AGENCY LINKS Texas Department of Family and Protective Services Report Child Abuse 1-800-252-5400 Child Protective Services Foster Care & Adoption Prevention & Early Intervention Texas Attorney General Open Meetings & Open Records Training (required for all members of public boards—includes county child welfare boards— within 90 days of appointment) Texas Legislature Who represents me? Bill lookup Statutes Greater Texas Community Partners Annual Conference co-sponsored by TCCWB Rainbow Rooms Prevent Child Abuse Texas Fact Sheets Link to TexProtects advocacy network Child Welfare Information Gateway Numerous resources from USHHS Children’s Bureau (formerly provided by National Clearinghouse on Child Abuse & Neglect Information and the National Adoption Information Clearinghouse)   TCCWB does not accept responsibility for content on other Websites and makes no warranty as to accuracy of data.		About Us Who we are Founded in 1978 the Texas Council of Child Welfare Boards’ mission is to support a statewide network of volunteers concerned with the welfare of children, especially those suffering from abuse and neglect. Our 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization is led by a board of directors representing 11 regional councils and over 200 county child welfare boards. What we do Through coordinated training, communication, and advocacy, TCCWB seeks to strengthen the efforts of more than 2000 volunteers appointed by county commissioners’ courts to work in cooperation with state agency staff who deliver the Child Protective Services program at the grass-roots level. County boards contribute 20-30 million dollars annually to meet children’s needs that cannot be met by the limited state funding of the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services. Members advocate at the local, state and national level for children who have no voice. TCCWB works with DFPS and others to develop resources, programs and strategies to enhance services to vulnerable children and families. Leaders from the regional councils come together in the capital three to four times yearly with DFPS staff for educational programs and to share information and strategies to provide for the safety and well being of children. Financial support is provided by DFPS, private donations, grants, and fundraising activities. Accomplishments Significant accomplishments include an annual statewide training conference for volunteers and CPS staff, an updated training power point with audio, county board orientation resource manual, a Web site as well as promotional activities for nationally recognized months for child abuse prevention, foster care and adoption. Our "stop child abuse" license plate now promotes public concern for children and enhances funding for county boards to provide for the needs of children in substitute care. Our annual awards event, during the conference, honors outstanding volunteers and other champions for children including a special recognition of youth in foster care for exemplary achievement. Past achievements include development of a parenting newsletter distributed through the state health agency, promotion of jury fee donations to county child welfare boards for children’s needs and successful support for tuition waivers to state supported colleges for foster youth. Partnerships Collaboration with state agencies and other nonprofits is an effective use of financial and human resources in our mutual efforts for children. Greater Texas Community Partners, TexProtects and the Texas Foster Families Association are represented at TCCWB meetings, and TCCWB liaisons attend meetings of other groups. We co-sponsor a training conference with Greater Texas Community Partners each October, attracting 200+ volunteers and professionals from around the state. History of Child Welfare Boards Child protective laws and services have roots in English Common Law beginning with the Orphan’s Court of Medieval England. The Apprenticeship Law was passed in 1848 followed by the Juvenile Dependency and Neglect Act enacted in 1907. In response to the Great Depression, Texas created the Division of Child Welfare Services under the State Board of Control in 1931. This law allowed county commissioners’ courts to appoint boards of seven to 15 persons to coordinate community services for the protection of children. The boards often provided services themselves with consultation and supervision from a small group of professional staff. In the following decades federal, state and county participation in services to abused and neglected children increased. In 1965 Texas authorized the Department of Public Welfare in response to the Social Security Act’s requirements for federal funds, and the state legislature appropriated funds for foster care services in 1979. Today CPS is a state-administered program under the Health and Human Services Commission’s Department of Family and Protective Services; however, counties also provide some level of funding for foster children’s needs through the development of child welfare boards. Regional councils originated in 1976. An organizational meeting was held in Austin in 1977, and the Texas Council of Child Welfare Boards began operating in 1978.			TCCWB Donation Form Click here to download PDF Some PDFs can be large. If accessing site by phone modem, it may take several minutes to download. Web Site Survey TCCWB wants your feedback!  Please take a moment to complete a survey about our Web site.  We are continually working to expand and enhance the Web site, and appreciate your comments and suggestions.  Thank you for your honest input.  Click here to take survey. Regional Contacts For information on county child welfare boards or regional child welfare advisory councils, feel free to contact your regional CPS Community Initiatives Specialist (see link of this page below if you need contact information).
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