The National Quality Improvement Center on the Privatization of Child Welfare Services selected Illinois as a demonstration site in 2007 to evaluate performance-based contracting in residential treatment services. This article discusses the first two years of project implementation including developing residential treatment performance indicators,…

Reviews the literature on the child welfare system, child maltreatment, interventions for child maltreatment, and family preservation programs. Concludes that the current goal of intensive family preservation services, reducing the number of children in out-of-home placement, should be abandoned. Proposes a new role, new goals, and a new target…

Relationships between environments and children in care have deep and important implications for child welfare practice and policy. Within ecological and social interactional frameworks, preventive programs are proposed. (Author/WY)

Reports on a study conducted to determine if goal setting is a feasible technique to use in meeting the needs of pregnant teenagers. (CM)

To resolve the contradictory approaches of the outside researcher and the clinician to the evaluation of residential treatment centers, it is suggested that ongoing self-evaluation be undertaken by the centers themselves. (CS)

Discusses a treatment model that emphasizes the involvement of the child's own family in the undercare process and the development of mutual trust and respect among different members of the professional team. (SDH)

Special skills are required for foster parenting adequate to the needs of today's foster children. This paper describes how one agency planned and implemented the first components of a comprehensive, long-range program of foster parent education. (SDH)

One community's attempt to design and apply a child advocacy system is outlined. The program's components, systems model, practical applications, and background are described. (Author/CS)

Project Confirm aims to address the problem of foster children ending up in detention because of police and probation officers' difficulty in locating guardians to appear on behalf of arrested children. Project Confirm locates juveniles' caseworkers and informs them of their legal responsibilities. The program reached most of its implementation…

Discusses the use of a solution-focused approach by child welfare workers to interviewing children and families in crisis and risk situations. Notes that this practice accepts a systemic view, acknowledging the importance of context on people and their problems; holds a belief in client self-determination; and indicates respect for individuals.…

A project set up to combine the treatment skills of a voluntary agency and the educational expertise of grade school teachers resulted in improved adjustment by acting-out, underachieving children. The demonstration sheds light on the essentials for away-from-school programs of this kind. (SDH)