Child Welfare Traineeships

There is evidence that professionally educated social workers are better prepared for child welfare work, stay longer, and influence organizations to support best practices. This service of the NCWWI promotes specialized social work education through innovatively structured traineeships. The intent of NCWWI traineeships is to increase the knowledge and skills of individual stipend recipients, address the workforce challenges of local child welfare systems, and build the capacity of college and university social work programs to prepare students for positive, culturally competent, and productive careers in child welfare.

studentsThe NCWWI is implementing BSW and MSW traineeship programs in partnership with twelve universities. Please click here for the full list, here for the complete summary report on all 12 NCWWI traineeships, or on the hyperlinks in the menu on the left to learn more about any of the 12 projects.

These universities provide funding for current or prospective child welfare practitioners enrolled in their BSW or MSW programs. The traineeship projects develop educational experiences that teach and reinforce core competencies in areas of child welfare practice and leadership to assist public and tribal agencies recruit and retain qualified staff. Trainees participate in a field placements at a child welfare agency, enroll in relevant courses to prepare for professional service and leadership in child welfare, and work in child welfare agencies upon graduation.

Social work programs with NCWWI traineeships:

  • Innovate and improve their child welfare curricular offerings;
  • Provide additional supports for trainees that assist in completion of degrees and retention in the field of child welfare;
  • Participate in a multi-site evaluation; and,
  • Participate in peer networks.

Traineeship programs are particularly attentive to addressing diversity within the workforce, local agency workforce needs, preparing future leaders, and understanding Systems of Care principles.

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