Capacity Building Projects: The Role of Tailored Services in Fostering Reforms in Child Welfare Systems

This brief describes a major federal investment to support child welfare systems with individualized technical assistance (TA).

The Children’s Bureau Child Welfare Capacity Building Collaborative helps state and tribal child welfare agencies and courts to successfully undertake the practice, organizational, and systemic reforms necessary to implement federal standards and achieve better outcomes for children, youth, and families. TA providers meet jurisdictions where they are in the change management process, offering customized support to build capacity in five dimensions: resources, infrastructure, knowledge and skills, culture and climate, and partnership and engagement.

The services highlighted in the brief address safety, permanency, well-being, child welfare infrastructure and systems, and national reporting. The information was collected through an online service tracking system and interviews with TA providers.