Toolkits Available to Child Welfare Workers to Better Handle Immigration-Related Issues

Toolkits Available to Child Welfare Workers to Better Handle
Immigration-Related Issues

DENVER, Nov. 4 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Two innovative child welfare
toolkits -- A Social Worker's Tool Kit for Working With Immigrant Families --
A Child Welfare Flowchart (August 2009) and A Social Worker's Tool Kit for
Working with Immigrant Families -- Immigration Status and Relief Options (June
2009) -- are now available to public and private child protection services
(CPS) workers, attorneys, immigration workers and legal aides who assist with
child welfare-related cases. These toolkits were created to increase workers'
knowledge and skills relative to immigration-related issues that may impact
their ability to assist immigrant families when they come to the attention of
CPS.

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"Immigration has been a defining feature of the United States throughout its
history," said Sonia Velazquez, vice president of the Children's Division of
the American Humane Association. "Currently, children represent one of the
largest and fastest-growing immigrant populations in the U.S. As a result of
this growth, the child welfare field faces many new issues of practice, policy
and research specific to children from immigrant families. Child welfare
workers need to have the resources to actively pursue answers to a large
number of confusing situations and questions that impact the lives of children
from immigrant families." Since the beginning of Velazquez's tenure at
American Humane, she has dedicated efforts to develop and launch resources to
adequately serve immigrant families in the child welfare system.

Leading organizations in the fields of immigration and child welfare were
convened by American Humane in 2006 to increase the effectiveness of the child
welfare system and other corresponding systems' response to issues of
migration and to the needs of immigrants who come to the attention of social
services. These organizations constitute the Migration and Child Welfare
National Network, (MCWNN), a dynamic group that has shown numerous
accomplishments under the leadership of the American Humane Association, Annie
E. Casey Foundation, American Bar Association, Immigrant Legal Resource
Center, Jane Addams School of Social Work/University of Illinois,
International Social Services of the United States, US Conference of Catholic
Bishops/Bridging Refugee Youth and Children's Services(BRYCS), Casey Family
Programs, and other national organizations.

"The toolkits provide public child welfare workers and other professionals
with a basic understanding of the U.S. immigration system and an overview of
how and when immigration issues may arise during the chronology of a child
welfare case," said Yali Lincroft, a consultant with the Annie E. Casey
Foundation and primary author of the toolkits.

The first toolkit, Child Welfare Flowchart, begins at the point of a child
abuse report and continues through assessment, diversion or intervention,
removal, dependency issues and permanency planning. At each stage of the
flowchart, potential immigration issues are noted and explored.

The second toolkit, Immigration Status and Relief Options, is intended to
provide public child welfare workers with a basic overview of the dynamics of
the U.S. immigration system as it impacts their clients. It reviews
immigration concepts and constructs and includes practical resources such as
tips for accessing vital documents, facilitating communication between child
welfare system workers and immigration legal counsel, and a summary of
immigration relief options applicable to youths in dependency proceedings.

The toolkits are available as a free download at
www.americanhumane.org/migrationtoolkits. To become a member of the MCWNN,
please go to www.americanhumane.org/migration and download the registration
form.

For more information about American Humane visit www.americanhumane.org.
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Humane Association.

About American Humane
Founded in 1877, the American Humane Association is the only national
organization dedicated to protecting both children and animals. Through a
network of child and animal protection agencies and individuals, American
Humane develops policies, legislation, curricula and training programs to
protect children and animals from abuse, neglect and exploitation. The
nonprofit organization, headquartered in Denver, raises awareness about The
Link(R) between violence to people and violence to animals, as well as the
benefits derived from the human-animal bond. American Humane's office in Los
Angeles is the authority behind the "No Animals Were Harmed"(R) end-credit
disclaimer on film and TV productions, and American Humane's office in
Washington, D.C., is an advocate for child and animal protection at the
federal and state levels. The American Humane(R) Certified farm animal program
is the nation's original independent certification and labeling program for
humanely raised food. American Humane meets the strong, comprehensive
standards of the Better Business Bureau's Wise Giving Alliance, has been
awarded the Independent Charities of America's "Best in America" Seal of
Approval, has met the stringent standards for financial efficiency and
accountability required by the American Institute of Philanthropy to qualify
as a Top-Rated Charity, and has received a 3-star rating from Charity
Navigator, America's premier independent charity evaluator. Visit
www.americanhumane.org to learn more.

SOURCE American Humane Association

Kelley Weir of American Humane Association, +1-303-925-9418,
kelleyw@americanhumane.org