Child Welfare
Child welfare systems serve millions of children and families around the world. For decades, Chapin Hall has researched how these systems work and their impact on those they serve. We use that research to help child welfare jurisdictions improve performance, and to shape public policy to advance the use of evidence-based approaches across the child welfare field.
Focus Areas
Our Work Focuses On
Child Welfare Capacity Building
Integrating and improving systems to improve family outcomes is the focus of Chapin Hall’s local, national and international child welfare capacity building efforts. Find project descriptions and reports related to this work.
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Data Analysis
Reports and project descriptions that demonstrate how rigorous data analysis in child welfare systems helps define problems and inform solutions.
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Foster Care
Outcomes for foster youth--from education to housing to economic independence--are explored in Chapin Hall’s unrivaled body of research on those who have been in the foster care system.
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Other Research
The intersection of juvenile justice and child welfare, program evaluations, child abuse prevention and more are explored in a range of child welfare-related reports.
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Spotlight
Child Welfare
Spotlight
Extending Child Care Eligibility Increases Duration of Participation in Child Care
This report focuses on preliminary findings related extending the eligibility redetermination period from 6 months to 12 months for families who receive child...
2019
Systemic Challenges at Illinois DCFS Contribute to Oversight Lapses in Child Fatality Cases
This Review identifies systemic factors that contributed to child deaths and critical incidents among children whose families received Intact Family Services...
2019
The California Youth Transitions to Adulthood Study (CalYOUTH)
CalYOUTH is an evaluation of the impact of the California Fostering Connections to Success Act on outcomes during the transition to adulthood for youth in...
2020
Child Welfare Resources
Access Chapin Hall toolkits, webinars, and other resources for child welfare.
ExploreChild Welfare Resources
Recent Content
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Child Welfare
Recent Content
Report
Final Wave of CalYOUTH Study Surveys Former Foster Youth at Age 23
This report presents findings from an evaluation of the impact of the California Fostering Connections to Success Act on outcomes during foster youth's...
2020
Report
Trauma a Contributing Factor to Youth Moving From Child Welfare System to Juvenile Justice System
This study explores the role of trauma, child welfare involvement, and other factors among youth who crossed over from the child welfare system into the...
2018
Report
Nearly One-Third of Foster Youth in California Not Involved with Creating Transitional Independent Living Plan
This memo investigates two aspects of foster youths’ transition planning: their roles in their transitional independent living plan development and their level...
2020
Report
Foster Youth Would Benefit from Emphasis on Prevention and Treatment to Reduce Justice System Involvement
This memo examines CalYOUTH participants’ justice system involvement within two timeframes: (1) involvement before their age-17 interview and (2) involvement...
2020
Report
COVID-19 and Child Welfare: Using Data to Understand Trends in Maltreatment and Response
This work summarizes efforts to respond to concerns about child welfare during the COVID-19 pandemic and provide empirical guidance to child welfare system...
2020
Report
Embedding Legal Support in Preventive Health Care
This study examines the effects of embedding holistic problem solving with legal support into preventive health care for young children.
2020
Report
Challenges in Rigorously Evaluating College Success Programs for Students Who Experienced Foster Care
This paper describes a formative evaluation of one college success program to assess its readiness for future rigorous evaluation.
2020
Report
Housing Options for Young Adults in Extended Foster Care Vary Across and Within States
This paper synthesizes a convening about housing options for young adults in extended federally funded foster care.
2017
Report
Substantial Interaction and Connectedness Strengthens Doris Duke Fellowships
This report presents findings from the most recent survey of Doris Duke Fellows.
2020
Report
Addressing Racial and Socioeconomic Disparities in the Harmful Impacts of COVID-19
As communities address and recover from the impacts of COVID-19, effective public policy and corresponding interventions to support children and families need...
2020
Report
Systemic Approaches to Addressing Child and Family Trauma are Key to Fully Leveraging Family First
This brief explains how trauma-informed practices support Family First implementation and recommends measures that are consistent with an established framework...
2020
Report
Intercept Program Evaluation Shows Reductions in Likelihood of Out-of-home Placement
This report describes Intercept, the Center for State Child Welfare Data’s evaluation of the program, and the extent to which the findings demonstrate an impact...
