| This thesis evaluates the extent to which the 1997 Adoption and Safe Families Act (ASFA) has affected children in Westchester County's child welfare system. The author, a social work intern who spent ten months working with children in foster care, describes the experiences of two of her clients and assesses whether their foster care outcomes were guided by ASFA's three principle goals: permanency, safety, and well-being. Her research suggests that there is variability in the way in which ASFA's mandates are effectuated among professionals in the field. Based on her findings, the author concludes that professionals must work to become more familiar with the specific provisions of ASFA. She also suggests that there must be a widespread, interdisciplinary commitment to the implementation of ASFA's goals in daily practice. The paper also includes the preliminary results of a pilot survey designed to assess perspectives on ASFA by professionals in the child welfare field. |
