Separating children from their families is a traumatic experience. When children must be removed from their families and placed in out-of-home care, one of the ways to mitigate that trauma is to place the child in the best possible setting, right from the start. Across the country, child protection agencies have developed ways to secure the most appropriate first placement for children who come into care: with families. Placement with families reduces trauma for the child and decreases reliance on congregate care settings.