Noting the importance of identifying the effectiveness of child welfare programs for future policy planning, this book examines features of successful programs. The book is presented in six sections: family preservation and family support services, child protective services, out-of-home care, adoption, child care, and adolescent services. Each chapter includes data about effective strategies, conflicting evidence, cost-effectiveness information when available, and a summary table. The chapters each identify what works in the following service areas: (1) family support services (Elizabeth Tracy); (2) family preservation services (Kristine Nelson); (3) wraparound programming (Russell Skiba and Steven Nicols); (4) nurse home visiting programs (John Eckenrode); (5) nonmedical home visiting: Healthy Families America (Karen McCurdy); (6) child protective services reforms (Amy Gordon); (7) safety and risk assessment for child protective services (Dana Hollinshead and John Fluke); (8) child focused techniques to prevent child sexual abuse (Patricia Mace); (9) protecting child witnesses (Kathleen Faller); (10) treatment services for abused children (Lucy Berliner and David Kolko); (11) treatment of batterers (Katreena Scott and David Wolfe); (12) women-oriented treatment for substance abusing mothers (Katherine Wingfield and Todd Klempner); (13) kinship care (Jill Berrick); (14) family foster care (Peter Pecora and Anthony Maluccio); (15) treatment foster care (Patricia Chamberlain); (16) family reunification (Anthony Maluccio); (17) parent-child visiting programs (Robin Warsh and Barbara Pine); (18) residential child care and treatment: partnerships with families (James Whittaker); (19) employment programs for youth in out-of-home care (Nan Dale); (20) independent living preparation for youth in out-of-home care (Kimberly Nollan); (21) aftercare (Edmund Mech); (22) permanency planning--adoption (Richard Barth); (23) special needs adoption (Noelle Gallant); (24) open adoption (Harold Grotevant); (25) transracial adoption (William Feigelman); (26) intercountry adoption (Isaac Gusukuma and Ruth McRoy); (27) adoption assistance (Gina Alexander); (28) Head Start (Elizabeth Schnur and Susan Belanger); (29) child care (Martha Roditti); (30) center-based child care (Martha Roditti); (31) home-based child care (Martha Roditti); (32) child care for maltreated and at-risk children (Martha Roditti); (33) promoting positive youth development through mentoring (Joseph Tierney and Jean Grossman); (34) school-based interactive or peer programs for substance abuse prevention (Miriam Kluger and Noelle Gallant); (35) treatment programs for substance-abusing youth (Lori Sudderth); and (36) day treatment for delinquent adolescents (Jann Hoge and Sue Ann Savas). Each chapter contains references. (KB)