Insights into the Child Welfare System

Paper Summary:

This paper presents a welfare professional's insights into the child welfare system (CWS). The paper explains that the welfare professional was a foster child herself and then goes on to describe three areas that call for attention in terms of revision within CWS: These issues concern systems thinking and the interrelatedness of all CWS decisions, cultural issues in CWS dealings relating to both structural inequality and diversity theories and organizational structure issues, which are relevant in both leadership and change theories and organizational change theories.

From the Paper:

"Finally, changes in the organizational structure and overall running protocol of CWS agencies will allow improvements in the system. Expecting and fostering accountability will create an environment of strength and security, greatly improving the chances of success for CWS clients. Additional collaboration with outside and connected organizations will provide support and insight while maintaining that accountability through open expectations and goal sharing with those agencies. Most importantly, these changes must occur while moving CWS toward a flat organizational structure. This will address current structural and bureaucratic problems while increasing inter-agency communication. Reducing levels of management will also allow management to work more closely with "front line" staff and improve quality of care."

Sample of Sources Used:

• Balmer, S. (2005, September)From poverty to abuse and back again: the failure of the legal and social services communities to protect foster children. Fordham Urban Law Journal, 32, 935-964.
• Bass, S., Shields, M. K., & Behrman, R. E. (2004). Children, families, and foster care: analysis and recommendations. The Future of Children, 14, 4-29.
• Blackmore, C. (2005, July-August). Learning to appreciate learning systems for environmental decision making: A 'work in progress' perspective. Systems Research and Behavior, 24, 329-342.
• Bynes, E.C. (2002, September-October). Initial findings on cross-system utilization of citizen foster care review board recommendations. Systems Research and Behavioral Science, 19, 485-498.
• Cash, S. J., Mathiesen, S. G., Barbanell, L. D., Smith, T. E., & Graham, P. (2006). Education and partnerships in child welfare: mapping the implementation of a child welfare certificate program. Journal of Social Work Education, 42, 123-138.

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• Term Paper # 129523 : "Insights in the Child Welfare System"
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• Term Paper # 101406 : "Cultural Sensitivity in the Child Welfare System"

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