Child Welfare, Early Care and Education, and School Readiness

The Edmund S. Muskie School of Public Service recently released Children at Risk in the Child Welfare System: Collaborations to Promote School Readiness. This report examines the degree to which the developmental needs of young children involved in the child welfare system are being addressed through partnerships across the systems and agencies which serve them. They analyzed data from the National Survey of Child and Adolescent Wellbeing (NSCAW) as well as a case study in Colorado involving interviews with key stakeholders and statewide surveys of caseworkers and foster parents. The report examines the prevalence of developmental problems among this population of young children, and the degree to which these problems are being identified and children referred for early intervention services. In addition to outlining the major findings from those sources, they also discuss the implications for program and policy. For state policies to ensure children are healthy and prepared to succeed in school. (Hat tip to Connect for Kids)