Child welfare supervisors empowered through MSW education: graduates of a statewide title IV-E MSW program for public child welfare supervisors describe their learning

ABSTRACT

This paper describes a study of a statewide Title IV-E program that provides support for currently employed child welfare supervisors to obtain an MSW degree. The program’s purpose is to strengthen the practice of supervision in the state’s public child welfare system. This study examines the program’s effectiveness in meeting its objectives, as evaluated by a survey of the first cohorts of program graduates. Responses to this survey indicate that the program is preparing supervisors with the tools they need to provide more effective supervision to their workers.

KEYWORDS:

• Title IV-E
• public child welfare
• child welfare supervision
• MSW education
• university-public child welfare agency partnerships

Acknowledgments

This research was supported by the New Jersey Department of Children and Families and Title IV-E funds. The researcher acknowledges the support provided by administration, faculty and staff of Stockton University and its Child Welfare Education Institute (especially Dr. Dawn Konrady, Joseph Everett, Dr. Robin Hernandez-Mekonnen, Dr. Maya Lewis, and John Searight); our partners at other participating universities (Monmouth University and Rutgers University); the New Jersey Department of Children and Families and its Division of Child Protection and Permanency; and the New Jersey Chapter of the National Association of Social Workers. The researcher also expresses appreciation to the MCWEP graduates who generously shared their thoughts on program effectiveness.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the State of New Jersey Department of Children and Families [State Contract 12AAAR-19AAAR].

Notes on contributors

Diane S. Falk

Diane S. Falk is Professor Emerita of Social Work at Stockton University, Galloway, N.J., where she was the founding Director of the MSW program and Principal Investigator of the Child Welfare Education Institute.