Current Priorities & Issues

Current as of:

The Children's Bureau is involved in leading priority initiatives that provide for the safety, permanency, and well-being of children and families. The following resources provide additional information on a variety of issues related to child welfare:

Priorities

The Administration for Children and Families and the Children's Bureau are currently involved in the following initiatives.

Children’s Bureau Equity Public Statement

Children’s Bureau Equity Public Statement from the Children’s Bureau provides examples of steps the agency is taking to advance equity for all the children and families it serves.

Invest in the Child Welfare Workforce

September is National Workforce Development Month . National Workforce Development Month provides an opportunity to recognize, support, and inspire the child welfare workforce. The National Child Welfare Workforce Institute provides links to toolkits, stories, and workforce development resources to support child welfare practitioners, supervisors, managers, leaders, students, faculty, researchers, policymakers, and other professionals.

Issues

The Children's Bureau provides resources that highlight current issues in the child welfare field.

  • Disaster Management - The process of developing and implementing emergency response plans for States, governments, and agencies is complex. It is hoped that the resources on these pages will help States and jurisdictions with developing comprehensive disaster preparedness plans and in protecting children and families by responding to emergencies quickly and effectively. The resources are organized by preparedness (before a disaster), response (the immediate aftermath), and recovery (the long-term reconstruction and healing phase).
  • Well-Being - Find information and resources on the prevalence of methamphetamine use and its impact on children and families as well as strategies for treatment and response.

Reports to Congress

Other Related Links

  • CBX Video - View here to find out more about the Children's Bureau's online digest.
  • National Conference on Child Abuse and Neglect - The Children's Bureau supports the National Conference on Child Abuse and Neglect (NCCAN) and other learning opportunities for those in the child welfare field.
  • Youth.gov - Provides interactive tools and other resources to help youth-serving organizations and community partnerships plan, implement, and participate in effective programs for youth.
  • Adoption Excellence Awards - The Adoption Excellence Awards are designed to recognize excellence in achieving the goals of safety, permanency, and well-being of children in out-of-home care.
  • April is National Child Abuse Prevention Month - The Child Abuse Prevention website provides resources for communities to help parents understand and meet their children's needs and protect them from harm.
  • May Is National Foster Care Month - National Foster Care Month in May provides an opportunity for people all across the nation to get involved, whether as foster parents, volunteers, mentors, employers or in other ways. The Children's Bureau also supports a special website for child welfare professionals, with the theme supporting youth in transition through creating meaningful connections, partnering with youth, advancing permanency options, and preparing youth for successful transitions to adulthood.
  • November is National Adoption Month - The purpose of National Adoption Month is to raise awareness about children in foster care nationwide waiting for permanent families. Recruitment efforts are highlighted throughout the National Adoption Month website to encourage America's families to "answer the call" to ensure the safety, permanency, and well-being of our children.

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