CWDS Glossary
The CWDS Glossary includes a List of Acronyms and defined terms captured from various models, reports, and other artifacts pertaining to the Child Welfare System – California Automated Response and Engagement System (CWS-CARES) Project. The Glossary standardizes terms used across the various project disciplines; each term is defined with its meaning specific to the project domain.
The State may update the CWDS Glossary at any time. Any questions please contact CWDS Communications.
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
Child Protective Services (CPS)
An official county agency having the responsibility to receive and respond to allegations of suspected child abuse and neglect, determine the validity of the allegations, and provide services to protect and serve children and their families.
Children and Family Services Review (CFSR)
One of the self-evaluation reviews performed by state and county governments. Their submission enables the Children's Bureau to ensure conformity with federal child welfare requirements, to gauge the experiences of children, youth, and families receiving state CWS, and to assist states as they enhance their capacity to help families achieve positive outcomes.
Children’s Research Center (CRC)
A division of the National Council on Crime and Delinquency (NCCD) that provides the Safe Measures Service and Structured Decision Making.
Children’s Residential Program (CR)
The program within CCLD that licenses homes and facilities that provide 24-hour care and supervision to children.
Child Welfare Agency
A county child welfare agency, probation agency or approved Title IV-E tribe that provides services directed toward protecting and promoting the welfare of children.
Child Welfare Contributing Agency (CWCA)
A public or private entity that, by contract or agreement with the title IV-E agency, provides child abuse and neglect investigations, placements, or child welfare case management (or any combination of these) to children and families. Counties in county-administered states are not considered Child Welfare Contributing Agencies.
Child Welfare (CW) Worker/staff (CW)
Child Welfare staff employed by the State, counties (Child Welfare and Probation) or tribes to provide a full range of necessary services to a child or family.
Child Welfare Digital Services (CWDS)
CWDS is a collaboration of California state and local government agencies that supports our customers through technology to assure the safety, permanency, and well-being of children at risk of abuse, neglect, or exploitation. CWDS maintains and operates the existing Child Welfare Services / Case Management System (CWS/CMS), including implementation of operational changes to that system. In the context of the (CWS-CARES) Project, CWDS is developing a new technology platform and set of digital services that will be rolled out and trained incrementally over the next few years.
Child Welfare Services (CWS)
Public social services directed toward protecting and promoting the welfare of children as defined by Welfare and Institutions Code Section 16501(a).
Child Welfare Services - California Automated Response and Engagement System (CWS-CARES)
This is the new system being developed for the State of California to comply with Comprehensive Child Welfare Information System (CCWIS) requirements.
CWS-CARES will be a modern, web-based computing infrastructure that is flexible, scalable and based on industry enterprise architecture framework concepts.
CWS-CARES will consolidate functionalities that are in various systems into a single system and include multiple interfaces with other applications, thus providing CWS workers with critical case information more efficiently.