The California Evidence-Based Clearinghouse for Child Welfare
The California Evidence-Based Clearinghouse for Child Welfare

This document was printed from the website of the California Evidence-Based Clearinghouse for Child Welfare (CEBC), which you can access at http://www.cachildwelfareclearinghouse.org/

Family to Family (F2F) - Summary

Scientific Rating:
3
Promising Research Evidence
See scale of 1-6
Scientific Rating:
3 - Promising Research Evidence
On a scale of 1-6

Relevance to Child Welfare Rating:
1
High
See scale of 1-3
Relevance to Child Welfare Rating:
1 - High
On a scale of 1-3

Child Welfare Outcomes: Permanency.

Type of Maltreatment: Emotional abuse, Exposure to domestic violence, Physical abuse, Physical neglect, and Sexual abuse

Target Population: Children and families impacted by the child welfare system

Brief Description:

Family to Family (F2F) has been rated by the CEBC in the area of Child Welfare Initiatives. F2F is a child welfare improvement initiative of the Annie E. Casey Foundation. It is grounded in three basic assumptions:

  • children do best in families
  • families do best in communities that support them
  • the child welfare system cannot do this work alone.

There are four core strategies:

  • Team Decision Making
  • Recruitment, Development and Support of Resource Families
  • Building Community Partnerships
  • Self-Evaluation.

In addition to the core strategies, there are additional strategies that weave into the core: Parent Engagement; Youth Engagement; and Eliminating Racial Disparity and Disproportionality.

In California, there are additional strategies within the F2F initiative:

  • The Connected by 25 Initiative that is focused on system improvement with youth aged 14-24.
  • Work with LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender) children and families that is supported through Wellspring Advisors in New York in partnership with Legal Services for Children;
  • Work with the Family Violence Prevention Fund focused on improving practice in particular with Team Decision Making when domestic violence is either a presenting issue or emerging in the course of the initial assessment.

In 2006, work was begun to address issues with Immigrant Children and Families and the Child Welfare system as well as with Children of Incarcerated Parents. The goal of all this work is rooted in the development of initiative driven system improvement grounded in values, principles, and outcomes and supported by tools, training, and technical assistance.

The Foundation provides some grant support and technical assistance with all of the strategies as well as assistance with organizational development and strategic planning. In California, the Family to Family initiative is supported by the Stuart Foundation, the Walter S. Johnson Foundation, and Casey Family Programs in partnership with the Annie E. Casey Foundation and is currently in 26 counties representing 88% of the children in care in the state.

Contact Information

Show Contact Information

Contact name: Bill Bettencourt, M.A., Senior Consultant, Pacific Region

Affiliation/Agency: Annie E. Casey Foundation

Email: bbetten@sbcglobal.net

Phone: 415-748-1053

Website: http://www.f2f.ca.gov


Detailed Report

Click here for a detailed report which includes Essential Components, Relevant Published, Peer-Reviewed Research, Education and Training Resources, etc.

Date reviewed: June 2008