Project Overview

The Texas Department of Family and Protective Services contracted with the Texas Institute for Child & Family Wellbeing (TXICFW) to lead a Continuous Quality Assurance and Improvement (CQAI) process for the Texas Child Centered Care (T3C) initiative. This project aims to support the implementation of T3C, a transformative service model for the Texas foster care system. To achieve this goal, TXICFW will provide continuous data-driven evaluation and improvement. Ultimately, this project seeks to ensure the safety, well-being, and permanency of children in care.

Project Purpose & Design

The T3C initiative represents a major reform in Texas’s foster care system. Rather than focusing on the intensity of children’s behaviors, the initiative will align services with the unique needs of children. To guide the implementation of T3C, DFPS contracted TXICFW to lead a CQAI process. This process follows a structured cycle using the Plan-Do-Study-Act (PDSA) framework. In effect, this approach combines systematic data collection, analysis, and stakeholder feedback to promote ongoing improvement.

TXICFW will collect data through qualitative interviews, focus groups, surveys, and secondary administrative data analysis. In doing so, researchers will engage a broad range of stakeholders, including DFPS staff, community organizations, providers, and individuals with lived experience in foster care. Ultimately, this research aims to identify barriers and strengths in implementation, integrate stakeholder insights into decision-making, and ensure that T3C’s child-centered approach enhances safety, permanency, and well-being for children in Texas foster care. By leveraging continuous feedback and data-driven strategies, the project will build a responsive system that sustainably improves outcomes for Texas children and families.

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