2020
Report
Central Referral Systems Help Reduce Contributors to Family Toxic Stress
This study examines the Help Me Grow system model to understand how different stakeholders use the model and how it impacts children's development.
2020
Report
Advancing Trauma-informed Care Within and Across Child-Serving Systems
This guide offers a framework and process informed by preliminary lessons learned from the MSTIC work, along with guidance from the fields of trauma-informed...
2020
News
A Season of Crisis
Chapin Hall issues statement on race, health, justice and our collective commitment to transforming systems.
June 11, 2020
Report
Blueprint for Practice: Chapin Hall’s Approach to Building and Sustaining a Practice Model
This white paper describes how Chapin Hall helps child welfare agencies create and implement individually-tailored practice models.
2020
Research
Foster Youths’ Capacity To Live Independently Should Drive Extended Foster Care Placement
This memo examines youths’ predominant placement type between ages 18 and 21. It compares the characteristics of youth who resided predominantly in Supervised...
2020
Report
Researchers Find Association between Participation in Extended Foster Care and Reduced Risk of Homelessness
This memo examines whether participating in extended foster care decreases the odds of experiencing homelessness among foster youth by age 21.
2020
Report
System Changes Could Improve Relationships between Incarcerated Mothers and Their Children
This brief shares comments from incarcerated mothers interviewed by researchers and researchers' findings about programs for incarcerated mothers.
2020
Report
Families and Child Welfare Caseworkers Disagree about Service Needs
This report shares the findings of a comprehensive evaluation of the Bureau of Milwaukee Child Welfare.
2008
Report
Integrating Healthcare and Early Childhood Systems Requires Capacity and Expertise
2020
Report
Finding Effective Strategies to Expand Data Use in State Human Service Agencies
This paper discusses successes and failures in working with state and local human service agencies and researchers to compile administrative data sources that...
2020
Report
Program Integrates Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) Assessment Into Primary Health Care; Connects Families with Services
This study assessed the experiences of patients and clinic staff receiving the SCAN intervention.
2020
Research Collection
Record Linkage among Human Services Data Sources
Chapin Hall has developed a body of research about technical best practices for linking human services data sources to facilitate research and analyses on...
2019
Report
Unlocking the Potential of Electronic Health Records in Pediatric Healthcare
Researchers surveyed and held discussions with staff from nine pediatric clinics in 5 communities to learn about the technical capabilities of clinics to use...
2019
Report
Innovations in Linking Human Services Data
2019
Report
Administrative Data Quality Varies between Programs, Affects Use of Data
Linking together administrative data sources across programs (“record linkage”) is necessary for many analyses of programs and family well-being. However, the...
2019
News
Chapin Hall Releases Three-Year Strategic Plan with Focus on Child Welfare, Community Capacity and Youth Homelessness
Chapin Hall's strategic plan covers projected work from 2019 through 2022.
November 13, 2019
Research
Comprehensive Report Reveals Glaring Rural-Urban Disparity in the Well-being of Children in China
The Report on the State of Children in China is a research collaboration of policy researchers between the University of Chicago, the University of Peking, and...
2015
Report
Moving Upstream to Address Contributors to Toxic Stress in Pediatric Primary Care
This study examines the integration and implementation of pediatric care innovations in nine pediatric practices in 5 communities in California, Florida, and...
2019
Report
Moving Upstream to Address Contributors to Toxic Stress in Pediatric Primary Care
This study examines the integration and implementation of pediatric care innovations in nine pediatric practices in 5 communities in California, Florida, and...
2019
Report
Colorado Showed Increased Kinship Care Utilization Paired with Fiscal Savings during Title IV-E Waiver
This evaluation examined the process, outcome, and fiscal impact of a Title IV-E Waiver in the state of Colorado
2019
Research
Applying a Housing Lens in Early Childhood Service Provision
2018
Report
Survey of Doris Duke Fellows Finds Network Connections are Increasing
This report presents findings from the most recent survey of Doris Duke fellows and compares the level of engagement to prior years.
2019
Report
Extending Child Care Eligibility Increases Duration of Participation in Child Care
This report focuses on preliminary findings related extending the eligibility redetermination period from 6 months to 12 months for families who receive child...
