Child Welfare Training and the CFSR Process

1
Child Welfare Training and the CFSR Process

• Krista Thomas
• Childrens Bureau 2008
• with material from Linda Mitchells 05/07
  presentation for the NRCOI Peer Training call

2
Current Status from Round 2

• 32 States were reviewed in FFYs 2007 and 2008
• Of the findings that are currently available
• 9 States were found to be in substantial
  conformity with the Training Systemic Factor
• 5 States were found not to be in substantial
  conformity with the Training Systemic Factor

3
Items Rated and Sources of Information

• 3 items in the Training Systemic Factor
• Initial Training
• On-going Training
• Foster and Adoptive Parent Training
• Information gathered from the Statewide
  Assessment and Stakeholder Interviews

4
Importance of the Statewide Assessment

• The Statewide Assessment must include
• Description of your training system
• Requirements for new worker, on-going worker, and
  foster/adoptive parent training and how
  information is tracked regarding completion of
  training
• How the State evaluates the effectiveness of the
  training system and the results of that
  evaluation

5
Key Questions for SWA

• What are the State requirements for initial,
  on-going, and foster/adoptive parent training?
• Do caseworkers receive cases before completing
  initial training?
• How long does it take to get through new worker
  training and at what point are cases assigned?
  How is completion of training tracked and what
  happens if training is not completed?
• Talk with your colleagues at the county/local
  level to find out what they are experiencing to
  see if it corresponds with State policy
• Is there initial supervisor training?

6
Key Questions for SWA

• If the State contracts out case management to
  private agencies, what are the requirements for
  private agency workers?
• Can private agency workers access state agency
  worker training? If private agencies conduct
  their own training, are training requirements,
  content, and quality comparable to the State?
• Is there a set curriculum for on-going training
  and a required number of hours for annual
  training?
• Does the state provide the training, or are
  community resources used?
• Are caseworkers responsible for finding training
  to fulfill their requirements?
• Are training opportunities available equally in
  all areas of the State?
• How are training needs assessed?

7
Key Questions for SWA

• How does the State track whether or not training
  requirements are completed timely?
• What data does the State have demonstrating
  timely completion of training requirements?
• How are private agency caseworker training hours
  tracked?
• Are there waitlists to get into training?
• What happens if workers do not fulfill their
  training requirements?
• If training happens at the local or regional
  level, how does the State ensure that training
  requirements are being met Statewide?

8
Key Questions for SWA

• How does the State measure the effectiveness of
  initial, on-going, and foster/adoptive parent
  training?
• Does the State do pre/post testing?
• If so, please provide aggregate data
• Does the State utilize other evaluation models?
• Describe the model(s) and provide aggregate data
• Are there QA results specifically addressing
  training?
• How do you know workers and caregivers are
  learning what they need to be learning?
• How do you determine training needs?
• How does the State make adjustments to training
  curricula as new or different needs are
  presented?
• How are QA results used to inform adjustments
  needed in training?

9
Training Concerns from 2nd Round

• Initial training
• New hires are not consistently completing
  training before they assume a caseload
• Private agency caseworkers are not consistently
  being trained, and/or or private agency training
  (content, duration) is not adequate
• Training is not meeting the needs of staff and
  they are unprepared to work with families, e.g.
  often focus on knowledge but also need to focus
  on skills
• States are not effectively tracking training
  completion

10
Training Concerns from 2nd Round

• Ongoing training
• Some states do not have on-going training
  requirements
• Staff are not consistently meeting on-going
  training requirements in States that have them
• Training is not accessible in all jurisdictions
  within a State
• Training opportunities are not meeting the needs
  of caseworkers and supervisors

11
Training Concerns from 2nd Round

• Foster and Adoptive Parent Training
• Children are sometimes being placed before foster
  parents have completed training
• Foster, adoptive, and kinship training is not
  standardized throughout the state and there is
  lack of accountability to ensure quality of the
  training
• Initial and on-going training is not effectively
  preparing caregivers for parenting the children
  placed in their care

12
Role of Training Staff in CFSR GET INVOLVED

• Participate in the development of the SWA and
  ensure that the key information is included
• Participate in the on-site review
• The opportunity will allow you to see training
  deficits in caseworker practice
• Participate in PIP development and implementation
• States will employ new strategies or initiatives
  that will require training staff involvement,
  ALSO
• Examine where training curricula will need to be
  developed or reformed to support overarching
  state strategies or improvement goals

13

• THE END
• Thank you for all that you do to support your
  State in effectively working with children and
  families