About this project:
Children in the child welfare system are at much greater risk of developmental problems and poor educational outcomes. In order to achieve positive outcomes for these children, it is critical that state and local programs are coordinated in a way that enhances the early learning environments of these at-risk children during the most critical stages of their development before they reach school age.
The Catherine E. Cutler Institute for Child and Family Policy has been funded by the Child Care Bureau to conduct a mixed method, in-depth case study in Colorado to examine current practice across systems in order to determine the degree to which the educational needs of children younger than five in the child welfare system are being addressed through collaborations between child welfare agencies, early intervention/preschool special education programs under IDEA and quality early care and education programs. We will also identify best practices and develop policy recommendations for how the multiple agencies which provide these services can better coordinate their efforts.
Why are we doing this research?
The research to date on the educational needs of children in the child welfare system has focused overwhelmingly on the educational experiences of children after they reach school age. Much less attention has been paid to the educational needs of children younger than age five and the degree to which they are being connected with the early interventions and early care and education programs they need to improve their chances of success in school. Given the paucity of research on these cross systems issues, we believe this study will make a significant contribution to the literature about service coordination to promote the school readiness of this vulnerable population of young children. We hope that by identifying barriers to effective collaboration as well as best practices and making policy recommendations based on what we learn, we will help those working in each of the three systems being examined to better coordinate services for this population of children in order to promote their readiness for school.
