Voices from the Field: The Frontline View of Child Welfare Reforms in New Jersey

Social workers, teachers, foster parents, and others who work with New Jersey's abused and neglected children want the state to focus reform efforts on staffing, service availability, and accountability. They want the next administration and governor to tackle the internal problems and policies that deny New Jersey children adequate protection.

Less than half of New Jersey front-line child welfare workers said that they understand how to navigate the child welfare system to help clients receive proper care. Only 15% agreed that their Community Collaborative is organized, providing information, and ready to serve families. Only 23% agreed that case managers have more access to services for the children and families they supervise. While 21% agreed that services are better coordinated on a state and local level, only 16% agreed that agencies are communicating well with each other at a state level.

This report is based on more than 250 surveys completed by people who work closely with children and families. The survey respondents' top recommendations for improving the system:

• Training and hiring frontline workers as supervisors
  
   
• More services for children and families
  
   
• Clear state leadership
  
   
• Flexibility to make local changes to meet unique local situations