Child Welfare

Child welfare is characterized by the well-being of minor children under the age of 18. Agencies responsible for child welfare work to ensure that children are in safe environments with all the resources necessary to receive appropriate care. Child welfare agencies also work with children who are not in safe circumstances to change their situations and remove them from adults who cannot properly care for them. Child welfare can encompass any number of actions, from addressing neglect to getting children access to the resources they need for proper food, clothing or education. In addition to providing proper care for children, child welfare ensures permanency for children in their living conditions and increased ability to address issues of disparities, socioeconomic challenges and more.

Child benefitting from child welfare policies rely on professionals in this field to help them, as well as those adults with a vested interest in assuring the safety and well-being of children in their lives. Child welfare also means taking steps to ensure that children cannot be exploited, which is a growing issue with globalization as it relates to human trafficking. As such, it is important to allocate resources and create policies directed towards child welfare. Children represent future generations, and as such, should be protected to ensure continued growth and perpetuation of the human population.