Children's Bureau's Capacity Building Collaborative, Center for States (Center) Feedback Survey

THE PAPERWORK REDUCTION ACT OF 1995 (Pub. L. 104-13) The purpose of this information collection is to better understand the capacity building needs of child welfare jurisdictions so that the Capacity Building Center for States, a Children’s Bureau initiative can tailor and improve its services. Public reporting burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 20 minutes per respondent, including the time for reviewing instructions, gathering and maintaining the data needed, and reviewing the collection of information. This is a voluntary collection of information. A Federal agency may not conduct or sponsor, and no individual or entity is required to respond to, nor shall an individual or entity be subject to a penalty or failure to comply with a collection of information subject to the requirements of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, unless that collection of information displays a currently valid OMB control number. If you have any comments on this collection of information, please contact Beth Claxon, Children’s Bureau, by e-mail at Beth.Claxon@acf.hhs.gov.

OMB Control No.: 0970-0401

Expiration Date: 06/30/2024

Feedback Survey

Feedback Survey

The Capacity Building Center for States (the Center) is committed to providing quality, relevant services to states and jurisdictions. We are conducting this feedback survey as part of a national needs assessment and intend to use the information to improve and tailor Center services. We are gathering information from state child welfare agency leaders around the country to learn about current efforts within their agencies and agency needs to best support positive outcomes for children, youth, and families. This survey focuses on agencies’ work to address racial and ethnic inequities, partner with youth and families with lived experience in agency improvement efforts and support the workforce.

Your participation in this survey is entirely voluntary, and your responses will be held private and reported in aggregate without any identifying information. The survey should take about 20 minutes to complete. Thank you in advance for taking the time to complete this survey. If you have any questions, please contact Katie Bourgault, Needs Assessment Lead at katie.bourgault@icf.com.

Child Welfare Agencies’ Efforts to Advance Racial Equity

This set of questions relates to any efforts your agency is taking to advance racial and ethnic equity. This includes any efforts to address and eliminate inequities in child welfare decision-making and outcomes, disparities and disproportionality for Black, American Indian, Alaskan Native, and all children, youth, and families of diverse races, ethnicities, or national origins.

1. What structures does your agency currently have in place to advance racial and ethnic equity? (Select all that apply):

1. An agency-wide leadership team

2. An agency-wide committee, workgroup, or implementation team

3. Regional and/or local implementation teams

4. Teams that include youth and families with lived experience as decision-making partners

5. A tool or approach for ongoing review and benchmarking of related data (e.g., disproportionality dashboard)

6. Other structure(s) (please describe): ________

7. None of the above

2. How long has your agency been engaged in efforts to advance racial and ethnic equity? (Select one):

1. Our agency does not currently have efforts in place to advance equity.

2. Our agency is beginning planning efforts to advance equity.

3. Our agency is in the early stages of implementing strategies to advance equity.

4. Our agency has been implementing strategies to advance equity for 2-4 years.

5. Our agency has been implementing strategies to advance equity for 5-10 years.

6. Our agency has been implementing strategies to advance equity for more than 10 years.

7. I don’t know enough about efforts to advance racial equity within our agency.

*Use skip logic if respondents answer f or g, advancing them to item 4

3. Which of these activities are currently part of your agency’s strategies to advance racial and ethnic equity? (Select all that apply):

1. Reviewing and using data to understand and address inequities at the statewide level

2. Reviewing and using data to understand and address inequities at the regional and/or local (county, town, or community) level

3. Implementing changes based on data at the statewide level

4. Implementing changes based on data at the regional and/or local (county, town, or community) level

5. Conducting an organizational assessment

6. Conducting policy and procedure reviews

7. Developing or strengthening partnerships with key stakeholders and institutions within underserved communities

8. Examining contract and procurement barriers and opportunities

9. Examining bias and disparities at key decision-making points (e.g., removal decisions)

10. Prioritizing diversity and equity in workforce recruitment, selection, and retention

11. Providing workforce training and/or coaching as part of racial equity efforts

12. Other activity(s) (please describe): ____________

4. The following are activities that child welfare agencies may be struggling with as they work to advance racial and ethnic equity. Please identify the activities that your agency could use the most support with. (Select up to 3): 

