Culturally Competent Public Child Welfare Practice


Book Description

This text presents a model of practice that stems from the goodness-of-fit between the child's needs (physical, developmental, social-emotional) and the parent's ability to adequately meet those needs according to the prevailing norms of society. Samantrai integrates policy, human behavior theories, issues in practice, skills of practice, multiculturalism, child abuse and neglect, and she develops and refines these concepts into the skills specifically needed by those working in public child welfare.







Developing Cross-cultural Competence


Book Description

The updated second edition of this popular resource offers practical advice for working with children and families of diverse heritage. With insight from their own racial, cultural, and linguistic backgrounds, the chapter authors contribute wisdom about the influence of different cultures on people's beliefs, values, and behaviors. Their knowledge helps professionals learn how to embrace diversity in intervention services and foster respectful and effective interactions with people of many cultures. Widely used in preservice and in-service settings, Developing Cross-Cultural Competence is invaluable as a textbook in graduate and undergraduate courses in general and special education, social work, child development, psychology, family studies, and public health and ideal as a guide for human services professionals, home visitors, paraprofessionals, and program administrators who work with children with disabilities.




Child Welfare Practice with Immigrant Children and Families


Book Description

Children in immigrant families represent nearly one-fourth of all children living in the United States. As this population of children has increased, so has their representation among children involved in child welfare and related systems. Once immigrant families come to the attention of these systems, they often have multiple and complex needs that must be addressed to ensure children’s safety and well-being. Culturally competent practice with Latino, Asian, and African immigrants requires that professionals understand the impact of immigration and acculturation on immigrant families to conduct adequate assessments and provide interventions that respond appropriately to their needs. Professionals also need to be familiar with federal and state policies that affect immigrant families and how those policies may affect service delivery. At the system level, child welfare agencies need to educate and train a culturally competent workforce that responds appropriately to children and families from diverse cultures. This book addresses these critical issues and provides recommendations for the development of culturally competent assessment, intervention, and prevention activities in child welfare agencies. This information can be used as a resource by child welfare administrators, practitioners, and students to improve the child welfare system’s response to immigrant children and families and promote culturally competent practice. This book was published as a special issue of the Journal of Public Child Welfare.




Child Welfare and Family Services


Book Description

""Child Welfare and Family Services, Sixth Edition" provides a comprehensive introduction to child and family welfare policies and practice in the United States. The text examines important issues and ongoing controversies surrounding child welfare, and innovative practice methods." Offers comprehensive coverage of the latest changes in welfare policy and its effects on children and families. Reflects current trends and incorporates the latest demographic data." For anyone with an interest in or working in child welfare.




Racial Disproportionality and Disparities in the Child Welfare System


Book Description

This volume examines existing research documenting racial disproportionality and disparities in child welfare systems, the underlying factors that contribute to these phenomena and the harms that result at both the individual and community levels. It reviews multiple forms of interventions designed to prevent and reduce disproportionality, particularly in states and jurisdictions that have seen meaningful change. With contributions from authorities and leaders in the field, this volume serves as the authoritative volume on the complex issue of child maltreatment and child welfare. It offers a central source of information for students and practitioners who are seeking understanding on how structural and institutional racism can be addressed in public systems.




The Children's Bureau Legacy


Book Description

Comprehensive history of the Children’s Bureau from 1912-2012 in eBook form that shares the legacy of this landmark agency that established the first Federal Government programs, research and social reform initiatives aimed to improve the safety, permanency and well-being of children, youth and families. In addition to bios of agency heads and review of legislation and publications, this important book provides a critical look at the evolution of the Nation and its treatment of children as it covers often inspiring and sometimes heart-wrenching topics such as: child labor; the Orphan Trains, adoption and foster care; infant and maternal mortality and childhood diseases; parenting, infant and child care education; the role of women's clubs and reformers; child welfare standards; Aid to Dependent Children; Depression relief; children of migrants and minorities (African Americans, Hispanics, Native Americans), including Indian Boarding Schools and Indian Adoption Program; disabled children care; children in wartime including support of military families and World War II refugee children; Juvenile delinquency; early childhood education Head Start; family planning; child abuse and neglect; natural disaster recovery; and much more. Child welfare and related professionals, legislators, educators, researchers and advocates, university school of social work faculty and staff, libraries, and others interested in social work related to children, youth and families, particularly topics such as preventing child abuse and neglect, foster care, and adoption will be interested in this comprehensive history of the Children's Bureau that has been funded by the U.S. Federal Government since 1912.




Data Mining and Knowledge Discovery Technologies


Book Description

As information technology continues to advance in massive increments, the bank of information available from personal, financial, and business electronic transactions and all other electronic documentation and data storage is growing at an exponential rate. With this wealth of information comes the opportunity and necessity to utilize this information to maintain competitive advantage and process information effectively in real-world situations. Data Mining and Knowledge Discovery Technologies presents researchers and practitioners in fields such as knowledge management, information science, Web engineering, and medical informatics, with comprehensive, innovative research on data mining methods, structures, tools, and methods, the knowledge discovery process, and data marts, among many other cutting-edge topics.




Social Workers' Desk Reference


Book Description

People all over the world are confronted by issues such as poverty, a lack of access to quality education, unaffordable and or inadequate housing, and a lack of needed health and mental services on a daily basis. Due to these issues, there is a need for social workers who have access to relevant and timely scholarly materials in order to meet the needs of those facing these issues. The social, psychological, and biological factors resulting from these issues determine the level of a person's mental health at any given point in time and it is necessary for social workers to continue to evolve and develop to the new faces and challenges of the times in order to adequately understand the effects of these issues. In the first and second editions of the Social Workers' Desk Reference, the changes that were occurring in social work practice, education, and research were highlighted and focused upon. This third edition continues in the same tradition and continues to respond to the changes occurring in society and how they are impacting the education, research, and practice of social work as a whole. With 159 chapters collaboratively written by luminaries in the profession, this third edition serves as a comprehensive guide to social work practice by providing the most recent conceptual knowledge and empirical evidence to aid in the understanding of the rapidly changing field of social work. Each chapter is short and contains practical information in addition to websites and updated references. Social work practitioners, educators, students, and other allied professionals can utilize the Social Workers' Desk Reference to gain interdisciplinary and interprofessional education, practice, and research.




Cultural Competency for Public Administrators


Book Description

With a focus on a broad spectrum of topics--race, ethnicity, gender, disability, and sexual orientation at the federal, tribal, state, and local levels--this book equips readers to better understand the complex, real-world challenges public administrators confront in serving an increasingly diverse society. The book's main themes include: What is cultural competency and why is it important? Building culturally competent public agencies; Culturally competent public policy; Building culturally competent public servants; How do agencies assess their cultural competency and what is enough? PA scholars will appreciate the attention given to the role of cultural competency in program accreditation, and to educational approaches to deliver essential instruction on this important topic. Practitioners will value the array of examples that reflect many of the common trade offs public administrators face when trying to deliver comprehensive programs and services within a context of fiscal realities.