Child Welfare Workforce Development: Shared Success & Future Directions Kansas Council for Social Work Education

1. Child Welfare Workforce Development: Shared Success & Future Directions Kansas Council for Social Work Education April 5, 2013

2. Workforce Challenges & Solutions Preparation & Fit Demanding & stressful nature of child welfare work Ongoing turnover Supervision & Stress Thriving through Change Organizational climate & culture

3. RECRUITMENT:Preparation & Fit • Kansas Child Welfare Scholars Program • Child Welfare Days • Realistic Job Previews • CW Agency/SW Educator Dialogue • Teaching High School Students about Social Work and Child Welfare

4. Kansas Child Welfare Scholars Program 39 Social Workers working in Kansas Child Welfare 24 BSW or MSW students committed to Kansas CW

5. Kansas Child Welfare Scholars

6. Kansas Child Welfare Scholars Agency Scholars Student Scholars 18 Total Scholars 10 Graduates, 8 have met employment requirement or are in progress 8 in progress (good standing) 1 has delayed due to grad school, 1 has opted to pay back • 49 Total Scholars • 31 Graduates, all have met employment requirement or are in progress • 16 in progress (good standing) • 2 in default, 1 has delayed schooling

7. Realistic Job Preview(RJP) A recruitment strategy that provides job applicants with balanced information about the job to facilitate a better fit between the needs of applicants and demands of the workplace. (Graef, 2008)

8. Purpose of RJP • Provide applicants with accurate understanding of job and organization • Complex/difficult work • “Invisible positions” • Allows for informed decision making about seeking employment • Use as early in the process as possible • Increase job satisfaction and reduced turnover • High rates of early turnover

9. Child Welfare in Kansas – Where You Can Make a Difference

10. Specific Jobs in Child Welfare • Intake and Investigation • Family Preservation • Kinship • Foster Care • Foster Family Support • Adoption

12. Calendars

13. Anne-Marie’s Video Blog

14. Frequently Asked Questions • I’ve heard the child welfare system in Kansas is privatized. What does that mean? . How much time will I spend on paperwork? • How often will I have to respond to crisis situations? • How closely do social workers work with the courts and legal professionals? • How do child welfare professionals maintain balance between work and personal lives?

15. Glossary & Acronyms: How do I find out more?

16. Social Work A High School Career Path Series Where You Can Make a Difference

19. Career Path Series – Social Work • Introduction & Overview • Social Work --- Child Welfare • Realistic Job Preview – Student’s Guide • Realistic Job Preview – Teacher’s Guide • Elements of Social Work – Student’s Guide • Elements of Social Work – Teacher’s Guide • Recommended HS classes • Kansas Social Work Programs • NASW Code of Ethics & Ethical Principles

20. Ethical Principle: Service • Exercises: Understanding Poverty • Ethical Principle: Social Justice • Exercise: Tools for Dialogue • Exercise: Understanding Culture • Ethical Principle: Dignity & Worth of Person • Exercise: Nature of Respect • Ethical Principle: Human Relationships • Exercise: Connection with Family • Ethical Principle: Competence • Exercise: Observation and Documentation

21. RETENTION:Supervision & Stress • Best Practice & Bright Ideas Exchange • Supervisor Skills Training/Videos • Agency-specific Training/TA • “Welcome Home” Rural/Frontier Initiative • Workplace Stress • Secondary Traumatic Stress Curricula

22. What Supervisor Dimensions Influence Retention? Task Assistance Social and Emotional Support Interpersonal Interaction

23. Task Assistance • Provide assistance with tasks • Offer work-related advice and instruction • Coach workers • Support training and learning

24. Social and Emotional Support • Listen as workers discuss job difficulties • Recognize emotional needs • Acknowledge and reward good work • Make supportive statements • Clarify role and responsibilities • Encourage help seeking • Encourage positive thinking • Be warm, friendly and respectful with workers

25. Interpersonal Interaction • Project a sense of emotional closeness • Encourage staff to share the organizational vision • Encourage a sense of competence • Interact as professionals • Encourage co-workers to support each other

26. Supervisor Skill Development • Brief Videos • Training • Transfer of Learning • Advanced Videos

28. Worker Stress • Child Welfare Worker Stress Inventory • Sources of Stress for Kansas CW Workers • Reducing Child Welfare Worker Stress: Inventory and Intervention Implementation Guide • Secondary Traumatic Stress Curriculum

29. THRIVING through Change • Contract Change Study • Future Directions

31. Kansas Child Welfare Contract Change Study • Pre/post surveys (60 day prior/following) with front-line staff • Focus groups with staff and supervisors • Job function • Job change • Job involvement • Work-related stress • Job satisfaction • Organizational commitment • Intent to stay in child welfare • Supports (agency & other)

32. Future Directions in Kansas Child Welfare Workforce Development • Discussion

33. Kansas Workforce Initiativewww.kwi.ku.edu

34. Contacts Justin Thaw (785)864-2291 justhaw@yahoo.com Roxanne Emmert-Davis (785)554-5603 roxe@cox.net Michelle Levy (785)864-2291 mlevy@ku.edu Kathi Holt (620)855-2244 kholt@ucom.net