FACTSHEET

June 2018

What Is Child Welfare? A

Guide for Educators
Educators make crucial contributions to the development and well-being of children and youth. Due
to their close relationships with children and families, educators can play a key role in the prevention
of child abuse and neglect and, when necessary, support children, youth, and families involved
with child welfare. This guide for educators provides an overview of child welfare, describes how
educators and child welfare workers can help each other, and lists resources for more information.

What Is Child Welfare?

Child welfare is a continuum of services designed to ensure that children are safe and that families
have the necessary support to care for their children successfully. Child welfare agencies typically:

ƒƒ Support or coordinate services to prevent child abuse and neglect

ƒƒ Provide services to families that need help protecting and caring for their children
ƒƒ Receive and investigate reports of possible child abuse and neglect; assess child and family
needs, strengths, and resources
ƒƒ Arrange for children to live with kin (i.e., relatives) or with foster families when safety cannot be
ensured at home
ƒƒ Support the well-being of children living with relatives or foster families, including ensuring that
their educational needs are addressed
ƒƒ Work with the children, youth, and families to achieve family reunification, adoption, or other
permanent family connections for children and youth leaving foster care

Each State or locality has a public child welfare agency responsible for receiving and investigating
reports of child abuse and neglect and assessing child and family needs; however, the child welfare
system is not a single entity. Public child welfare agencies often collaborate with private child welfare
agencies, community-based organizations, and other public agencies to ensure that families receive
the services they need, such as supportive child care, parenting classes, in-home family preservation
services, mental health services, and substance abuse treatment.

Children’s Bureau/ACYF/ACF/HHS
800.394.3366 | Email: info@childwelfare.gov | https://www.childwelfare.gov
What Is Child Welfare? A Guide for Educators https://www.childwelfare.gov

How Can Educators Assist Child Welfare Agencies and Families

Since educators—including teachers, administrators, counselors, school social workers, and other school personnel—
are regularly in close contact with children and families, they are in a unique position to support at-risk children and
families; play a role in preventing child abuse and neglect; identify and report suspected abuse or neglect; act as a
liaison between the child’s home, school, and community; and be an important resource for children in foster care.

ƒƒ Supporting families and preventing child abuse and neglect. Educators can play a significant role in preventing
child abuse and neglect and supporting children at risk for or already experiencing maltreatment. Merely being a
supportive adult in a child’s life and a supportive individual/professional in a family’s life can enhance the child’s
resiliency. Educators can help guide parents in times of crisis, teach and model positive discipline practices, and refer
children and families for additional services and supports, if needed, which may prevent referrals to out-of-home
care. Additionally, educators can help families become more involved in school activities and also encourage families
to engage with child welfare when indicated.
ƒƒ Identifying possible abuse and neglect. Educators also should be aware of the types of child maltreatment,
including neglect, physical abuse, sexual abuse, and emotional abuse; their possible physical, emotional, and
behavioral signs; and State definitions about what constitutes child maltreatment. For more information on each
State’s definition of child maltreatment, refer to Child Welfare Information Gateway’s Definitions of Child Abuse and
Neglect, available at http://www.childwelfare.gov/systemwide/laws_policies/statutes/define.cfm
ƒƒ Reporting suspected child abuse and neglect. In 2016, 18.9 percent of all child abuse and neglect reports
were made by educators, followed by legal and law enforcement personnel (18.4 percent).1 Educators should be
knowledgeable about the child maltreatment reporting protocols for their particular schools and localities. All States
designate teachers as mandatory reporters, which means they are required by law to report suspected child abuse
and neglect to the appropriate child welfare agency. Other school employees also may be mandatory reporters,
but that designation varies by State. For more information on laws that designate the groups of individuals that
are required to report cases of suspected child abuse and neglect, see Mandatory Reporters of Child Abuse and
Neglect: Summary of State Laws, available at http://www.childwelfare.gov/systemwide/laws_policies/statutes/manda.
cfm
ƒƒ Being a resource for child welfare agencies. Child welfare workers frequently consult with school personnel
when assessing a family, developing a case plan, and determining where the child should live. Educators may
have information (either in records or through personal knowledge) about the child’s or family’s strengths and
challenges. This information is invaluable to caseworkers as they assess and work with the family to formulate
realistic goals. Additionally, when a child changes schools, educators can support a smooth transition by facilitating
the timely transfer of records. Read more about how the child welfare system and educators can work together in
Educator’s Guide to Supporting Students in Foster Care, available at https://www.treehouseforkids.org/wp-content/
uploads/2016/06/Educators-Guide-Final_Digital-Version.pdf.
ƒƒ Being a resource for children involved with child welfare. Children involved in a child protective services
investigation or living in out-of-home care (e.g., with relatives or a foster family) need the stability of normal
experiences, such as attending school and being involved in extracurricular activities. Children who have changed
schools a number of times may need extra help in making up schoolwork, earning credits, or filling in gaps in their
learning. They also may need support or encouragement to participate in extracurricular activities such as sports,
music, drama, and club. These can have a positive effect on their attendance, academic work, behavior, self-
confidence, and ability to make friends. Additionally, educators can assist by learning more about policies and

1
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Children’s Bureau. (2017). Child Maltreatment 2016. Retrieved from https://www.acf.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/
cb/cm2016.pdf.

This material may be freely reproduced and distributed. However, when doing so, please credit Child Welfare Information Gateway.
Available online at https://www.childwelfare.gov/pubs/cw-educators 2
What Is Child Welfare? A Guide for Educators https://www.childwelfare.gov

services that are applicable to children involved with child welfare, such as eligibility for services, scholarship and
financial aid opportunities, and confidentiality issues. Furthermore, children involved with child welfare often have
experienced various forms of trauma (e.g., abuse, neglect, removal from the home), and educators can support them
by recognizing the effects of trauma and utilizing trauma-informed practices.