1. Reviewing and using data to understand and address racial and ethnic inequities

2. Agency leadership setting direction and vision

3. Improving organizational culture and climate

4. Building partnerships with youth and families with lived experience in planning and implementation

5. Building partnerships with underserved communities

6. Conducting an organizational assessment

7. Conducting policy and procedure review

8. Assessing service array accessibility and cultural responsiveness

9. Recruiting and retaining a diverse and representative workforce

10. Training and development of the workforce

11. Collaborating with related systems (Self-sufficiency-TANF/SNAP, housing, mental and behavioral health, education, etc.)

12. Collaborating with Tribes

13. Collaborating with courts

14. Other _______________________

15. Other _______________________

16. Not sure

**Conditional question – for each of the top 3 needs identified the following 2 questions should appear

You indicated that X is an important area of need for your agency. Please answer the following related questions about this need.

1. What specific aspects of X are most challenging for your agency?

2. What type of information and support would be most useful for your State or Territory related to this topic? (Select up to 2):

1. Information and resources on relevant research, evidence-informed strategies, and innovations

2. Opportunities to connect with and learn from peers about their related work

3. Written “How-to” guides or tools

4. Webinars to build awareness, knowledge and skills about the topic

5. Customized technical assistance projects

6. Other (please describe): _________

7. Other (please describe): _________

5. Please provide any additional information about your agency’s work to advance racial and ethnic equity that would be helpful for the Center to know as a technical assistance provider supporting this work in jurisdictions.

Child Welfare Agencies’ Infrastructure for Partnering with Youth and Families with Lived Experience

This set of questions relates to your agency’s efforts to partner with youth and families who have lived experience¹ in agency planning and improvement efforts.

1. Which of the following best describes the extent to which your agency has integrated youth and young adults with lived experience into agency planning and improvement efforts? (Select one):

1. Highly Integrated: Youth and young adults are in paid leadership roles and have decision making authority on the agency priorities, initiatives, and improvement efforts.

2. Moderately Integrated: Youth and young adults are partners in each aspect of the decision-making process on the agency priorities, initiatives, and improvement efforts.

3. Partially Integrated: Youth and young adults are consulted in the decision-making process on the agency priorities, initiatives, and improvement efforts.

4. Informed: Youth and young adults are provided information about available services and ongoing improvement efforts.

5. We do not regularly involve or partner with youth and young adults to inform, guide, and improve programs and services at the systemic level.

6. I am not sure about how our agency partners with youth and young adults.

2. Which of the following best describes the extent to which your agency has integrated parents and families with lived experience into agency planning and improvement efforts? (Select one):

1. Highly Integrated: Parents and families are in paid leadership roles and have decision making authority on the agency priorities, initiatives, and improvement efforts.

2. Moderately Integrated: Parents and families are partners in each aspect of the decision-making process on the agency priorities, initiatives, and improvement efforts.

3. Partially Integrated: Parents and families are consulted in the decision-making process on the agency priorities, initiatives, and improvement efforts.

4. Informed: Parents and families are provided information about available services and ongoing improvement efforts.

5. We do not regularly involve or partner with parents and families to inform, guide, and improve programs and services at the systemic level.

6. I am not sure about how our agency partners with parents and families.

3. Which of the following structures are in place in your agency for partnering with youth and families with lived experience in agency planning and improvement efforts? (Select all that apply):

1. Statewide Youth Advisory Body

2. Statewide Parent Advisory Body

3. Statewide Relative Caregiver Advisory Body

4. Statewide Foster Parent Advisory Body

5. Statewide Workgroups or Committees that include youth and families

6. Statewide Father Engagement Strategies

7. Regional and/or local Youth Partnership Strategies

8. Regional and/or local Parent Partnership Strategies

9. Regional and/or local Relative Caregiver Partnership Strategies

10. Regional and/or local Workgroups or Committees that include youth and families

11. Regional and/or local Father Engagement Strategies

12. Peer partner programs (for youth, parents, or caregivers)

13. Other (please describe): __________________________________

14. Other (please describe): __________________________________

15. Not sure

4. The following are challenges that child welfare agencies may face developing multiple, varied and ongoing strategies for partnering with youth and families with lived experience in agency planning and improvement efforts. Please identify the activities that your agency could use the most support with. (Select up to 3): 

