Annie E Casey Foundation ToolKit for Child Welfare ProfessionalsThe Annie E. Casey Foundation has recently developed a downloadable toolkit to help child welfare professionals and child advocates understand and talk about the new Family First Prevention Services Act.

From The Annie E. Casey Foundation blog:

Young people involved in the child welfare system do best in families, in a safe and stable environment that supports their long-term well-being, according to research. The passage of Family First took a large step toward this vision by restructuring how the federal government spends money on child welfare to ensure that more children in foster care are placed with families. The law also provides more support for critical services, such as mental health and substance abuse treatment, in-home training and family therapy that can help prevent the need for foster care in the first place.

The tool kit features talking points for agency staff, guidance for media interviews and text to incorporate in public remarks. Casey encourages child welfare agency staff to pick and choose which resources can help them confidently communicate about the goals of Family First and how it works.

Creating a Family did this radio show/podcast on the Family First Prevention Services Act that can also aid understanding of the act and how to glean the support that it provides for foster families.