Fact Sheet

______

Improving Coordination between Child Welfare Caseworkers and the Education System on Behalf of Children in Care

Background

The goal of this project is to address the need for greater coordination between the child welfare and education systems in order to better meet the educational needs of the children served. We have developed and disseminated a curriculum and caseworker manual for the State of Colorado child welfare caseworkers and their supervisors in order to provide them with an understanding of the relevant educational policies and processes; educational assessments and plans; methods for monitoring outcomes and services; and tools to enable them to be effective advocates for the educational needs of children in the child welfare system. These materials are derived primarily from what youth in care say about their educational experiences and what the research tells us makes a difference in the educational outcomes for children and youth in the child welfare system. The training takes place in day and a half long sessions with two trainers, one from child welfare and one from education. The curriculum is currently being adapted for foster parents and school personnel.
In addition to the development of these materials, issues which may act as barriers to coordination between these systems have been identified and two interagency forums have been held (in 2005 and 2006) by the Colorado Department of Human Services to allow child welfare personnel, educators, foster parents and other key stakeholders at the state and local levels to discuss how they might collaborate more effectively to achieve better educational outcomes for children in the child welfare system. Another forum will be held in May, 2007.

Project Work Plan

Conduct Research:

Analyzed relevant federal, state and local laws, regulations and policies

Conducted literature review of issues relating to the coordination of child welfare and education systems

Interviews:

  • Developed protocols for interviews

Interviewed key stakeholders including: child welfare administrators, supervisors and caseworkers, foster parents, youth, and school social workers in selected urban and rural communities in Colorado

Identify Models:

Identified and researched models of interagency coordination in Colorado and in other states

Identified and researched any existing training curricula on subject in Colorado and in other states

Curriculum and Manual Development:

  • Drafted curriculum, manual and accompanying documents
  • Had Advisory Committee review all drafts and make revisions
Finalizing Curriculum:
  • Piloted curriculum in winter, 2006
  • Finalized materials for use in training to be conducted in counties beginning in June, 2006.
/
Funding Source
State of Colorado
Workforce Development Services,
Office of Performance Improvement,
Colorado Department of Human Services
Project Grantee
Cutler Institute for Child and Family Policy
Edmund S. Muskie School of Public Service
University of Southern Maine
P.O. Box 15010
Portland, Maine 04112-5010
PHONE: (207) 780-5810
FAX: (207) 780-5817
Project Staff
Helen Ward, Project Director/Principal Investigator
Angie Herrick, Research Assistant
Mary Joseph, Administrative Assistant
For more information, contact:
Art Atwell
Director
Workforce Development Services,
Office of Performance Improvement,
Colorado Department of Human Services
(303) 866-7172

Mary Griffin
Foster Care Supervisor
Child Welfare Division
Colorado Department of Human Services
(303) 866-3546

See for a link to the Colorado Curriculum and Manual for Caseworkers and Supervisors entitled, Advocating for the Educational Needs of Children in Out-of-Home Care. You will also find information on how to obtain a copy of the video, Speaking Out.