The Children's Bureau provides training and technical assistance services that facilitate child welfare practices that result in measurable improvement in the way that children and families are served in public child welfare systems. To help jurisdictions achieve positive outcomes for children and families, the Children's Bureau monitors public child welfare services to support accountability for federal requirements, but it also provides jurisdictions with an important opportunity to build on identified strengths and respond to areas needing improvement.
Capacity-Building Services
Child welfare agencies and organizations often need technical assistance services designed to assist and expand the capacity of public child welfare agencies so that jurisdictions shall meet federal requirements, participate in federal monitoring and related program improvement planning activities, implement national child welfare policies and programs, and invest in the staffing necessary to successfully respond to and improve the safety, permanency, and well-being outcomes for children, youth, and families. The Children's Bureau has established a network of centers and resources that can assist these agencies and organizations as they work to improve outcomes for children and families and measure their results.
Monitoring & Reviewing
To help states achieve positive outcomes for children and families, the Children's Bureau monitors state child welfare services through the following:
- Adoption and Foster Care Analysis and Reporting System (AFCARS) assessment reviews
- Child and Family Services Reviews
- National Youth in Transition Database (NYTD) reviews
- Comprehensive Child Welfare Information System assessment reviews, and
- Title IV-E foster care eligibility reviews
Reporting Systems
The Children's Bureau supports the development of state and tribal child welfare reporting systems to enable data collection and analysis of important information about children and families and improve case practice and management. Below, find the four primary reporting systems managed by the Children's Bureau: