The Children and Family Research Center, located in Urbana, Illinois, is an independent research organization created jointly in 1996 at the School of Social Work by the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services. The goal of the Center is to identify research needs and support research that is policy and practice relevant and encourage and facilitate public child welfare research activities through collaborative relationships.

Feb 2025 / Report / Training and Education on Maltreatment    

This report evaluates a trauma-informed professional development program for Illinois educators, designed to enhance their knowledge, confidence, and preparedness in addressing trauma-related issues in the classroom. The program, structured around Problem-Based Learning (PBL), focused on identifying critical facts, forming hypotheses, recognizing student strengths in trauma-related scenarios, and reducing bias. The findings revealed significant improvements in participants’ understanding and…

Jan 2025 / Report / Racial Disproportionality    

HB2914 requires the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services to submit an annual report regarding racial disproportionality for children involved in the Illinois child welfare system. The report, which is due on December 31 of each year, must examine the following indicators: children and families involved in a safety plan, protective custodies, investigations and indicated investigations of each type of abuse and neglect, court filings for each type of abuse and neglect, substitute…

Jan 2025 / Report / Racial Disproportionality    

This is the executive summary of the FY2024 Report in Response to HB2914.  This report examines racial disproportionality in the Illinois child welfare system in the following indicators: children and families involved in a safety plan, protective custodies, investigations and indicated investigations of each type of abuse and neglect, court filings for each type of abuse and neglect, substitute care entries, placement settings, lengths of stay in foster care, and permanency outcomes. The…

Dec 2024 / Research Brief / Training and Education on Maltreatment    

For over six years, simulation training has been delivered to the Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) child protection specialists. Over a thousand newly hired professionals have participated. To evaluate the impact of this training, a Simulation Training Follow-up survey (STF) was conducted targeting several key areas: trainees' appraisals of their training experience, the skills they acquired and applied in the field, and their suggestions for future improvements. This research…