Moving Child Welfare Forward
Achieving Positive Outcomes for Children, Youth and Families

Learning Objectives/Course Competencies

Students successfully completing all the classes in this unit will be expected to:

1. Understand the social, political and legislative forces that shaped the child welfare system in the United States
2. Describe current child welfare practice models
3. Explain the role of the courts in the child welfare system
4. Implement productive collaboration approaches at the case, service and organizational levels
5. Apply skills that build commitment to change at the personal, client and organizational levels
6. Locate, interpret and use child welfare data to document state and national progress toward meeting child and family outcomes
7. Employ successful advocacy techniques for casework and policy development/ implementation.

Suggested Capstone Assignment

Students will be asked to identify the key themes in the book The Lost Children of Wilder: The Epic Struggle to Change Foster Care and write a 7 page paper analyzing the themes using the practice principles contained in ‘A Practice-Based Planning Framework for Bringing the Child Welfare Team Together’ (Source: Bringing Together the Child Welfare Team, pgs 4.33-4.34, Trainer’s Guide, September 27, 2002. Available on the internet at: http://www.muskie.usm.maine.edu/asfa.) The principles say that child welfare practice should be:

• child focused
• family centered
• comprehensive
• community based
• outcome-based and
• culturally responsive.

Acknowledgements

During the development of this syllabus, many talented individuals with expertise in child welfare, training and adult education advised the Muskie project team. We appreciate and value the professionalism, wisdom, time and materials they generously shared. This syllabus could not have been completed without their support, effort, good humor and patience. Our sincere thanks go to:

Irene Becker, San Diego State University
Rebecca Bogard, Oklahoma Department of Human Services
Mark Carson, Oklahoma Department of Human Services
Vincent Faherty, University of Southern Maine
Carolyn Fowler, Department of Family Services, County of Fairfax, Fairfax, Virginia
Mona Gil de Gibaja, California State University, Los Angles
Tonya M. Glantz, RI Child Welfare Institute
Lori M. Herz, RI Child Welfare Institute
Eileen Lally, University of Alaska Anchorage
Margie Poorman, Iowa Department of Human Services
Kris Sahonchik, Muskie School of Public Service
Becky Thomas, Cuyahoga County Department of Children and Family Services
Kathryn Wehrman, Illinois State University

Introduction

Objectives

Class 1 Content

Class 2 Content

Class 3 Content

Class 4 Content

Class 5 Content

Class 6 Content

Class 7 Content

Class 8 Content

Class 9 Content