Social-Emotional Screening Protocol Implementation: A Trauma-Informed Response for Young Children in Child Welfare

Adverse childhood experiences in young children result in negative outcomes as trauma affects brain development. In child welfare services, early recognition of delayed social-emotional skills and treatment referral is essential in reducing the effects of trauma. This quality improvement pilot project implemented an evidence-based social-emotional screening protocol using the Ages and Stages Questionnaire: Social Emotional-2 screening tool for very young children placed in out-of-home care through the county's child welfare system. Findings showed significant improvement in identification of children younger than 3 years with social-emotional concerns (p < .0001) and significant improvement in referral of those children positively identified (p = .0130). Ongoing use of the protocol was recommended, because it showed improved identification and referral for young children in the child welfare system with social-emotional concerns that were potentially trauma related. Further collaboration between child protective services, pediatric medical systems, and pediatric mental health systems is needed to facilitate trauma-informed care for children in the child welfare system.