How Can Child Welfare Workers Assist Educators?

Collaboration between the education and child welfare systems can assist educators by:

ƒƒ Ensuring that children are ready to learn. Children who have experienced abuse or neglect may have cognitive
difficulties or developmental delays, and they may perform below their peers in school. Child welfare workers
can help ensure that children and families receive the services and supports they need, including access to early
intervention, special education, mental and behavioral health, and prevention services. These services and supports
can build resiliency to reduce the effects of previous maltreatment, thereby improving children’s school readiness
and overall well-being.
ƒƒ Keeping children in their home schools. When students are able to remain in the same school, they remain
connected to friends and adults in the school and avoid the academic and emotional challenges that can be
caused by changing schools. This prevents disruption in their education, eases their transition to a new living
arrangement, and ensures that previous community supports are still in place. The Fostering Connections to Success
and Increasing Adoptions Act of 2008 (the Fostering Connections Act) requires that child welfare workers try to
place children with relatives or others in their community in order to minimize school moves. In certain cases, the
Fostering Connections Act permits child welfare agencies to use funds to provide transportation to support school
stability. If a child must move to a new school, Fostering Connections requires child welfare workers to coordinate
with schools to ensure a smooth transition. In addition, the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) of 2015 includes
provisions that promote educational stability for children in foster care so they can continue their education without
disruption, maintain important peer and teacher relationships, and have the opportunity to achieve college and
career readiness. The act also emphasizes the importance of collaboration and joint decision-making between child
welfare agencies and educational agencies. To learn more about ESSA and to find a listing of adaptable tools and
resources for States, visit https://www.nassp.org/policy-advocacy-center/resources/essa-toolkit/essa-fact-sheets/
every-student-succeeds-act-essa-overview/.
ƒƒ Making educators aware of a child’s situation and involvement in the child welfare system. When a student
enters out-of-home care or changes placement, the Fostering Connections Act and ESSA require child welfare and
education agencies to collaborate to determine whether it is in the child’s best interest to remain in their school of
origin. However, if a child is part of a child protective services case or is involved in in-home services, schools are not
always notified and made aware of the situation. Read more about education stability at https://www2.ed.gov/policy/
elsec/leg/essa/edhhsfostercarenonregulatorguide.pdf.
ƒƒ Inviting educators to participate in a multidisciplinary team. Child welfare workers can assist educators and
support school success by being active participants in individualized education program (IEP) team meetings,
school discipline meetings, and transition meetings to discuss a child’s postsecondary goals. Given their strong
connection to the child and family, educators are in a unique position to provide their expertise at multidisciplinary
team meetings arranged by child welfare workers. These meetings bring together family members and professionals
to discuss the child’s and family’s needs and develop a case plan that supports both. Coordinating child welfare
and education plans and ensuring the appropriate individuals are involved helps improve outcomes for children and
families. Child welfare laws make it mandatory for child welfare agencies to maintain education records as a part of a
child’s case plan; therefore, the passing of the Uninterrupted Scholars Act of 2013 makes it possible for child welfare

This material may be freely reproduced and distributed. However, when doing so, please credit Child Welfare Information Gateway.
Available online at https://www.childwelfare.gov/pubs/cw-educators 3
What Is Child Welfare? A Guide for Educators https://www.childwelfare.gov

agencies to obtain the education records of children in foster care from schools without the consent of their parents.
This alleviates any delays in enrolling children in school and ensures that their school placements are as stable as
possible, and they are enrolled with all their school records. Read more about the Uninterrupted Scholars Act in
The Uninterrupted Scholars Act: How Do Recent Changes to FERPA Help Child Welfare Agencies Access School
Records?, available at https://www.childrensdefense.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/uninterrupted-scholars-act-Q-
and-A.pdf.

Working together, educators and child welfare workers can ensure that families have the supports and services they
need to successfully care for their children, that children are safe and well, and that children and youth have the
opportunity to achieve positive educational and social outcomes.

Additional Resources
ƒƒ Child Trauma Toolkit for Educators (National Child Traumatic Stress Network) - https://www.nctsn.org/resources/
child-trauma-toolkit-educators
ƒƒ The Impact of Housing and Homelessness on Child Well-Being (Center for Advanced Studies in Child Welfare) -
https://cascw.umn.edu/portfolio-items/the-impact-of-housing-and-homelessness-on-child-well-being-cw360/
ƒƒ 2018 Prevention Resource Guide (Child Welfare Information Gateway) - https://www.childwelfare.gov/pubPDFs/
guide_2018.pdf
ƒƒ State Child Abuse Reporting Numbers (Child Welfare Information Gateway) - https://www.childwelfare.gov/
organizations/?CWIGFunctionsaction=rols:main.dspList&rolType=custom&rs_id=5

Suggested citation:
Child Welfare Information Gateway. (2018). What is child welfare? A guide for educators. Washington, DC: U.S.
Department of Health and Human Services, Children’s Bureau.

The Children’s Bureau, within the Administration for Children and Families, U.S. Department of Health and
Human Services, is the Federal agency with primary responsibility for administering Federal child welfare
programs. The Children’s Bureau works with State and local agencies to develop programs that focus on
strengthening families, protecting children from abuse and neglect, and finding permanent families for those
who cannot safely return to their homes. https://www.acf.hhs.gov/cb

The Children’s Bureau’s information clearinghouse, Child Welfare Information Gateway, links professionals to
thousands of child welfare resources (https://www.childwelfare.gov), including items on BH/MH and wellness
(https://www.childwelfare.gov/topics/systemwide/bhw/).

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

Administration for Children and Families
Administration on Children, Youth and Families
Children’s Bureau