Research & Best Practices

In this five-minute video, two judges, a child development expert, and a former foster youth share their thoughts about the role judges can play in ensuring that the child welfare system embraces the principle that Every Child Needs a Family.

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Molly McGrath Tierney Ted Talk,
Rethinking Foster Care

In this Ted Talk Molly McGrath Tierney, the former Director of Social Services for Baltimore, Maryland, talks about the need to reimagine our approach to child welfare to avoid doing further harm to vulnerable children and families.

Amelia Franck Meyer Ted Talk,
The Human Need for Belonging

Hear Amelia Franck Meyer, child welfare thought leader and founder and CEO of Alia Innovations, describe why children need families in order to thrive.

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Crossover Youth and Institutional Care

Additional considerations regarding the risk of arrest
for youth in institutional care

Every Kid Needs a Family Resource Page

An annotated list of references for courts and advocates
by category.

Go to Law

Summary of statutory references on institutional placements

Go to Tools

Guidance on institutional placements for courts and attorneys, including a benchcard!

Go to EKNF Home

Explore the data

View an interactive map with the most recent data on institutional care placements and the eight-year trend for each state.

Production of this site is a partnership of the National Center for State Courts and the National Association of Counsel for Children with the generous support of the Annie E. Casey Foundation. The contents were also informed and strengthened through collaboration and feedback from the American Bar Association’s Center on Children and the Law, National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges, the National Court Appointed Special Advocates Association, National Association of American Indian Court Judges Association, Association of Children’s Residential Centers, and the Building Bridges Initiative.