CWLA 2026 Conference

The Child Welfare League of America (CWLA) will host their 2026 conference from April 20 to April 22, 2026 in Arlington, Virginia. This conference is a national gathering of policymakers, practitioners, researchers, and advocates focused on improving outcomes for children and families across systems. With sessions on prevention, family engagement, early intervention, and cross-system collaboration, the CWLA conference provides a platform to share evidence-informed practices and build partnerships. TANF program staff can connect with child welfare and community leaders to explore cross-system strategies that support both family stability and economic self-sufficiency and discover innovative tools and frameworks that can enhance services for families navigating work, caregiving, and wellbeing. There is a registration fee for participation.

Record Type
Posting Date
Combined Date
Sponsor
The Child Welfare League of America
Location
1700 Richmond Highway
Arlington, VA 22202
OFA Initiatives
Section/Feed Type
Latest Information from Network (Home)
Event Date
-

2026 KinFirst Convening: Rooted in Kin, Growing Together

Kinnect will host the 2026 KinFirst convening on March 27, 2026 in Newark, Ohio to bring together child welfare leaders, kinship support advocates, and community partners to explore how systems can better center families and kin caregivers in decisions that affect children’s lives. The event will focus on strategies for strengthening kinship placements, building caregiver capacity, and fostering supportive networks that help children thrive. The convening offers opportunities to learn about innovative kin-support models, deepen partnerships with kinship and child welfare providers, and identify ways TANF services can align with kin-centered approaches to enhance family stability and economic wellbeing. There is a registration fee for participation.

Record Type
Posting Date
Combined Date
Sponsor
Kinnect
Location
Cherry Valley Hotel
2299 Cherry Valley Road SE, Newark, OH, 43055, US
OFA Initiatives
State
Section/Feed Type
Latest Information from Network (Home)
Event Date
-

Using Your Tribal Data to Chart Your Future

Record Description

Built on Indigenous research principles of tribal data sovereignty and reciprocity, the Survey of Native Nations leverages the Federal Reserve System’s secure data infrastructure to protect and steward tribal data. Tribes that have completed the survey are enhancing their ability to analyze their financial data and communicate their economic contributions in data-informed ways. The Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis will host a virtual event on March 3, 2026 at 1:00 p.m. CT to explore how Tribal leaders and program staff can use data to identify community priorities, guide investments, and measure progress toward economic mobility and family well-being goals.

Record Type
Combined Date
2026-03-03T14:00:00
Source
Region
City/County
Publication Date
2026-03-03
Section/Feed Type
Latest Information from Network (Home)

ACF and Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds Announce Partnership to Transform and Modernize Child Welfare Technology

Record Description

The Administration for Children and Families (ACF) and the State of Iowa are launching a first-of-its-kind partnership to modernize Iowa’s child welfare information system, creating a new, user-friendly technology platform designed to improve caseworker efficiency and strengthen services for children and families. This initiative is built on user-centered design and robust data and aims to free frontline staff from outdated systems, enabling better decision-making that supports family stability and permanency. Alongside the launch of ACF’s new Child Welfare Technology Incubator to help other states scale similar innovations, this effort aligns with broader federal goals to improve outcomes and keep families safely together.

Record Type
Combined Date
2026-02-23T00:00:00
Source
OFA Initiatives
Region
City/County
Publication Date
2026-02-23
Section/Feed Type
PeerTA Resources (OFA Initiatives)

Across the Map, Around the Table: Six FRC Models Lifting Up Kin Caregivers and Grandfamilies

Record Description

The Grandfamilies & Kinship Support Network will host a webinar on March 25, 2026 at 2:00 p.m. ET to showcase six different Family Resource Center (FRC) models that are creatively supporting kin caregivers and grandfamilies across the country, from rural and urban hubs to school-based, faith-based, and mobile programs. FRCs serve as community anchors that offer wraparound supports like parenting education, benefits navigation, peer groups, and concrete resources that help families thrive.

