News From the Field (WINTER 2023)
National child welfare policy, practice and research
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Welcome back to News From the Field, and our first edition of the new year. I recently took a few minutes to review my welcome from last winter, which focused on the impact of disinformation on child protection, particularly in medicine. The challenge of disinformation continues, but commitment to objective research, good data and solid practice has proven to be an effective approach to combating alternative facts in our work.
In this issue of News From the Field, you can learn about both national and international efforts that our Faculty Directors have been engaged in. Personally, I just returned from a meeting in Warsaw, Poland, where I worked with colleagues from across Europe as they develop consistent definitions of child abuse and neglect across 35 European countries for research and surveillance purposes. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), tackling public health issues involves four steps:[i]
- Collect data on epidemiology, characteristics, extent and consequences of the problem at the local, national and international levels;
- Identify causes of the problem, as well as factors that increase or decrease individual susceptibility to the problem, and examine how these factors might be modified;
- Design, implement, monitor and evaluate interventions aimed at preventing the problem, based on the information gathered in the first two steps;
- Disseminate information on the effectiveness of interventions; implement effective interventions on a larger scale; and evaluate the cost-effectiveness of larger-scale implementation.
The efforts to standardize child maltreatment definitions across countries is the first step in tackling the global and important public health issue of child maltreatment.
In this edition of News From the Field, you will also learn about our faculty’s work in Kenya, where Dr. Johanna Greeson and our newly appointed Associate Director Sarah Wasch have been working with local providers to evaluate best practices to support families whose children have reintegrated after living on the streets. Although our work at the Field Center is often local, we have had the opportunity to support global efforts in child protection, which can be very rewarding work.
With our best wishes for a happy and healthy 2023,
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Cindy W. Christian, MD
Anthony A. Latini Chair in Child Abuse and Neglect Prevention
The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia
Assistant Dean, Community Engagement
Director, Interprofessional Education
The Perelman School of Medicine, the University of Pennsylvania
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FIELD CENTER HOSTS SECOND SESSION OF ICWA SYMPOSIUM SERIES |
On December 1, 2022, the Field Center held the second session of its conference series: The History & Future of the Indian Child Welfare Act: Implications for Tribal Sovereignty and Native Family Preservation. This second session, “Consequences and Implications of the Supreme Court Case” featured the following panelists: Matthew L.M. Fletcher, University of Michigan Law School; Claudette L. Grinnell-Davis, University of Oklahoma School of Social Work; Judge William A. Thorne, Jr., Utah Court of Appeals and Tribal Courts; and Wenona T. Singel, Michigan State University College of Law.
This event featured a stimulating discussion between the panelists, breaking down the oral arguments of the Haaland v. Brackeen Supreme Court case and the case’s potential implications for child welfare delivery to tribal children and families. Highlights included a discussion of the main constitutional challenges presented by the plaintiffs; predictions for the future decision based on the questions that each Supreme Court Judge presented to plaintiffs and defendants; and an in-depth analysis of both plaintiff and defendant arguments, including a discussion on what should have been addressed in more detail regarding the history of ICWA and its implications for the child welfare system.
The decision for Haaland v. Brackeen is expected to be released by the Supreme Court in the spring of 2023. For those interested in listening to the oral arguments that took place on November 9, 2022, please click here.
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INDEPENDENT LIVING SERVICES IN THE US & CANADA
By Em Brandon, Field Center MSW Student
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Managing Faculty Director Johanna Greeson recently published a systematic review analyzing Independent Living Programs and Services in Canada and the United States for youth exiting foster care. Sixty-four total studies were reviewed, but it was noted that program impact studies are lacking in Canada in comparison to the United States, likely because of the United States’ mandated data collection and reporting laws.
After identifying that discrepancy, the review identified ways in which independent living services are impacting youth. The consensus in the literature was that despite efforts, current programs are not leading to positive outcomes for youth as they transition out of foster care. Very few of the studies incorporated the voice of youth in care. However, in the limited studies that did, youth identified social support as a main necessity, but that is “often not the focus” of the programs studied. The review highlights two main conclusions:
1. Both Canada and the United States need to be innovative in creating better services to help youth recognize their potential as they transition out of foster care; and
2. Rigorous research must evaluate the effectiveness of these programs.
Click here to read Dr. Greeson’s paper and learn more.
