Too often, structural and institutional limitations prevent child welfare systems from fully supporting the children and families they are mandated to serve. Long-standing practice and policy flaws, structural barriers, and lack of investment in resources impede these systems from ensuring that children are safe and effectively promoting the well-being and healthy development of stable families. The resulting poor outcomes to children, youth, and families involved with these systems demonstrate the need for creative strategies that have the real possibility of sustained change over time.

We are appointed to independently assess child welfare systems’ performance in jurisdictions under court-ordered agreements, and to support the progress of jurisdictions.

We promote and support non-adversarial problem solving among the parties so that court-ordered agreements can promote lasting systemic change.

We mediate among the parties bringing our knowledge of what it takes to catalyze and sustain child welfare system change.

We take an innovative approach to monitoring, giving equal attention to data and the quality of practice and outcomes of work with children, youth, and families.

We rely on data collection methods that utilize quantitative administrative data, structured qualitative service review (QSR) instruments and protocols, focus groups with caseworkers, families, and other stakeholders, as well as collaboration with agency leadership in order to get the clearest picture of how the system is working.

Through this work, we hope to one day see demonstrated and measurable systemic improvements and better outcomes for children, youth, and families.