Child Welfare Reports

ARCH Comparison of Public and Private Foster Care in Colorado - Conducted by the Social Work Research Center, this report is the first to compare government social work and costs with private social work and costs.

2011/2012 Office of Colorado Child Protection Ombudsman Annual Report - This is the first report of the Office of Colorado’s Child Protection Ombudsman, as we celebrate the successfulcompletion of our inaugural year. The Office of Colorado’s Child Protection Ombudsman (“Ombudsman Office”) officially opened June 1, 2011, and is managed and hosted by the National Association of Counsel for Children (NACC). The Ombudsman Office was established through the passage of Senate Bill 10-171 in 2010, which passed both the Colorado State House and Senate by a unanimous vote.

Child Maltreatment Fatality Report 2007 In response to the increase in child maltreatment fatalities where the victim and families were previously known to Child Protective Services (CPS) agencies, the Executive Director of the Colorado Department of Human Services ordered a review of child maltreatment fatalities focused on identifying any commonalities and making recommendations for improvements in the system based upon those findings. Findings were categorized across four major areas and are summarized in this report. This report concludes with a list of recommendations intended to address many of the issues identified.

Child Maltreatment Fatality Reviews 2007
The Child Welfare Fatality Review Team conducted reviews on 13 recent child maltreatment fatalities that occurred in Colorado where CPS had prior involvement in the last five years. The teams included county and state staff, as well as legal, clinical and medical consultants. Click here for further information on the Fatality Review process.

SB-64 Foster and Permanence Task Force Report May 12, 2008

The Foster Care and Permanence Task Force met from July 2007 through May 2008 and considered the strength of the current system, the quality work currently being done within the state and the counties, and identified ways to improve the design, delivery, and outcomes for children in foster care and their families.  On May 31, 2008 this Foster care and Permanence Task Force Report was released with 16 recommendations.

9th Annual Report to the Colorado Legislature Regarding Expedited Permanency Planning

Basis for Report: 19-1-102. Legislative Declaration. (1.6) “The general assembly recognizes the numerous studies establishing that children undergo a critical bonding and attachment process prior to the time they reach six years of age. Such studies further disclose that a child who has not bonded with a primary adult during this critical stage will suffer significant emotional damage, which frequently leads to chronic psychological problems and antisocial behavior when the child reaches adolescence and adulthood. Accordingly the general assembly finds and declares that it is appropriate to provide for an expedited placement procedure to ensure that children under the age of six years who have been removed from their homes are placed in permanent homes as expeditiously as possible.”

On or before December 31, 1995 and each December 31 thereafter through and including December 31, 2003, the Department of Human Services in consultation with the Judicial Department shall submit a written report to the Colorado Legislature regarding:

• Progress towards statewide implementation

• Program effectiveness

• Evaluation as to whether out-of-home placement costs have been avoided

Minority Over-Representation in Child Welfare Services

Minority Over Representation in Child Welfare is not unique to Colorado and there are theories as to the causes and correlates of this condition. In order to examine critical issues which may be at the root of the problem in Colorado, the Colorado Department of Human Services, Division of Child Welfare proposed a research study to do an analysis of decisions made at key points in social services cases as well as the delivery of services for children and families of color in comparison to white children and families in the child welfare system.
 

Revised: 09/18/2012