ABSTRACT
This chapter outlines the implications of moving the child welfare field beyond the common-sense appeal of well-being and onto firmer footing. Children who are otherwise normal in a developmental sense could spiral in another direction if the home environment turns unstable over even a short period of time, depending of course on when in the unfolding trajectory the instability occurs. Broadly speaking, the foster care data support the view that a developmental perspective is critical to understanding that uses the child welfare system and how well-being fits within the broader policy context. The child welfare system in the United States has served three developmentally distinct populations: children starting out, children starting school, and children starting adolescence. The mere fact that so many children are reported for maltreatment during the most critical developmental periods signifies why the system has to take a holistic view of children, their families, and the communities where they live.
