Out of harm's way : creating an effective child welfare system PDF
Preview Out of harm's way : creating an effective child welfare system
i Out of Harm’s Way ii iii Out of Harm’s Way Creating an Effective Child Welfare System z RICHARD J. GELLES 1 iv 1 Oxford University Press is a department of the University of Oxford. It furthers the University’s objective of excellence in research, scholarship, and education by publishing worldwide. Oxford is a registered trade mark of Oxford University Press in the UK and certain other countries. Published in the United States of America by Oxford University Press 198 Madison Avenue, New York, NY 10016, United States of America. © Oxford University Press 2017 All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, without the prior permission in writing of Oxford University Press, or as expressly permitted by law, by license, or under terms agreed with the appropriate reproduction rights organization. Inquiries concerning reproduction outside the scope of the above should be sent to the Rights Department, Oxford University Press, at the address above. You must not circulate this work in any other form and you must impose this same condition on any acquirer. CIP data is on file at the Library of Congress ISBN 978–0–19–061801–8 1 3 5 7 9 8 6 4 2 Printed by Sheridan Books, Inc., United States of America v To my wonderful grandchildren Max Natan Gelles Lia Sidney Gelles Gemma Taylor Gelles vi vii Contents Acknowledgments ix Introduction: Child Welfare Is Not Brain Surgery; It’s Much More Difficult 1 PART I: Tragedy and its Aftermath 1. In an Ideal World 9 2. In the Real World 27 3. System Reform: Rounding Up the Usual Suspects, Lawsuits, and Policy Changes 47 PART II: Centers of Gravity 4. Who Is the Client? 75 5. Portals, Gates, and Decisions 93 6. Follow the Money: The Perverse Incentive of Federal Foster Care Funding 117 7. Aging Out 137 8. It Takes a Village 155 viii viii Contents Appendix: Federal Child Welfare Legislation 163 References 171 Author Index 177 Subject Index 179 ix Acknowledgments The idea for this book percolated during the time I served as dean of the School of Social Policy & Practice at the University of Pennsylvania. When my thirteen- year term ended, I began a two- year sabbatical that afforded me the uninterrupted time to plan and write this book. I was fortunate to receive a Rockefeller Bellagio Academic Writer’s Residency, during which I com- pleted most of the first draft of this book. The Bellagio Writer’s Residency is an unparalleled opportunity to live in great beauty with a group of other writ- ers and their partners. My time at Bellagio was a once- in- a- lifetime chance to write and test my ideas with a group of talented writers, playwrights, poets, and musicians. Back in the real world, I was grateful to friends and colleagues who reviewed and critiqued drafts of the book. Lee Dushoff, during one of our brunches at the Famous 4th Street Deli, broached the concept for the first chapter. Cassie Statuto Bevan reviewed and commented on the chapter on foster care. Sarah Wasch, program director at the Field Center for Children’s Policy, Practice and Research, reviewed Chapter 1 from the perspective of a former child pro- tective service worker. My colleague Johanna Greeson reviewed the chapter on “aging out” and then reviewed the entire volume. Colleagues Jill Duer- Berrick, Bethany Lee Oxford, and Robin Mekonnen reviewed the entire vol- ume and offered valuable ideas and feedback. Of course, in the end, I bear full responsibility for the contents and conclusions in this book. Dana Bliss, senior editor at Oxford University Press, provided overall guidance and suggestions as the book took shape. I am grateful to Dana for helping bring this project to fruition.
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