Promising Innovations in Child Welfare Education: Findings From a National Initiative

Abstract

For many years, schools of social work have engaged in partnerships, especially with public child welfare agencies, to prepare a competent and professional child welfare workforce through the mechanism of Title IV-E training. In 2008 the National Child Welfare Workforce Institute (NCWWI) established an additional resource for preparing students in social work schools for child welfare practice. Twelve NCWWI traineeship programs supported a diverse group of BSW and MSW students from 2008 to 2013 and prepared them for client-centered practice informed by child welfare and leadership competencies. This article highlights a curriculum innovation in an MSW program and a field innovation in a BSW program that were designed to increase the readiness of BSW and MSW students for child welfare practice.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Virginia C. Strand

Virginia C. Strand is professor at Fordham University.

Alan J. Dettlaff

Alan J. Dettlaff is dean and Maconda Brown O’Connor Endowed Dean’s Chair at University of Houston.

Margaret Counts-Spriggs

Margaret Counts-Spriggs is associate professor and director of BSW program at Clark Atlanta University.