Over the past 20 years, Children's Bureau-funded services have adapted in response to new legislation and research, changes in standards of best practice, and emerging needs in the field of child welfare. Building on the prior work of the National Child Welfare Resource Centers and Child Welfare Implementation Centers, the Children's Bureau launched the new Child Welfare Capacity Building Collaborative. The Collaborative is a partnership among three centers—the Center for States, Center for Tribes, and Center for Courts. This new structure consolidates services that had previously been organized by topical area and geographic region in an attempt to increase coordination, leverage resources, and provide more strategic service provision.

The Collaborative is designed to help public child welfare agencies, Tribes, and courts enhance and mobilize the human and organizational assets necessary to meet Federal standards and requirements; improve child welfare practice and administration; and achieve safety, permanency, and well-being outcomes for children, youth, and families.