DCFS Mission Statement - -Protect children who are reported to be abused or neglected and to
increase their families capacity to safely care for them
-Provide for the well-being of children in our care
-Provide appropriate, permanent families as quickly as possible for those children who cannot safely
return home
-Support early intervention and child abuse prevention services
-Work in partnership with communities to fulfill this mission
Inter-Ethnic Placement Act (IEPA) - Prohibits any consideration of a child's race or ethnicity as a
factor in deciding which permanent placement will be in their best interest
Safety - Status when an assessment of available information supports the belief that a child is not
in immediate danger of moderate to severe harm
Permanency - A continuous living arrangement designed to meet a child's needs, increases
his/her sense of emotional well-being, and establish legal bonds to a place and family
Orphan Train - Placed 150,000 poor/orphan children from eastern cities with Midwest farm
families
Some of these children became members of these families, but many were valued only as farm laborers
Dual Mandate - Protect Children and Strengthen/Preserve families
Federal Laws:
Social Security Act - system of old-age benefits for workers, benefits for victims of industrial
accidents, unemployment insurance, aid for dependent mothers and children, the blind, and the
physically handicapped.
,Social Security Title IV-B - Requires federal funding for family support services
Social Security Title IV-E - Amends the SSA to include adoption assistance and child welfare
funding and requires responsible efforts to keep children from entering care
Who needs a child welfare license? - Anyone who works in child welfare in Illinois
Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA) - Addresses the best interests of Native American Children to
preserve their generational and tribal ties
Adoption and safe families act (ASFA) - Amends title IV-E to require efforts to move a child to
permanency, requiring judicial permanency hearing for children no later than 12 months after the child
enters child care
Fostering connections to success and increasing adoptions act of 2008 - extends assistance of
youth to 21
requires that a transition plan be developed with youth and he/she ages out of foster care
State Laws:
Children and Family services act - specifies the general duties and responsibilities of DCFS
Abused and Neglected Child Reporting act (ANCRA) - Guides the day by day work of child
professionals in Illinois
Defines abuse, neglect, how to report allegations, mandated reporters, how to accept and investigate
reports and provide follow up services
3 outcomes - safety, permanency, well-being
Juvenile Court Act - Establishes authority of Juvenile court to intervene in the lives of children and
families
Adoption Act - Specifies the grounds for parental unfitness and procedures governing adoption of
children
, Child care act - Establishes the licensing regulations governing child welfare agencies, foster family
homes, group homes, child care institutions, day care agencies, and individual day care providers
Interstate compact placement - Governs the provision of care for children in foster care from one
state to another
Interstate compact adoption - Governs provisions of medical care to children who are adopted in
one state and move to another state
Foster Parent Law - Outlines foster parents rights and responsibilities
Abandoned newborn infant - "safe haven act"
Allows an infant 30 days old or less to be relinquished to a hospital, police station, or emergency medical
facility without question or consequence to the parents
Domestic Violence Act - Allows individuals to request orders of protection against individuals in
inflicting physical abuse or neglect to family or household members
Probate Act - Governs guardianship to minors and adults
Consent Decrees - Have the force of law and child welfare professionals must comply with their
requirements
Aristotle - Diligent search to locate joint placement for siblings
Bates - Weekly parent/child visitation
BH - Standard of care
Burgos - Spanish speaking client services