Capacity Building Service Strategies: A Review of the Literature

Capacity building service strategies are used to support implementation and improvement of child welfare practices. It is important to understand the evidence base for those strategies to inform their selection and effective use.

This literature review focuses on four strategies: coaching, consultation, facilitation, and tool development. These strategies are frequently used by the Children’s Bureau Child Welfare Capacity Building Collaborative, which offers tailored services to state and tribal child welfare agencies and courts overseeing child maltreatment cases.

The brief defines the strategies and discusses their application and key outcomes. Themes identified in the literature that may enhance their effectiveness include tailoring, active participation of service recipients, a supportive environment, and opportunities to apply new information.