Child Welfare League of America

The Child Welfare League of America (CWLA) is the oldest child welfare organization in the United States. The organization's primary objective is to "Make Children a National Priority. The CWLA is the trusted authority for professionals who work with children and the only national organization with members from both public and private agencies, providing unique access and influence to all sectors of the children’s services field.

Founded in 1921 as a federation of approximately 70 service-providing organizations, the first director of the CWLA, C. C. Carstens, was a well established national child welfare leader and opponent of institutional care for children. Originally located in New York City, the CWLA moved to Washington, D.C. in 1985. In 2008 the organization introduced a bill in the U.S. Congress that would host the White House Conference on Children and Youth by 2010.