1. Improving culture and climate around partnership and shared decision-making with youth and families at the agency level

2. Integrating youth and families with lived experience in ongoing CQI and federal planning and improvement efforts (CFSR, CFSP/APSR)

3. Sustaining youth and family involvement in systems change efforts

4. Designating and hiring individuals with lived expertise into critical roles at the agency level

5. Competitively compensating youth and families with lived experience

6. Providing support and development opportunities for youth and families with lived experience

7. Hiring people with lived experience as peer partners, navigators, or advocates

8. Training and supporting the workforce to facilitate partnerships with youth and families

9. Other (please describe): _______________________

10. Other (please describe): _______________________

11. Unsure or Unknown

Conditional question – for each of the top 3 needs identified, the following 2 questions should appear

You indicated that X is an important need for your agency. Please answer the following related questions about these needs.

1. What specific aspects of X are most challenging for your agency?

2. What type of information and support would be most useful for your State or Territory related to this topic? (Select up to 2):

1. Information and resources on relevant research, evidence-informed strategies, and innovations

2. Opportunities to connect with and learn from peers about their related work

3. Written “How-to” guides or tools

4. Webinars to build awareness, knowledge and skills about the topic

5. Customized technical assistance projects

6. Other (please describe): _______________________

7. Other (please describe): _______________________

5. Please provide any additional information about your agency’s strategies and challenges related to partnering with people with lived experience that would be helpful for the Center to know as a technical assistance provider supporting this work in jurisdictions.

Child Welfare Workforce Recruitment and Retention Status

This set of questions is about the impact that the Covid-19 pandemic has had on recruitment and retention within your agency.

1. Which of the following best describes your agency’s experience with the quantity of job applications for frontline child welfare positions within the past year? (Select one):

1. The average number of applications meeting minimum or preferred qualifications has been far below our pre-Covid averages.

2. The average number of applications meeting minimum or preferred qualifications has been somewhat below our pre-Covid averages.

3. The average number of applications meeting minimum or preferred qualifications has been about the same as our pre-Covid averages.

4. The average number of applications meeting minimum or preferred qualifications has been somewhat above our pre-Covid averages.

5. The average number of applications meeting minimum or preferred qualifications has been far above our pre-CoVid averages.

6. Don’t know

2. Which of the following best describes your agency’s experience with filling job openings for frontline child welfare positions within the past year? (Select one):

1. It has taken much less time to fill job openings than it did prior to Covid.

2. It has taken somewhat less time to fill job openings than it did prior to Covid.

3. It has taken about the same amount of time to fill job openings as it did prior to Covid.

4. It has taken somewhat longer to fill job openings than it did prior to Covid.

5. It has taken much longer to fill job openings than it did prior to Covid.

6. Don’t know

3. Which of the following best describes your agency’s experience with frontline child welfare turnover within the past year? (Select one):

1. The turnover rate has been far below our pre-Covid rates.

2. The turnover rate has been somewhat below our pre-Covid rates.

3. The turnover rate has been about the same as our pre-Covid rates.

4. The turnover rate has been somewhat above our pre-Covid rates.

5. The turnover rate has been far above our pre-Covid rates.

6. Don’t know

4. What causes or contributing factors for current recruitment, hiring and turnover challenges has your agency identified? How were these factors been determined?

Addressing Workforce Recruitment and Retention

This set of questions is about your agency’s current workforce needs, as well as strategies it has used to build a stable and healthy workforce.

