Policy and Practice | August 2022

Coordinating

Child Welfare & Early Childhood Systems

A Key Prevention Strategy

By Elizabeth Jordan

E

arly childhood and child welfare systems are both broadly increasing their investments in preventing child abuse and neglect. Both systems have initiated efforts to reduce maltreatment and avoid the harm caused by child welfare

involvement and family separation through foster care. Both are also striving to better support children and families of color who have been subject to long-standing and persistent inequities. My work at Child Trends, a nonprofit research organization, focuses on understanding policy opportunities to support children and families in early childhood and child welfare systems. A deeper understanding of the two systems can help leaders identify opportunities to weave the separate streams of work together to increase the efficiency and effectiveness of services, resulting in improved outcomes for children and families. In this article, I elevate salient points from our recent paper, “Alignment Between Early Childhood and Child Welfare Systems Benefits Children and Families,” 1 to help system leaders do just that.