Reducing conflict between child welfare communities

Conflict is inherent in child welfare practice. This article describes a collaborative project between a public child welfare agency and a school of social work (the UFOCWL) to strengthen and improve the connections between the agency and the larger community. The collaboration focused on identifying and recognizing the diverse roles and responsibilities between the various players in the child welfare system. This paper discusses the areas in which the UFOCWL addressed the conflicts between the child welfare service delivery system and the legal, domestic violence, and substance abuse communities. By facilitating understanding of the unique concerns and contributions each child welfare player brings to the table, inherent conflicts can be reduced and managed, ultimately improving the results for vulnerable children.