Impact of COVID-19 on child welfare practice and implications for future practice: perspectives from youth, family, frontline workers, and other professionals

ABSTRACT

The COVID−19 pandemic has impacted child welfare practice and outcomes. This study examines the perspectives of families and professionals on child welfare practice during the COVID−19 pandemic. Qualitative data from feedback surveys and focus groups were used to provide a comprehensive examination of the concepts being explored. Results of this study suggested positive outcomes of virtual meetings and trainings and raised attention to delays in achieving permanency during the pandemic. This study will provide important implications for navigating social work best practices and strategies for addressing children and families’ needs to improve child welfare outcomes.

KEYWORDS:

• COVID-19
• child welfare
• child maltreatment
• qualitative research

Acknowledgment

We extend our gratitude to the individuals who contributed to this study by providing valuable information.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

This research was supported by a contract with a mid-Atlantic state’s child welfare agency.

Notes on contributors

Haksoon Ahn

Haksoon Ahn is an Associate Professor at the University of Maryland, School of Social Work. Dr. Ahn’s research interests focus on the evaluation of child and family welfare utilizing large-scale datasets. Dr. Ahn has been leading a range of research projects funded by Maryland Department of Human Services as a Principal Investigator. These projects include a statewide evaluation of effectiveness and efficiency of child welfare services and policies; Child and Family Services Review (CFSR), continuous quality improvement, and impacts of family engagement on service outcomes. Dr. Ahn’s work aims to inform policy and practice to enhance safety, permanency, and well-being outcomes for children and families. Dr. Ahn received her MA and PhD in Social Policy from Brandeis University, Heller School for Social Policy and Management.

Yao Wang

Yao Wang received her MSW at the Ohio State University in 2017. She also received a BA in Japanese Language from Shanghai International Studies University. Yao Wang is interested in the well-being and social support of older youth and young adults who transition out of the child welfare system. Yao Wang used mixed methods to explore how to support the needs and empower young adults involved in the care to achieve their potential as their peers do.

Kimberly A. Williams

Kim Williams is a Senior Research Analyst with the Maryland Child Welfare Accountability Act (CWAA) project within the Institute for Innovation and Implementation at the University of Maryland, School of Social Work. The CWAA project seeks to evaluate the effectiveness and efficiency of the child welfare system in Maryland. She is also a PhD candidate with the University of Maryland, School of Social Work completing her dissertation on the experiences of therapeutic foster parents, including their satisfaction, role perception, and use of supportive services offered by their licensing agency. Prior to joining the PhD program and the Institute, Kim worked as a Clinical Social Worker with a therapeutic foster care agency in Maryland. In this position, she enjoyed working with and learning from all of the foster parents and became very interested in what agencies can do to set their foster parents up for success. Kim received her MSW from the University of Maryland School of Social Work in 2016.

Elsa Moeller

Elsa Moeller is a Research Project Coordinator with Child Welfare Accountability Act (CWAA) project at the University of Maryland, School of Social Work. Through this project, Elsa contributes to the evaluation of child welfare practice and policy throughout the state of Maryland, with a particular focus on the Integrated Practice Model (IPM). Elsa’s research interests include understanding the impact of family-centered practice on team decision making with families involved with the child welfare system and how collaboration across systems tangential to the child welfare system affects the achievement of equitable outcomes for youth and families. Elsa received her MSW from the University of Maryland, School of Social Work in 2021.

Zhanea James

Zhanea James is a Senior Research Project Coordinator who has been working on the Child Welfare Accountability project since July 2019. In her position, she supports and provides quality assurance for Maryland’s Continuous Quality Improvement processes to evaluate the child welfare system in partnership with the Department of Human Services. Prior to joining the Institute for Innovation and Implementation at the University of Maryland, School of Social Work, Zhanea worked as a foster care case manager in Illinois. She received her Bachelor of Science in Human Development and Family Studies from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign in 2018 with a specialization in family studies. Her areas of research interest include child welfare policy and program evaluation. Zhanea is also expected to graduate from the University of Maryland-Baltimore with her Master of Social Work in 2024.