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Screening and Assessment Tools for Child Welfare

Definition of Screening and Assessment Tools for Child Welfare:

The CEBC defines screening and assessment tools for child welfare as those that may be commonly used by the child welfare system, or by child welfare related service providers, such as mental health clinicians. The CEBC provides information on these tools in order to help child welfare agencies evaluate the research supporting each tool. In order to be included on the CEBC, the tool must meet two requirements: 1) it must have a manual and/or training available that describes how to administer and score it and 2) the tool must be likely to be used in the child welfare field or with children and caretakers in the child welfare system. A basic description of each tool is provided, so that comparisons can be made between tools, and contact information is provided.

In addition to including tools that are commonly used in the child welfare system, we have also included tools that are commonly used in the research conducted on programs rated by CEBC. These were included to provide additional information on the outcomes examined in the research studies. If an assessment tool has been rated on the CEBC, a link to its description and rating will be provided in the research summary of any study that used that tool. Research summaries are located in the Relevant Peer-Reviewed, Published Research section of applicable programs.

Why was Screening and Assessment Tools chosen as an area of interest by the Advisory Committee? (Click for Answer)

The Advisory Committee selected Screening and Assessment Tools as an area of interest for the CEBC because of the importance of screening and assessment to overall effectiveness in child welfare. Gathering valid and useful information is critical for appropriate and targeted intervention with children, youth, and families who come to the attention of the child welfare system. Many factors, including the child's safety, the risk of future maltreatment, parental protective capacity, and child well-being must be accurately assessed on an ongoing basis. Through careful and thorough screening, child welfare workers can ensure that children and families receive the most appropriate agency response. Comprehensive assessment provides a foundation for developing an effective plan with the family. While screening and assessment tools abound, there is limited information available regarding their use and effectiveness. Of particular interest are tools that can be used by workers directly with families, building a common understanding regarding the family's needs, strengths, and resources, and that can be used to measure progress on goals over time.

Pam Day, Associate Director
Child Welfare Information Gateway 
Children's Bureau/ACYF
Washington, DC

Alphabetical Listing of Screening and Assessment Tools for Child Welfare

Assessment Tool Rating System

The Screening and Assessment Tools for Child Welfare section has its own rating system.