Reviews trends in and current uses of child welfare case recordkeeping, and proposes a flexible format for organizing public child welfare case records. In the design of recordkeeping systems, recognition must be given to the multiple purposes case records are put to and the needs and demands of casework staff. (MDM)

Discusses the strengths and weaknesses of administrative databases, issues with their implementation and data analysis, and effective presentation of their data at different levels in child welfare organizations. Focuses on the development and implementation of Washington state's Children's Administration's administrative database, the Case and…

Oregon's accounting system to identify early school leavers is described in this document. The system provides a uniform process for identifying students in grades 7-12 who leave school prior to completion of a high school degree or equivalent studies. Included are sample forms and instructions for completion, a description of the state Department…

Explores the history of the federal Adoption Incentive Program, the first federal child welfare outcome-based incentive program to rely solely on administrative data; discusses the program in the context of other federal child welfare incentive programs. Considers the use of data to project program utilization and costs, set baselines for the…

Describes a child welfare program that used outcome information to support a learning organization to achieve better outcomes for children and their families. Considers factors that facilitate the use of outcome data and which should be included in an outcome orientation to management practice. (JPB)

Examines questions raised when implementing computerized versions of the "Looking After Children" materials in child-welfare services. Discussion concerns the difficulty of establishing common goals between information technology specialists and social work managers, the need to develop computer systems which are seen to benefit all parties…

The report describes tracking systems which address the need for early, reliable, and consistent identification and follow-up for children at risk for developmental disability. The systems, developed by 15 states that participated in the "Project Zero to Three" network, demonstrate how states may approach the linkages among prevention,…