1. The following are challenges that child welfare agencies may face in building a stable and healthy workforce. Please identify the activities that your agency could use the most support with. (Select up to 3): 

   1. Developing recruitment and selection practices in general

   2. Developing recruitment and selection practices to increase diversity of the workforce

   3. Increasing pay and benefits

   4. Strengthening supervision, performance management and coaching

   5. Addressing caseload and workload requirements

   6. Advancing use of technologies to streamline work

   7. Redesigning positions or working arrangements (e.g., flexible or hybrid remote options)

   8. Shifting organizational culture and climate

   9. Offering supports for stress, burnout and secondary trauma

   10. Other (please describe): _______________________

   11. Other (please describe): _______________________

   12. Unsure or Unknown  

Conditional question – for each of the top 3 needs identified, the following 2 questions should appear

You indicated that X is an important need for your agency. Please answer the following related questions about these needs.

1. What specific aspects of X are most challenging for your agency?

2. What type of information and support would be most useful for your State or Territory related to this topic? (Select up to 2)

1. Information and resources on relevant research, evidence-informed strategies, and innovations

2. Opportunities to connect with and learn from peers about their related work

3. Written “How-to” guides or tools

4. Webinars to build awareness, knowledge and skills about the topic

5. Customized technical assistance projects

6. Other (please describe): _______________________

7. Other (please describe): _______________________

2. During the past two years, in which of the following areas has your agency implemented strategies that have been successful in addressing workforce challenges? Please select all that apply. For each area selected, you will be asked to provide additional information about the specific strategies being implemented.

1. Recruitment, hiring, and onboarding

2. Training and professional development

3. Supervision and coaching

4. Education incentives and supports (including internships)

5. Recognition, rewards, and career advancement opportunities

6. Pay and benefits

7. Caseload/workload requirements and management

8. Stress management and support

9. Alternative working arrangements or flexible working schedules

10. Position redesign or new work teaming structures

11. Technology

12. Diversity, equity, and inclusion

13. Worker safety

14. Organizational culture and climate

15. Other (please describe): _______________________

16. Other (please describe): _______________________

Conditional question: For each category that they select, include the following question

Please describe each strategy that has been implemented and if it is still in place, positive outcomes and any challenges or lessons learned.

Other Needs

1. What are other current agency priorities for improving safety, permanency and well-being outcomes? (Select the top 2)

1. Preparing for CFSR Round 4

2. Implementing the Prevention Services Program provisions of the Family First Prevention Services Act

3. Implementing the congregate care provisions of the Family First Prevention Services Act

4. Integrating planning, monitoring and improvement efforts (developing alignment across CFSR, CFSP/APSR, FFPSA Implementation, Prevention efforts and other efforts)

5. Other (please describe): _________________________________

6. Other (please describe): _________________________________

Conditional question – for each of the above selected should include “please describe”

1. Which of the following best describes your primary role? (Select one) (required):

1. Agency Director, Executive Director, Commissioner

2. Other Agency Leadership (Deputy Director, Chief of Staff)

3. Administrator, Program Director

4. Other (please describe):­­­­_________

2. Which Children’s Bureau region is your agency located in? (Select One) (optional):

1. Region 1

2. Region 2

3. Region 3

4. Region 4

5. Region 5

6. Region 6

7. Region 7

8. Region 8

9. Region 9

10. Region 10

Thank You!

Thank you for your participation. Your time and input are greatly appreciated. Your feedback makes a difference!

If you have any questions regarding this survey or want to provide additional comments, please contact: Katie Bourgault, Capacity Building Center for States Needs Assessment Lead, Katie.Bourgault@icf.com. 

1 Lived experience can be defined as “personal knowledge about the world gained through direct, first-hand involvement in everyday events rather than through representations constructed by other people.”1 It can also be defined as “the experiences of people on whom a social issue or combination of issues has had a direct impact.”2 In child welfare the term refers to children, youth, parents and caregivers with current and past experience with the child welfare system.

[1] Chandler, D., & Munday, R. (2016). Oxford: A dictionary of media and communication (2nd ed.). New York, NY: Oxford University Press.

[2] Sandu, B. (2017). The value of lived experience in social change: The need for leadership and organisational development in the social sector. Retrieved from thelivedexperience.org/report/

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