2019
Project
Family First: Readiness Assessment, Planning, and Implementation
Chapin Hall is collaborating with jurisdictions and organizations across the country as they assess readiness and plan for Family First implementation and align...
June 27, 2019
Report
Creating Effective Services Depends on Engaging Youth in Care
A better understanding of the relationships between the service context of extended foster care, youths’ satisfaction with the services they receive, and the...
2019
News
Chapin Hall Identifies Systemic Issues in Assessment of IL DCFS Intact Families Program
Chapin Hall released its Systemic Review of Critical Incidents in Intact Family Services, an assessment of this Illinois Dept. of Children and Family Services...
May 15, 2019
Report
Systemic Challenges at Illinois DCFS Contribute to Oversight Lapses in Child Fatality Cases
This Review identifies systemic factors that contributed to child deaths and critical incidents among children whose families received Intact Family Services...
2019
Report
California Foster Youth in Extended Care Have Better Postsecondary Education Outcomes
This memo evaluates the impact of extended foster care on three postsecondary education outcomes.
2019
Report
Developmental Perspective Important when Considering Placement Options
This report highlights the importance of understanding placement outcomes from a developmental perspective and how outcomes differ for young people depending on...
2017
Report
Improvements in Service System Collaboration Lead to Youth Spending More Time in Extended Foster Care
This memo examines the relationship between several county-level factors and youths’ extended foster care participation among a sample of older adolescents in...
2019
Report
Foster Youth, Caseworkers Diverge in Views of Youths’ Preparedness for College
This memo adds to the growing literature on the transition to college for young people in foster care, focusing specifically on issues of preparedness to enter...
2019
Report
Developing Capacity for Growth and Excellence at a Private Family Service Agency
Necco engaged researchers at Chapin Hall at the University of Chicago to develop the company’s administrative data resources into research evidence to build...
2017
Report
Using Predictive Analytics to Improve Outcomes in Child Welfare
This brief provides an overview of the use of predictive analytics in child welfare.
2018
Project
An App for That
Chapin Hall has worked with NowPow to develop “NowPow for Child Welfare,” a mobile-optimized, web-based resource directory that allows case managers and social...
December 7, 2018
Project
The Integrated Database on Child and Family Services in Illinois
This comprehensive database allows researchers to work with data from nearly every family-serving agency in Illinois.
November 8, 2018
Report
Improved Outcomes at Age 21 for Youth in Extended Foster Care
This report builds on prior findings from the CalYOUTH project and examines outcomes at age 21 from state administrative data and from the third interview wave...
2018
Research
What is Administrative Data?
An explanation of administrative data, and examples of Chapin Hall projects that use this data.
October 31, 2018
Report
Effective Use of Administrative Data Can Strengthen Efforts to Maintain a Stable Supply of High-Quality Foster Homes
In this report, we demonstrate the potential of administrative data to contribute robust evidence in support of child welfare systems’ efforts to maintain a...
2018
Report
Despite Implementation of Extended Foster Care in California, Permanency Rates Declined
An increasing number of states, including California, have extended foster care to age 21. However, there has been some concern that providing extended care may...
2018
Project
Untangling a Traffic Challenge that Thwarts Family Visitation in Los Angeles
Chapin Hall works with LA children's services to increase family visitation, reunification.
September 20, 2018
Report
Half of Older Adolescents in Foster Care Use Psychotropic Drugs
In this brief, researchers explore the use of and experiences with psychotropic medications over time for California foster youth transitioning to adulthood.
2017
Report
Each Month Spent in Care Beyond Age 18 Increases Likelihood of High School Completion
This memo examines factors that influence the likelihood of young people in foster care finishing high school and entering college.
2017
Report
Youth in Extended Care in Los Angeles County Seek Improved Services
This report provides the most comprehensive view to date of young adults making the transition to adulthood from foster care in Los Angeles County.
2017
Report
More Youth Staying in Care Past Age 18, but Time in Care Varies
In this memo, researchers examine why understanding factors associated with youth’s extended foster care participation is important for predicting future...
2017
Report
Additional Time Spent in Foster Care Improves Education Outcomes
This brief provides an early look at the relationship between extended foster care and selected outcomes for youth transitioning to adulthood from care in...
2017
Report
Caseworkers Say Lack of Appropriate Placement Options Presents Challenge to Implementing Extended Foster Care
This report presents the views and attitudes of caseworkers four years after the implementation of the California Fostering Connections to Success Act (AB 12)
2016
Report
Foster Youth Motivated to Stay in Care Beyond Age 18 but Desire More Freedom
This report examines youth and caseworker attitudes about and knowledge of extended foster care in California.
2015
Project
Administrative Data for the Public Good
Creative use of government data described in dozens of proposals for Chapin Hall-Census Bureau project.
September 5, 2018
Project
Studies Explore Use of Administrative Data
Six studies chosen as demonstration projects to explore how administrative data can be used to advance evidence-based policies are described.
September 5, 2018
Project
Transforming Child Welfare Practice in Maryland through the Integrated Child Welfare Practice Model
Chapin Hall works with Maryland to transform the quality of child welfare and adult services in the state.
August 20, 2018
Report
One Summer Chicago Qualitative Study Explores What Makes Youth Summer Jobs Programs Effective
This study explores the key components that make up Chicago’s summer jobs program for youth and the processes through which the program helps to shape...
2018
Project
Can ‘Housing First’ Prevent Child Abuse and Neglect?
Chapin Hall evaluates two sites in a five-year demonstration project to test the effects of supportive housing for families who were involved or at risk of...
August 10, 2018
News
TCOM Conference Registration Open
Registration is open for the annual Transformational Outcomes Management (TCOM) conference, which will be held Oct. 3-5, 2018 at the Drake Hotel in Chicago.
August 9, 2018
Report
Challenges, Benefits Found in Providing Home Visiting Services for Pregnant and Parenting Foster Youth
A preliminary evaluation finds a home visiting program targeted at serving pregnant and parenting foster youth faces ongoing challenges.
2018
Project
Expanding Trauma-Informed Care
A national collaborative, funded by the U.S. Dept. of Justice, works to reduce the long-term impact of trauma on children.
July 24, 2018
Report
Many California Foster Youth Have Inadequate Social Support and Need More Support From Adults
This memo investigates the types and sources of social support for young people in extended foster care.
2018
Project
Building a Practice Model
A Practice Model is an organizing framework that describes an agency’s approach and strategic direction.. Practice Models within child welfare agencies can be...
June 12, 2018
Report
Wave 3 of CalYOUTH Study Surveys Former Foster Youth at Age 21
This study provides the most comprehensive view to date of young people approaching the transition to adulthood from foster care in the wake of the federal...
2018
Report
Bringing Big Data into Policy Research
Studying large public social programs can be a challenge for social scientists. One big data approach, text mining, contributed to a better understanding of the...
2018
News
Bryan Samuels Honored by Family Focus
Chapin Hall Executive Director Bryan Samuels is awarded the Bernice Weissbourd Award for Family Support at Family Focus' 2018 gala.
May 16, 2018
Research Collection
The California Youth Transitions to Adulthood Study (CalYOUTH)
CalYOUTH is an evaluation of the impact of the California Fostering Connections to Success Act on outcomes during the transition to adulthood for youth in...
2020
Project
Implementation Collaborative
How can child welfare agencies improve outcomes for children and families? The Chapin Hall Implementation Collaborative-- a group of policy, practice, and...
March 19, 2018
Project
Assessing Mental Health in Under Six Minutes
A field test of a computerized adaptive mental health test (CAT-MH™), which is designed to diagnose and report on the mental health of young people in the child...
March 19, 2018
Project
Amplifying Success in Washington
The Wraparound with Intensive Services (WISe) program is designed to provide effective, intensive care to Washington’s Medicaid-eligible youth who have complex...
March 19, 2018
Project
Trauma Crossover Youth Project
The Trauma Crossover Youth Project is designed to help us understand and intervene on the path between child welfare and the juvenile justice system. This study...
March 19, 2018
Project
Time Use Studies
Talking to children, calling foster parents, and supervising visits are only a few of the tasks that appear on the daily schedule of a social worker. Chapin...
