Centering the Young Child: A Developmental Case for Child Welfare Reform

Due to an array of barriers, the contemporary child welfare system has not achieved its mission of enhancing the safety, permanency, and well-being of children, particularly those in the early childhood developmental period (i.e., birth to 5 years of age). Instead of advocating for the abolition of the child welfare system, we argue for the system’s reform, grounded in a developmentally sensitive approach. We present evidence from epidemiology and developmental science which indicates that young children have unique experiences and consequences relative to their child welfare system involvement. We also consider the services that are most likely to benefit young children and families in the child welfare system, highlighting the import of an early childhood system of care. We conclude with recommendations for child welfare reform that hold promise for ensuring that young children and families receive the developmentally sensitive care that they require from this service sector.