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Equipping the child welfare workforce to improve the well-being of children

Richard P. Barth (University of Maryland School of Social Work, Baltimore, Maryland, USA)
Bethany R. Lee (School of Social Work, University of Maryland, Baltimore, Maryland, USA)
Mary Theresa Hodorowicz (School of Social Work, University of Maryland, Baltimore, Maryland, USA)

Journal of Children's Services

ISSN: 1746-6660

Article publication date: 18 September 2017

354

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to discuss ways of equipping the child welfare (CW) workforce to improve the well-being of children through graduate education and post-MSW training.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper analyses the barriers to providing mental health (MH) services to vulnerable children and families and discusses three evidence-based ways of overcoming them.

Findings

Child and family social workers need to do more than case management if they are to influence the well-being of the children and families they seek to help. A variety of methods is necessary to implement this changed role and three initiatives – Partnering for Success, Motivational Interviewing for Child Welfare Trainees and Training Adoption-Competent Welfare Professionals – show promising results. CW workers can learn to implement evidence-informed MH practices with high fidelity.

Research limitations/implications

None of the studies are controlled studies.

Practical implications

The paper offers innovative ideas about workforce implications and implementation strategies.

Social implications

Abused and neglected children’s well-being is deserving of more effective methods.

Originality/value

The paper provides details of three innovative evidence-based projects – national models in the USA – concerned with promoting children’s well-being.

Keywords

Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank Nancy Dickinson, Debra Linsenmeyer and Leslie Rozeff for their assistance improving this manuscript.

Citation

Barth, R.P., Lee, B.R. and Hodorowicz, M.T. (2017), "Equipping the child welfare workforce to improve the well-being of children", Journal of Children's Services, Vol. 12 No. 2-3, pp. 211-220. https://doi.org/10.1108/JCS-05-2017-0017

Publisher

:

Emerald Publishing Limited

Copyright © 2017, Emerald Publishing Limited

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