Mariscal, E. SusanaVictor, Bryan G.Elliot, Jenna M.Smith, Jamie K.Ashirifi, Gifty D.Commodore-Mensah, Miriam M.2023-10-062023-10-062023-06-12Mariscal ES, Victor BG, Elliot J, Smith J, Ashirifi G, Commodore - Mensah M. Community- and systems-level factors that contribute to foster care entry: Perspectives from child-serving professionals. Journal of Public Child Welfare. 2023;0(0):1-24. doi:10.1080/15548732.2023.2224771https://hdl.handle.net/1805/36200Discussions around reasons for foster care entry primarily focus on family-level service needs. However, families exist within social environments that can either increase or reduce risk for foster care entry. This qualitative study draws on interviews (n = 27), focus groups (n = 7), and open-ended survey responses (n = 548) from child-serving professionals in Indiana to identify community- and systems-level factors contributing to entry. Through qualitative coding we identified eight themes at the community- and systems-levels that direct attention toward modifiable dimensions of the social environment that can serve as targets for policy and practice reform.en-USFoster care entryRisk and protective factorsProfessional perspectivesCommunitySystemsArticle