A Multiple-Path Model of Workforce Development for Improving the Fidelity of Family Team Conference in the Child Welfare System

ABSTRACT

Family Team Conference (FTC) has been suggested as a promising practice model to improve child welfare outcomes. However, there is little understanding of developing an effective workforce to ensure FTC fidelity. Using data involving 891 caseworkers who implemented FTC in a Midwestern state, path analysis showed that both effective training and supervision that parallels the same principles of FTC are necessary conditions to enhance FTC fidelity either directly or indirectly by increasing caseworkers’ facilitation skills. This paper suggests that organizational readiness and ongoing support are essential for ensuring the high-quality implementation of family-centered practice in the public child welfare system.

KEYWORDS:

• Family team conference
• family meetings
• fidelity
• training
• supervision

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Indiana Department of Child Services (Grant number: A93-3-13-4F-C0-0981).

Notes on contributors

Jangmin Kim

Jangmin Kim, PhD, is an Assistant Professor in the School of Social Work at the University at Buffalo. Drawing a social justice perspective, his research focuses more on organizational interventions to promote a trauma-informed child welfare workforce, implement family-centered practice, and address racial disproportionality and disparities in the child welfare system. In addition, he is committed to developing transformative collaboration that brings multiple stakeholders together to provide effective services that enhance the well-being of historically traumatized and oppressed children, youth, and families.

Barbara Pierce

Dr. Barbara Pierce earned her BS from St. Joseph’s University (Philadelphia), MSS and MLSP from Bryn Mawr College, and PhD from Case Western Reserve University. Her areas of research interest include child welfare workforce issues, trauma education, teaching and learning, and rural social work. Dr. Pierce teaches graduate courses in child welfare and trauma, practice evaluation, and philosophy of science.