From: CWLA Member Exclusives
Subject: CWLA Standards of Excellence for Child Welfare Services

When a reporter covering a string of recent child abuse tragedies asks, "How many cases can a worker be responsible for without jeopardizing safety?" or an agency executive, looking to diversify her agency's services, asks, "What are the core components of an intercountry adoption program and what standards should I follow in designing the program and recruiting and training staff?" or when a state foster care manager, updating the regulations for foster care workers, asks "What is the current thinking on how soon and how often children should have contact with their parents after entering foster care?"… CWLA Standards are often their most valuable resource.

For 82 years CWLA Standards have helped provide answers to these and many other important questions, providing policymakers, practitioners, advocates, and the broader public with a vision that reflects the best mix of theory and practice. Our members not only receive a complimentary copy of our standards, but they also play a prominent role in their development and revision.

At a time when agencies are being pressured to scale back their budgets while the news features tragic stories of missing children and families stressed to the breaking point, agencies can point to the Standards as an example of how things should be done. CWLA's Standards also provide a basis for accreditation and licensing systems throughout the country, promoting continuous quality improvement and demonstrating accountability to the public.

To learn more about CWLA Standards of Excellence, and how they can benefit your agency, see our Standards webpage or contact Pam Day, Director of Standards, at pday@cwla.org.

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