The findings from these studies also highlight that many children who have entered the foster care system would have had better life outcomes if they had stayed safely with their families and received the appropriate services and supports. In fact, researchers from the Center for the Study of Social Policy have found that when families with young children have social connections, knowledge of parenting and child development and are able to get the services and supports they need this increases protective factors that help reduce the risk for future child abuse and neglect ("Small but significant changes that strengthen families and prepare children for success". Available at www.strengthenfamilies.net)

After reviewing the findings from these major studies it became clear that it was critical for the Department of Children and Families (DCF) and Partnership for Strong Families (PSF) to partner with community residents and service providers to safely reduce the number of children entering foster care, by working together to help strengthen families across the lifespan.

We recognize that in cases where there is extreme or egregious abuse, children should be removed from their homes. However, in many other cases, removal is not always the right answer and more should be done to help strengthen families by providing supports and services that will address the underlying issues that have contributed to child abuse or neglect.

We are now embarking on a major transformation of the child welfare system through the Foster Care Redesign and our Neighborhood Resource Center in Northeast Gainesville. DCF and PSF are working together with Casey Family Programs, community residents and numerous, government, community, and faith based partners to divert children from foster care and help strengthen families. Our ultimate goal is to reduce the number of children in care by 50 percent by 2012 through prevention of child abuse and neglect and timely permanency.