One year ago, we launched the Washington State Child Well-Being Data Portal – a powerful web tool that provides access to data about vulnerable children and families who interact with the child welfare system in Washington State. The portal aims to enhance transparency, build understanding, and provide decision support for child welfare practitioners and policymakers. The Data Portal currently provides information on the three main parts of the child welfare system: investigations/assessments, in-home services (e.g., parenting programs) and out-of-home care (i.e., foster care).
Just as businesses use data to inform decisions, it is critical for child welfare systems to use readily available data when making decisions about practice or policy when the effects can change lives. Where is the greatest need? Who is overrepresented in the system? Where do we find the best outcomes and what is the system doing differently in order to achieve these outcomes? There are so many questions that can be addressed through data – so this tool is one step in the right direction for child welfare in Washington State.
In honor of the Data Portal’s one year anniversary, we developed this ‘By the Numbers’ infographic to provide a quick snapshot of this growing work – we’re excited to see what the next year brings!
If your organization is interested in a Data Portal Presentation, please contact us through our Help Desk. We can navigate you through the Data Portal to show you how best it can be used to support your work.
Note: The Data Portal was made possible by funding from the Ballmer Family Giving, Stuart Foundation, Casey Family Programs, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and the Thomas V. Giddens Jr. Foundation.
