Training Resource Center: Evidence Based Child Welfare Network

Evidence-based Child Welfare Network Providing protective and intervention services to children and families vulnerable to abuse and neglect is a highly complex task that involves effort and input from various systems within any given community. As with all social problems, child maltreatment does not occur in isolation. A host of personal, environmental, and systemic factors converge to form an intricate web of causation. As a result, no one agency or entity can be solely responsible for the effort of protecting children and strengthening families. Instead, the effort must be systemic and all encompassing of the community. To that end the UK College of Social Work proposes to provide solution-driven, data informed recommendations to DCBS using expert consultation. The purpose of this work will be to provide solution-driven recommendations for improving child outcomes and the quality of service provision by DCBS and its partner agencies in the private sector. Experts may include professionals from various disciplines and systems depending on the issues/questions being addressed. In order to provide the most useful and efficacious recommendations, staff will use data-driven, evidence-based information to guide its work. Staff will use existing DCBS data as well as other available data sets to explore and assess the current strengths and challenge areas for the department. In addition to basing all work on evidence-based science, the staff will also employ the use of translational science techniques to help assist DCBS in furthering their mission to provide leadership in building high quality community based human service systems that enhance safety, permanency, well-being and self-sufficiency for Kentucky's families, children and vulnerable adults.