What Is The Child Welfare System?

The child welfare system was created to help every child have a safe and secure home life. This responsibility has been given to public child welfare agencies, but they can’t do it alone. The courts, private child welfare agencies, and other service systems (such as mental health, substance abuse, healthcare, education, and domestic violence) are all partners in serving children and families who come to the attention of the child welfare system.

The public child welfare system is responsible for:
• responding to reports from people in the community who think that children are being abused or neglected
• helping families solve the problems that cause abuse or neglect
• helping children to be safe and secure
• preventing separation of children from their families
• working with the families so their children can return home (when children have been separated from their families to be safe)
• ensuring that children receive adequate care while they are away from their families
• finding another suitable permanent home for children who cannot return home

In 2001, child welfare agencies around the country received 2,672,000 reports of child abuse or neglect. The agencies accepted more than half (1,789,000) of these reports for investigation. Less than half (578,051) of those investigations turned out to be actual abuse or neglect. In 2001, 290,000 children were placed in foster care. During this same period, 263,000 children left foster care. Nearly 7 of every 10 (174,690) children who left foster care returned to live with their families or a relative.

http://www.nicwa.org/resources/familyrec/familyguide/familyguide.pdf