How the Child Welfare System Works

April, 2008 "The child welfare system is a group of services designed to promote the well-being of children by ensuring safety, achieving permanency, and strengthening families to successfully care for their children. While the primary responsibility for child welfare services rests with the States, the Federal Government plays a major role in supporting States in the delivery of services through funding of programs and legislative initiatives. This fact sheet provides additional information on: What happens when possible abuse or neglect is reported? What happens after a report is screened in? What happens in substantiated (founded) cases? What happens to . . .