March 19, 2018
Project
Applying Predictive Analytics
A Chapin Hall team developed predictive analytic models to help one child welfare jurisdiction address risk of repeat reports for child abuse or neglect. With...
March 19, 2018
News
Joint Research Fund Awards Announced
Three family-centered research projects for 2018-2019 funded by Chapin Hall and University of Chicago.
March 2, 2018
News
Pilot study shows high reliability of mental health testing tool
Pilot study shows high reliability of mental health testing tool used in child welfare.
February 1, 2018
News
Chapin Hall Launches Technical Assistance Institute in New York
Chapin Hall launched the “CANS NY Technical Assistance Institute” in January 2018 to support effective use of tools to measure child and family strengths and...
January 27, 2018
Project
Well-being Dashboard
A Chapin Hall team co-developed a well-being dashboard to consistently measure and assess children and families’ well-being. The dashboard reflects information...
January 15, 2018
Project
The Center for State Child Welfare Data
The Center for State Child Welfare Data–or the Data Center–supports child welfare systems in more than 30 states to make evidence-based decisions designed to...
January 1, 2018
Report
Majority of California Youth in Foster Care Believe Extended Care Helps Them Reach Life Goals
This study focuses on the state of California, an early adopter of the new policy that also has the largest foster care population in the U.S. It addresses...
2016
Report
Training for Attorneys Representing Children Affects Some Child Welfare Outcomes
Most states require that children in child welfare cases be represented by attorneys. Most of these attorneys are solo practitioners or in small, general...
2016
Report
Data-Driven Solutions are Key to Reductions in Congregate Care
Congregate care has long been viewed as an appropriate placement alternative for children and adolescents, especially those whose histories, mental health...
2016
Report
Unified Court and Child Welfare Data System Streamlines Research, Practice
The New York State Child Welfare Court Improvement Program (CWCIP) is a federally funded initiative that promotes continuous quality improvement at the...
2017
Report
Implementation of Extended Care Leads to Youth Remaining in Care Longer
This study explored the relationship between the implementation of California's extended foster care law (AB 12) and foster youths' exits to legal permanency.
2015
Report
Prevalence of Mental Health Disorders Suggests Youth Reaching Age of Majority in Foster Care Need Special Attention
This report examines mental health and substance use problems of foster youth at age 17, as well as related services provided to the participants.
2015
Report
Survey of Child Welfare Workers Finds Few Appropriate Housing Options for Foster Youth over 18
California child welfare workers were surveyed about the service delivery context of extended foster care. Most workers were concerned about the availability of...
2015
Report
Study of Foster Youths’ Education Status Finds Many are Facing Hurdles to Success
This report examines the educational status of and services available to older adolescents in foster care in California, both from the viewpoint of the youth...
2015
Report
Use of Research Evidence Leads to Faster Permanency for Youth in Foster Care
Research evidence is information that has been generated according to scientific principles and practices. The term research evidence use – or REU – refers to...
2015
Report
Understanding the Relationship Between Housing and Child Welfare System Involvement
Research has shown that homeless or precariously housed families are more likely to be involved with the child welfare system than families with stable housing....
2014
Research
Study of Youth in California Foster Care at Age 17 Reveals Need for Ongoing Support
This study addresses whether extending foster care past age 18 in California influenced youths' outcomes during the transition to adulthood.
2014
Report
Study of California Fostering Connections Act Finds Strengths and Weaknesses in Housing Opportunities
The Fostering Connections Act provides young people with a longer period of transition, including the opportunity to learn how to manage growing autonomy and...
2014
Report
Toward a Common Understanding of CQI in Child Welfare
Today, child welfare agencies are taking stock of their capacity for Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI) and thinking about how to build their capacity. These...
2014
Report
Designing Education Programs to Meet the Needs of Young Adults in Care
The Administration for Children and Families contracted with the Urban Institute and Chapin Hall to plan for the next generation of evaluation activities funded...
2014
Report
Children of Young Parents in Care at Higher Risk of Child Welfare Involvement
Youth in foster care have high rates of early parenthood and face many personal and parenting challenges. This study looks at the risk of child welfare...