Record Type
Combined Date
2026-03-25T14:00:00
Source
OFA Initiatives
Region
City/County
Publication Date
2026-03-25
Section/Feed Type
Latest Information from Network (Home)

How Religion Strengthens Family Life in a Fragmented Age

Record Description

This report from the Sutherland Institute explores how religious involvement and faith communities can support family stability by fostering commitment, shared values, and social support networks. It reviews evidence suggesting that participation in faith communities is linked with stronger family cohesion and resilience. While focusing on religion’s role, the examples can help TANF programs think about the broader social supports and community connections that contribute to family well-being and how partnerships with community organizations might enhance supports for participants.

Record Type
Combined Date
2025-11-01T00:00:00
Source
OFA Initiatives
Region
City/County
Publication Date
2025-11-01
Section/Feed Type
Latest Information from Network (Home)

7 Ways States Can Strengthen Marriage and Families

Record Description

This Institute for Family Studies resource outlines seven policy approaches states can use to support marriage, family stability, and economic wellbeing — including relationship education, shared parenting supports, income policies, and community-based initiatives. For TANF programs, this resource offers concrete ideas that can inform program design, partnerships, and policy alignment, such as integrating relationship skills into employment services, coordinating with child support and parenting programs, and considering how benefits and work policies affect family stability. TANF leaders can use this perspective to identify opportunities where family-strengthening strategies and economic supports reinforce one another to improve outcomes for parents and children.

Record Type
Combined Date
2026-02-09T00:00:00
Source
OFA Initiatives
Region
City/County
Publication Date
2026-02-09
Section/Feed Type
Latest Information from Network (Home)

Rolling Out the Welcome Mat for Prevention

Record Description

This Imprint resource was co-authored by Assistant Secretary Alex Adams and highlights the importance of prevention-focused strategies in supporting families and keeping children out of more intensive systems like foster care. He argues that building strong entry points into supportive services, rather than waiting for crises, leads to better outcomes and less system involvement. The resource reinforces the value of early engagement with families, cross-system referrals, and collaboration across child welfare and community partners to help families thrive before deep instability occurs.

Record Type
Combined Date
2026-02-02T08:00:15
Source
OFA Initiatives
Region
City/County
Publication Date
2026-02-02
Section/Feed Type
Latest Information from Network (Home)

Family Routes Initiative

Record Description

The Office of Family Assistance (OFA) is excited to offer the opportunity to receive technical assistance on strengthening employment and relational outcomes for Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) participants by integrating new and effective approaches for meeting the economic and social needs of families. State and Tribal TANF programs and their partner organizations that support TANF purposes are welcome to express interest in receiving technical assistance to strengthen employment and relational outcomes of customers.

The Family Routes Initiative supports the integration of evidence-based Healthy Marriage and Responsible Fatherhood (HMRF) practices, approaches that help build and sustain healthy marriages, strengthen positive father-child interactions, and build skills employers seek (e.g., soft skills, goal setting, self-regulation, accountability, and personal responsibility).

What Does the Family Routes Initiative Offer?

Selected participants may receive:

  • Tailored assistance aligned to program goals and context
  • Support adapting evidence-based HMRF practices for local needs
  • Practical tools and resources to strengthen family outcomes

To express interest, please contact: familyroutes@deloitte.com.

Record Type
Combined Date
2026-02-11T12:00:00
Source
OFA Initiatives
Region
City/County
Publication Date
2026-02-11
Section/Feed Type
Latest Information from Network (Home)

Personal Finance for Couples: Managing Joint Finances

Record Description

This California Department of Financial Protection and Innovation guide provides practical tips for couples on managing money together. It covers how to communicate about finances, set shared goals, create a budget, and decide whether to combine or separate accounts. TANF programs can share this resource with participants to help strengthen financial communication, planning, and teamwork in households to support family stability and long-term economic security.

Record Type
Combined Date
2026-02-01T00:00:00
Source
Region
City/County
Publication Date
2026-02-01
Section/Feed Type
Latest Information from Network (Home)