We work to develop innovative strategies and resources that help families experiencing domestic violence who are involved with the child welfare system.
Our Approach
The Quality Improvement Center on Domestic Violence in Child Welfare (QIC-DVCW) was established to develop, test, evaluate, and disseminate innovative interventions that improve how child welfare agencies and their partners work with families experiencing domestic violence and are involved in the child welfare system. Our goal is to increase the safety and well-being of adult and child survivors and promote accountability and positive change in people engaging in family violence.
We use research- and practice-based evidence, as well as the perspectives of families, to develop an approach that will help systems, organizations, and programs to be more supportive of and responsive to the lives of individuals experiencing and perpetrating domestic violence.
Additional Resources
The QIC-DVCW developed the Adult and Child Survivor-Centered Approach to support stakeholders that serve families who are experiencing domestic violence and are involved in child welfare. The approach focuses on reducing domestic violence risk factors; building protective factors for adult and child survivors; promoting accountability and positive change for persons engaging in family violence; and aligning policies, practices, and programming that facilitate a family’s journey to healing and well-being.
The Protective Factors Framework for Survivors of Domestic Violence delineates five interrelated protective factors that studies show lessen the impact of domestic violence on both child and adult survivors and promote their safety, healing, and well-being. This framework is an adaptation of CSSP’s Strengthening Families Protective Factors Framework.
The Relational and Systemic Accountability Framework provides guidance for supporting positive change for people who use violence through accountability strategies and meaningful engagement.
Some of the products our work has yielded include:
- A report of the theoretical basis for the Adult and Child Survivor-Centered Approach.
- A research- and practice-informed protective factors framework for survivors of domestic violence.
- A research- and practice-informed accountability and positive change framework for persons who engage in domestic violence.
- Issue briefs that explain each framework and provide practice guidance.
- Tip sheets designed to provide practice guidance about building protective factors and exploring what services, resources, or experiences adult and child survivors need in order to grow and thrive.
- A comprehensive literature review about child welfare involved children and families who have experienced domestic violence as well as child welfare organizational practices and programs.
- Evaluation tools.
Partners
Futures Without Violence (FUTURES) serves as the lead agency of the QIC-DVCW and is partnering with four organizations in addition to CSSP:
- National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges (NCJFCJ)
- University of Kansas School of Social Welfare (KU SSW)
- Center for Health & Safety Culture (CHSC) at Montana State University
Funders
The QIC-DVCW is funded by the United States Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children, Youth and Families, Office on Child Abuse and Neglect.
The Team
Our Experts
Shadi Houshyar
Director of Health Justice Policy
