Almost twenty years ago, conceptual work began in the United Kingdom on what was to become the international Looking After Children initiative. Looking After Children has had a profound influence on child welfare in Canada and some fifteen other countries, including the UK, Australia, Sweden, and Hungary. It has sharpened the developmental focus and improved the quality of services for children and adolescents who, because of abuse, neglect, extreme poverty, or other circumstances, live in out-of-home care. With its emphasis on high expectations, positive substitute parenting, and good short-term and long-term outcomes, Looking After Children has been an important vehicle for promoting resilience in child welfare, one that will remain a beneficial influence in Canada and internationally for many years to come.

Robert J. Flynn is Professor of Psychology and Director of the Centre for Research on Community Services at the University of Ottawa (Ottawa, Ontario, Canada).

Peter M. Dudding is Executive Director of the Child Welfare league of Canada (Ottawa, Ontario, Canada).

James G. Barber, formerly Dean of the Faculty of Social Work at the University of Toronto, is now Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Provost) of RMIT University (Melbourne, Victoria, Australia).