2014
Report
Economic Independence of Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual Youth Transitioning Out of Foster Care
Young people in foster care who identify as lesbian, gay, or bisexual (LGB) may face unique barriers to achieving economic independence. We analyzed data from...
2013
Report
Early Implementation of Extended Foster Care Requires Engagement and Patience
The most important lesson other states might learn from California’s experience with extending foster care is that it requires considerable effort, time, and...
2013
Report
Elev8 Initiative Strategies Facilitate Successful Implementation of School-Based Health Centers
This report highlights the strategies and structures that the Elev8 initiative successfully employed to improve the working relationship between school-based...
2013
Report
Study of Fostering Connections to Success Act Highlights Importance of Evidence
This report documents the successes and challenges of implementing California’s Fostering Connections to Success Act.
2012
Report
Child Maltreatment Prevention: Past, Present, and Future
Child maltreatment prevention is a critical component of the nation’s child protection system. Dr. Deborah Daro outlines strategies and interventions that have...
2011
Research Collection
Midwest Evaluation of the Adult Functioning of Former Foster Youth
The Midwest Evaluation of the Adult Functioning of Former Foster Youth (Midwest Study) is a longitudinal study following a sample of young people from Iowa,...
2011
Report
Despite Decline in Criminal Behavior, Young Adults Formerly in Care Arrested More than Peers
Young people transitioning from foster care to adulthood are at risk for numerous negative outcomes including criminal behavior and justice-system involvement....
2011
Report
No Impact for Youth Participating in an Independent Living-Employment Services Program
Evidence indicates that youth aging out of foster care often struggle with the transition to adulthood. One program to address these youth’s needs is the...
2011
Report
Educational and Economic Benefits Found for Foster Youth in Massachusetts Outreach Program
Studies show that the transition out of foster care and into independent living can be challenging for young adults. The Massachusetts Adolescent Outreach...
2011
Research
Extended Foster Care Delays but Does Not Prevent Homelessness
One of the challenges faced by young people aging out of foster care is finding a safe and affordable place to live. Before the Fostering Connections to Success...
2010
Report
College Enrollment and Graduation a Challenge for Former Foster Youth, Even with Extended Care
Foster youth entering adulthood have college aspirations like other young people their age. Unfortunately, for far too many foster youth, graduating from...
2010
Report
Coordinated Systems Key to Employment for Youth Formerly in State Care
Preparing youth for employment is a major goal of federal policies to help youth in foster care successfully transition into adulthood. This analysis suggests...
2010
Report
Parenting, Behavioral Health are Barriers to Extended Foster Care for Some Young People
The Fostering Connections Act extended eligibility for federally funded foster care to young people who meet certain eligibility requirements until their 21st...
2010
Report
Pregnant and Parenting Youth in Foster Care: Their Needs, Their Experiences
Youth in foster care have much higher rates of adolescent pregnancy and childbearing than their peers. To better understand the needs and experiences of...
2009
Report
Few Impacts for Youth Participating in Life Skills Training Program
Studies show that youth aging out of foster care encounter many challenges as they transition to adulthood. The Life Skills Training (LST) Program was designed...
2008
Report
Tutoring Program for Youth in Foster Care Shows Little Effect
In 1999, the John Chafee Foster Care Independence Program (CFCIP) allowed states more funding and flexibility to provide support to youth transitioning from...
2008
Report
Persistent Patterns Provide Insight into Child Welfare System
Using data from the Multistate Foster Care Data Archive, this report provides an overview of what happens when children are placed in foster care. The results ...
2007
Report
When Should the State Cease Parenting?
Prior to the Fostering Connections to Success and Increasing Adoptions Act of 2008, youth became ineligible for federally funded foster care when they turned 18...
2007
Report
Youth Who Run Away from Out-of-Home Care
Given child protective services’ responsibility to provide stability for children in their care, running away from out-of-home care is an event of great...
2005
Report
At Age 19, Youth Transitioning Out of Foster Care Face Multiple Challenges
The Midwest Study was designed to learn how young people fare as they age out of foster care. This report provides a snapshot of study participants at age 19.
2005
Report
Conditions of Youth Preparing to Leave State Care
The Foster Care Independence Act of 1999 gave states more funding and greater flexibility to provide support to youth making the transition from being in foster...
2004