The implementation of the Adoption and Safe Families Act of 1997 and the ongoing media attention to child welfare cases highlights the importance of competent staff with the skills and knowledge to assess complex family situations. The need for well-trained staff has never been greater, and agencies and universities can work collaboratively to address this. This newsletter serves as a vehicle to exchange ideas and provide updated information on emerging issues. If you have information on the benefits of partnership efforts, share what you have learned with your colleagues. If you have questions, or need technical assistance, share those requests as well.
Outcomes are important.
If you have more recent data, let's add your study to the list. We need to know more about how it can make a difference in the agency, in the training process, and in the delivery of services. In this edition you will find updates from child welfare training projects in Maine, Utah, New Jersey, Illinois, and Massachusetts. South Carolina describes how its efforts to provide social work degree education for child welfare staff have evolved over the past several years. Highlights of a roundtable meeting in Texas are shared, as is a description of Title IV-E activities in Minnesota.