Developing adaptive change leaders in child welfare

ABSTRACT

This is a time in the field of child welfare when extraordinary family challenges and dramatic changes in policy and funding impose intense pressure for evolution in child welfare agency policy and practice. Skilled leaders are needed to guide this evolution. Yet many managers in child welfare arrive at their positions with little or no training in leadership or management, particularly the type required for this unique and demanding sector of human services. The training that is available typically lacks a strong empirical foundation. This article presents an empirically tested intervention: a multicomponent leadership academy based on adaptive change leadership principles, offered to mid-level managers in public, private, and tribal child welfare. Authors describe the methods used for both developmental (formative) evaluation and evaluation of effectiveness. Results are positive and significant across multiple domains, showing the lasting impact of the leadership academy over time for participating child welfare managers.

KEYWORDS:

• Leadership
• administration and supervision
• child welfare
• organizations/systems
• workforce issues

Notes

1. This instrument, copyright © 2010 by Dale Curry, Michael Lawler, and Jann Donnenwirth, may be used by obtaining permission from the authors. Primary contact: Dale Curry—[email protected].

Additional information

Funding

This research was funded through the National Child Welfare Workforce Institute (NCWWI), which is funded through a Cooperative Agreement with U.S. DHHS, Administration for Children and Families, Children’s Bureau, (Award No. 90CT7002).

Notes on contributors

Robin Leake

Dr. Robin Leake, Ph.D., is a Research Associate Professor at the Graduate School of Social Work at the University of Denver with over 20 years of experience in social science and intervention research and evaluation, with an emphasis on implementation of evidence-based, trauma-informed practice, organizational and workforce development. Dr, Leake is the Project Director for the National Child Welfare Workforce Institute (NCWWI) funded by the ACF to strengthen the child welfare workforce, and also the Children’s Bureau Capacity Building Center for Tribes, which supports tribal child welfare programs in implementing evidence-informed programs that serve children and families.

Katharine Cahn

Katharine Cahn, PhD, MSW, is an Associate Professor of Practice at Portland State University's School of Social Work where she directs the Center for Improvement of Child & Family Services. She has over 30 years' experience in training, consultation, and program evaluation to advance public and tribal child welfare across the Pacific Northwest and nationally. The focus of Dr. Cahn's work is leadership (supervision and management), systems change implementation, racial equity, family support/prevention, and elevation of youth and parent voice. Prior to her current position, Dr. Cahn directed the Northwest Institute for Children and Families at the University of Washington. She was the Principal Investigator for the Leadership Academy for Middle Managers during the 8 years of development and testing described in the accompanying article and currently serves on the National Advisory Group for NCWWI.

Amy Grenier

Amy Grenier, MPA, is a Research Associate at the Butler Institute for Families at the University of Denver. Amy has over four years research and evaluation experience in child welfare workforce development, including supporting longitudinal training evaluations and organizational health assessments. Amy holds a B.A. from the University of Georgia, an MPA from the University of Colorado Denver, and is pursuing a Master’s in Research Methods and Statistics from the University of Denver. Through this work, Amy hopes to strengthen child and family serving systems, particularly to support the important work of the child welfare workforce.

Deborah Reed

Deborah Reed is a consultant the National Child Welfare Workforce Institute. She has retired as Assistant Professor of Practice at Portland State University, School of Social Work September 2018 where she managed the Leadership Academy for Middle Managers at the Center for Improvement of Child and Family Services between 2010 and 2018. Prior to that Deborah worked for Washington States’ Department of Social and Health Services, Children’s Administration, Division of Management and Accountability as Statewide Program Manager. While at the Children’s Administration Deborah served as statewide Supervisor of Placement and Permanency Services (included Foster Care, Adoption and Guardianship Programs), Project Manager for the CFSR, Program Manager for Field Operations- Risk Management, Case Manager (CPS and CWS), and Social Work Supervisor. She began her career working in residential treatment facilities in Oregon and has over 30 years of experience in both public and private child welfare agencies as a clinician and a manager. Deborah is particularly interested in systems change that supports integrated programs and policies most likely to achieve sustainable change.

Shauna Rienks

Shauna Rienks, Ph.D., is a Research Associate Professor at the Graduate School of Social Work and Senior Research Analyst at the Butler Institute for Families at the University of Denver. She has more than 15 years of experience in research design, development and testing of measurement tools, and qualitative and quantitative data analyses in the fields of child welfare workforce development; child development; family relationships and well-being across the lifespan; and social determinants of health. Through this work, she hopes to improve the health and well-being of children and families and the workforce that serves them.