Carolina Programs Improving Child Well-Being

Greetings – November is National Adoption Month and The Duke Endowment’s Child and Family Well-Being (CFWB) program area is proud to highlight AdoptUSKids and Wendy’s Wonderful Kids—two national initiatives that support child welfare systems by connecting more than 117,000 children and teens in foster care with families.

The CFWB program area partners with public agencies and private organizations to prevent, treat and mitigate the effects of child maltreatment to improve outcomes for children and families currently in the child welfare system and those at imminent risk of involvement.

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Phil Redmond, Director

Tamika Williams, Associate Director

Christina DiSalvo, Program Officer

Kate Gaskin, Senior Coordinator

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Strengthening Families Through Safe Babies Court

North Carolina and South Carolina are implementing Safe Babies Court (SBC) across 14 counties to improve outcomes for infants and toddlers in the child welfare system. These youngsters make up the largest segment of children in foster care. SBC is a team-based, collaborative approach led by judges that centers the well-being of infants and toddlers in foster care and strengthens families. SBC supports children’s health and development, access to appropriate clinical and family services, and permanence through timely exits from foster care.

The Endowment and other private funders are exploring partnerships with each state to strengthen and expand SBC. This video showcases the value of SBC through the perspectives of judges, advocates, service providers and families.

Expanding Triple P to South Carolina

A public-private partnership between the South Carolina Department of Social Services and the Endowment is expanding the Positive Parenting Program (Triple P). Triple P is a well-known and respected suite of parenting programs that provides simple and practical strategies to help caregivers build strong, healthy relationships, confidently manage their children’s behavior and prevent child maltreatment.

The expansion of Triple P into South Carolina is led by the Partnership for Proven Programs, which matches charitable contributions as an incentive for state and local governments to support effective social programs.

National Adoption Month

National Adoption Month is a time to build awareness for children and youth waiting for permanent homes and to celebrate families who have grown their households through adoption. Adoption is a meaningful experience and post-adoption support is critical to ensure stable, lifelong connections.

The Success Coach model, for example, provides families with free, individualized coaching, advocacy and resource navigation for up to two years after adoption.

The model, developed through a partnership between the Endowment and Catawba County Department of Social Services, has been adopted by the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services as a “post-permanency” program provided to families after legal placement. Success Coach helps ensure that all adoptive, reunified or guardianship families have access to resources that promote long-term stability and well-being.

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