Message from Leadership

The Florida Institute for Child Welfare remains committed to continuing to generate robust research that informs child welfare practice, workforce strategies, and public policy . Since 2020, the Institute embarked on a new path to expand our work and impact through new legislative priorities. The Institute accepts the social responsibility of investing in the child welfare workforce with upstream strategies, as well as emphasizing the importance of data-informed professional development and career opportunities. As the Institute continues to embark on this new way forward, our child welfare professional workforce, statewide affiliates, and community members with lived experience and expertise will be key partners. Within every partnership and research endeavor, the Institute aims to be strategic and adaptive. We will make every effort to execute and monitor our strategic plan and we are looking forward to the work ahead.

The Florida Institute for Child Welfare is committed to the creation and curation of robust research that informs policy and scales up effective interventions statewide. The Institute sponsors and supports interdisciplinary research projects and program evaluation initiatives that contribute to a dynamic knowledge base relevant for enhancing Florida’s child welfare outcomes. The Institute collaborates with community agencies across all sectors to translate relevant knowledge generated through research, policy analysis, and program evaluation. The Institute also prioritizes the enhancement of the workforce, the well-being of child welfare professionals, and the development of competent leaders through training, coaching, and advancement opportunities.

The Institute’s vision is to be at the forefront of child welfare research, evaluation, and workforce development. In partnership with the child welfare community, the Institute will advance and advocate for sustainable changes to the professional workforce and will provide evidence-informed strategies that impact long-term retention, and professional and leadership development. Ultimately, the Institute intends to lead nationally acclaimed child welfare research, evaluation, and workforce development strategies and interventions with the overarching goal of cultivating a thriving child welfare workforce .