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Field Center Launches New Website! |
Please visit our brand-new website to learn more about our work! We hope the updated website will be easier to navigate and better support you in your work or advocacy to impact children, youth, and families.
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Dr. Greeson Wins SSWR Fellowship! |
Congratulations to Dr. Johanna Greeson who was inducted into the 2022 class of Fellows of the Society for Social Work and Research (SSWR) at the Annual Conference in Phoenix, AZ in January 2023.
Learn more about the Fellowship Program here. |
Our vital work depends on you |
To promote our vision where children are loved and nurtured, and families have access to the resources they need to thrive, please consider a donation to the Field Center for Children’s Policy, Practice & Research.
All donations will be generously matched by the Joseph and Marie Field Foundation. 100% of your donation supports our critical work.
To learn more about how you can support our work, please contact the SP2 Director of Institutional Advancement Bart Miltenberger at miltenbe@upenn.edu or 215-573-5624."
For more information click
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Stay Connected and Stay Informed
Stay up to date with the latest in child welfare by following the Field Center on social media. Click the buttons below to follow The Field Center:
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Upcoming Child Welfare Conferences
The National Association of Counsel for Children (NACC)’s Inaugural Race Equity Virtual Training Series
March 1-3, 2023
Virtual
2023 NCJFCJ National Conference on Juvenile Justice
March 19-22, 2023
Addison, TX
41st Annual National Indian Child Welfare Association (NICWA) Protecting Our Children Conference
April 4-5, 2023
Reno, NV
The 23rd National Children’s Bureau Conference on Child Abuse and Neglect Doing Things Differently: Moving from the Challenge to the Change
April 11-13 and April 18-20, 2023
Virtual
CWLA 2023 National Conference: Stronger Together-Uniting to Advance Change
April 26-28, 2023
Washington, DC
ABA Center on Children and the Law 2nd National Conference on Interdisciplinary Parent Representation
May 11-12, 2023
Denver, CO
The American Professional Society on the Abuse of Children (APSAC) 2023 Colloquium
May 22-26, 2023
Denver, CO
46th NACC National Child Welfare Law Conference From Learning to Action: Shared Accountability for Disrupting Harm and Promoting Healing
Aug 10-12 and Sept 20-22, 2023
Minneapolis, MN and Virtual
Together for Prevention: 2023 Prevent Child Abuse America National Conference
Aug 22-24, 2023
Baltimore, MD
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FIELD CENTER RESEARCHERS VISIT KISUMU, KENYA TO SUPPORT CHILD & FAMILY PROGRAMMING |
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Last semester, Managing Faculty Director Dr. Johanna Greeson and Associate Director Sarah Wasch traveled to Kisumu, Kenya as part of a global research collaboration funded by the Christian Alliance for Orphans. The Evaluation of Agape Children’s Ministry Family Strengthening Program is a 4 month, mixed-methods study seeking to determine the effectiveness of services provided to children and families following reintegration of children from the streets. Field Center researchers are analyzing data collected by practitioners at the partner site in Kenya, and will provide program evaluation and consultation at the conclusion of the research. |
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Complementing the ongoing data collection, a site visit was made in October 2022 to meet service providers and families and learn more about family reintegration work in Kenya. Field Center researchers toured two residential campuses housing children formerly living on the streets, observed program operations, interviewed staff members, reviewed case files, and trained local research teams in qualitative data collection methods. We are grateful to our hosts at Agape Children’s Ministry who went to great lengths to introduce us to the local contexts in which the Family Strengthening Program operates. It is our hope that findings from this study may inform family reintegration work globally. |
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CIVIL RIGHT TO COUNSEL AND RESOURCE HIGHLIGHT
By Meghan Chasar, MSW Graduate Student
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The National Coalition for a Civil Right to Counsel (NCCRC) makes this information accessible through an interactive national map that shows which states provide appointment of counsel for specific subject areas. The Right to Counsel Status search includes key child welfare matters including “Abuse/Neglect/Dependency” and “Termination of Parental Rights.” This tool may be particularly useful to scholars who are seeking to understand how federal and state laws impact service delivery with children and families.
