McCarthy J, Marshall A, Collins J, Arganza G, Deserly K, Milon J. 2003. A family's guide to the child welfare system. Washington, DC: Georgetown University Center for Child and Human Development and American Institutes for Research, Technical Assistance Partnership for Child and Family Mental Health, 128 pp.
Annotation: This guide is geared toward families who are involved in the child welfare system. The guide provides information about the experiences families have had with the child welfare system as well as system laws and policies, people in the system, ways to advocate for a family's rights, parents' responsibilities, and practical tips from parents. The guide is divided into 10 sections covering the following topics: (1) a description of the system, (2) a description of child protective services, (3) the service planning process, (4) how families can participate in services in their own homes and communities, (5) how out-of-home placement works, (6) what happens when families cannot afford treatment services for their children, (7) choices for permanent placements, (8) the Indian Child Welfare Act, (9) rights and responsibilities, and (10) the approaches being used to improve the system. The guide also includes a list of terms, a discussion of related federal laws and policies, and a resources section.
Contact: National Technical Assistance Center for Children's Mental Health, Georgetown University Center for Child and Human Development, 3300 Whitehaven Street, Suite 3300, Washington, DC 20007, Telephone: (202) 687-5000 Fax: (202) 687-8899 E-mail: firstname.lastname@example.org Web Site: http://gucchdtacenter.georgetown.edu/index.html $10.00, plus shipping and handling.
Keywords: Administrative policy, Advocacy, Child protective services, Child welfare, Child welfare agencies, Children, Communities, Costs, Families, Family support services, Indian health services, Legislation, Low income groups, Responsibility