Privatization of Child Welfare Services in the U.S.A. Current Policy in Historical Context

This article analyses historical trends in privatization
of child welfare services in the United States, including
children’s homes, foster family care, and adoption. It also
considers how professionalization and deprofessionalization
of child welfare services have varied with shifts in the dominant
auspices for the provision of social services.
Rebecca L. Hegar is Professor of Social Work at
the University of Texas at Arlington. She is the
author of numerous articles and chapters and of
two books in the fi elds of child welfare and family
policy.