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BREAKING DOWN HAALAND V. BRACKEEN
By Jamie Suk, Field Center Lerner Fellow in Child Welfare Policy
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On November 9, 2022, The Supreme Court heard the oral argument for Haaland v. Brackeen, a case representing a fight for Native children, Native families, and Tribal Nations against a constitutional challenge to the Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA).
ICWA was passed in 1978 in response to a long historical practice of removing Indian children from their families and tribal communities after recognizing a significant disproportionality of Native children in the child welfare system. In 1978, 25-35% of Indian children were removed from their homes by state child welfare and private adoption agencies, and 85% of those removed children were placed outside of their families and communities, even when fit and willing relatives were available for placement. ICWA has since been considered the Gold Standard of child welfare laws for (1) mandating that families receive active efforts to keep children safely in their homes, (2) promoting the children’s best interest by maintaining their connection to their culture, extended family, and community, and (3) promoting placement stability by ensuring truly voluntary adoptions. Despite the protections and practices ICWA have implemented, Haaland v. Brackeen has threatened the survival of the Act by presenting several constitutional challenges…
Click here to read Jamie’s full article on Haaland v. Brackeen and its potential impacts on child welfare.
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FIELD CENTER STAFFING UPDATES |
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Congratulations to Sarah Wasch, MSW, who was promoted from Program Manager to Associate Director at the start of this year! Sarah joined the Field Center in 2015 as the Program Manager and has very successfully launched and coordinated numerous projects and initiatives during her tenure, including the Field Center’s flagship “Foster Care to College” Initiative. In her new role, Sarah is also overseeing day-to-day activities at the Center, coordinating Center events, and providing key operational support to Managing Faculty Director Dr. Johanna Greeson, who assumed leadership of the Center in 2020. Please join us in congratulating Sarah on her well-deserved promotion! |
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FIELD CENTER RECENT PUBLICATIONS, PRESENTATIONS & GRANTS |
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Field Center Managing Faculty Director Dr. Johanna Greeson presented a session titled “Just Being There, like a Shoulder to Lean on: Resilience and Mental Health Among Older Youth in and Aged out of Foster Care during COVID-19” at the Society for Social Work and Research (SSWR) Annual Conference in Phoenix, AZ.
Field Center PhD Student John Gyourko presented a session titled “Factors Associated with Identity Fraud Victimization of Adolescent Youth in Foster Care” at the Society for Social Work and Research (SSWR) Annual Conference in Phoenix, AZ.
Field Center Associate Director Sarah Wasch presented a session on “Resources for Older Youth in Foster Care to Access Higher Education” to at the Pennsylvania Council of Children Youth and Families (PCCYFS) Virtual Resource Parent Training Day.
Field Center experts recently published the following:
Greeson, J.K., Gzesh, S.E., Wasch, S., Jaffee, S.R., & Ciluffo, K.L. (2022). “Just being there, like a shoulder to lean on”: Resilience and Mental Health among Older Youth in and Aged out of Foster Care during COVID-19. Journal of Child & Adolescent Trauma, 1-10.
Raj, A., Molnar, J., Surya, S., DiGirolamo, S., Christian, C.W., Lavelle, J.M., & Wood, J.N. (2022). Characterizing multiple perpetrator sexual assaults in the adolescent female population. Journal of Pediatric and Adolescent Gynecology, 35(6), 659-661.
Ortiz, R., Zhao, S., Kline, D.M., Brock, G., Carroll, J.E., Seeman, T.E., Jaffee, S.R., Berger, J.S., Golden, S.H., Carnethon, M.R. & Joseph, J.J. (2023). Childhood environment early life stress, caregiver warmth, and associations with the cortisol diurnal curve in adulthood: The coronary artery risk development in young adults (CARDIA) study. Psychoneuroendocrinology, 149, 106008.
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