Community involvement critical says child welfare expert

Christine James-Brown, president and chief executive officer of the Child Welfare League of America (CWLA), says that if the upcoming 2010 White House Conference on Children and Youth is as successful as years before, as many as 1,000 local gatherings will take place to identify problems and solutions for neglected and abused children in the foster care system. James-Brown emphasizes that a critical component of foster care is community involvement. (0:40)
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Social work expert attributes rural child welfare success to 'culture of self-reliance'

Professor Gary Nelson from the University of North Carolina School of Social Work attributes rural counties' equal, if not better, performance in child welfare compared to urban areas to a 'culture of self-reliance.' Nelson says people hold themselves accountable to systems which they are given the freedom to design and that 'people work with people to make things happen.' (0:47)
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Rep. Cooper says 'every state is failing' child welfare

At a symposium on child welfare reform, Representative Jim Cooper (D-Tenn.) wishes America could do more to help child welfare. Cooper considers it the most broken area of federal law with around 520,000 children suffering under the system. While Cooper appreciates the efforts of social workers, he says that 'every state is failing.' (0:51)
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