Citizen Review Panels

Strategies provides technical assistance and training programs to California's three Citizen Review Panels. Citizen Review Panels are made up of members of the community who play an oversight role in ensuring the state's Child Welfare System protects children from abuse and neglect and meets their permanency needs.

The citizen review panel goals include:

To assist the Child Protection Service Agency to evaluate the extent to which it is fulfilling its child protection responsibilities in accordance with the state Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act (CAPTA) plan.
To consult with the Child Protection Service Agency, reviewing other criteria considered important to ensure the protection of children.
To prepare and make available to the public an annual report containing a summary of the activities of the panel.
To review the consistency of practice and compliance with stated policies.
To analyze trends, provide valuable insights that those working within the system may miss and provide feedback on what is or isn't working.
To make recommendations for policy changes.
To provide outside validation of the achievements of the system and the efforts of the staff.
To increase community understanding, ownership, and investment in child protection
To promote cooperation among community resources and child protection services.
To advocate for needed resources to achieve the protection of children from abuse and neglect and ensure permanent homes for children in a timely manner.

For more information about Citizen Review Panels, please contact Annette Marcus.