Download the slides > Watch the recorded webinar >

Fred Wulczyn, Lijun Chen, & Kristen Brunner Hislop | 2005 This report provides a general overview of what happens when children are placed in foster care. Because of the large number of children for whom data are collected and how the data are organized, the data provide a useful baseline for studying entry and exit patterns. In turn, the findings can be used to draw inferences related to the question, “Given admission into foster care, what is the typical trajectory of children through the system?” Download the PDF >

Lily Alpert | 2013 How many school-age children are in foster care, when during the school year do they enter the system, and how long do they stay in care? The answers to these questions have implications for practice and resource allocation in both the child welfare and education sectors. Download PDF >