Prerequisite Coursework
The Texas Permanency Outcomes Project
Both certification programs offered through the Child Welfare Academy require nine hours of prerequisite coursework before participants move on to the specialized certificate courses.
The Child Welfare Academy prerequisite coursework will provide a foundation of knowledge to prepare for the certificate courses in child welfare services and child protection services. Participants in both tracks will complete the prerequisite coursework detailed below.
Objectives:
- Understand family engagement and its impact on families in child welfare
- Use critical thinking to find ways to improve engagement
- Develop skills to utilize strategies to increase family engagement
Time: 1-hour online course
Objectives:
- Understand general concepts of child development
- Apply knowledge of child development to help families identify when a child’s development may be impacted by current or past experiences
Time: 1-hour online course
Objectives:
- Understand multigenerational trauma
- Understand how parents’ past experiences and trauma may impact their current behaviors or parenting dynamics
- Use strategies for working with families in child welfare who have experienced multigenerational trauma
Time: 1-hour online course
Objectives:
- Understand social justice and how it relates to child welfare practice
- Acquire skills and knowledge to advocate for marginalized groups in child welfare
Time: 1-hour online course
Objectives:
- Increase awareness of the history of colonialism, family separation, bias, and disproportionality in the child welfare system
Time: 1-hour in-person course
Objectives:
- Increase awareness of structural racism in broader systems (criminal justice, healthcare, education, etc.) and the connections between the child protection system and broader systems
Time: 1-hour in-person course
Objectives:
- Understand how to intervene at the different levels of the environment to address practices and policies rooted in structural racism
- Improve relationships with families by recognizing and honoring cultural strengths
Time: 1-hour in-person course
STATEWIDE CAPACITY BUILDING
TXPOP will provide trainings and support to professionals working in child welfare with the development of a professional certificate in child welfare from the Steve Hicks School of Social Work. TXPOP is also developing a multimedia campaign for caregivers on how to engage families and ensure that the child’s voice is at the heart of the work.
