Out of harm's way : creating an effective child welfare system

201 Pages·2017·1.462 MB·English

by  Gelles, Richard J

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Out of Harm’s Way
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Out of Harm’s Way
Creating an Effective Child
Welfare System
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RICHARD J. GELLES
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Oxford University Press is a department of the University of Oxford. It furthers
the University’s objective of excellence in research, scholarship, and education
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Press in the UK and certain other countries.
Published in the United States of America by Oxford University Press
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© Oxford University Press 2017
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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
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Printed by Sheridan Books, Inc., United States of America
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To my wonderful grandchildren
Max Natan Gelles
Lia Sidney Gelles
Gemma Taylor Gelles
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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
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Appendix: Federal Child Welfare Legislation  163
References  171
Author Index 177
Subject Index 179
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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.