Child Welfare Scholar

 Addendum to Field Learning Contract

.pdf version for printing

  We are asking you to make the following additions to your field learning contract in order to learn what specific child welfare knowledge and skills are parts of your field placement.  We are evaluating our M.S.W. curriculum (courses and field) to learn where specific child welfare competencies may be taught.  If it is not possible to incorporate the following items into your learning contract, please not why it is not possible.

  Please include the following items in appropriate area or as an addendum to your learning contract.  You can adapt the information as relevant to your placement (Field I/II).  If you think any of these items do not pertain to your agency, please make a note of that and discuss the information with your field supervisor so that you understand to what agency(s) or clients the items do relate.

  Include the following in your learning contract:

 

1)             The field agency description should describe clearly the child welfare services provided by your unit and the agency

2)             Describe clients who receive child welfare services from your agency.  What % of the clients on your caseload (or % of the agency's clients) are "IV-E eligible"? (You may need to discuss "IV-E eligibility" with your MSW supervisor or administrators of the agency in order to answer this item)

 

3)             Identification and assessment of child abuse and neglect:

a) Discuss the risk assessment instruments (if any) used in your agency
b) Discuss the process of risk assessment with appropriate workers, including discussion of risk factors, behavioral and emotional indicators of neglect, and cultural/racial issues considered in assessment.

 

4)             Knowledge of community:  Describe, and discuss with your field supervisor, the roles and responsibilities of the following in relation to child welfare/child protection in the community.

A  Your field agency
B.  Schools
C.  Law Enforcement
D.  Courts, prosecutors, agency attorneys
E.  Health Care System
F. Specialized agencies, e.g. for sexual abuse, crisis nurseries, foster care, etc

5) Understand the impact of domestic violence on child welfare cases and strategies for responding effectively.
Complete at least 10 hours of domestic violence activities to enhance this understanding from a list of opportunities provided to child welfare scholars. (e.g., training, observation of court hearings, observing groups, touring community agencies).

 

updated August 2009