This training tool was developed for professionals working in the field of child welfare by the Center for Advanced Studies in Child Welfare (CASCW) and various collaborators.
Why Child Welfare Training in a Box®?
Child welfare workers maintain busy and demanding schedules, often making it difficult to fit in training. The Child Welfare Training in a Box® method allows us to provide you with high quality training on the go. Training that you can complete at your own pace and at your own convenience.
How does it work?
The goal is for child welfare units and teams to be able to choose relevant training material and distribute over time. Each member of a unit is encouraged to check out the box for up to one week to allow for time to watch the videos, read the practice briefs, and review the resource cards. A sign-out sheet will be provided with each kit.
After you review the training:
- Sign the box back in so another colleague can access it.
- Process the information you have learned with your colleagues. Think of any questions you had as you went through the materials.
- Share your thoughts in supervision and/or at a team meeting.
- Encourage other professionals you work with to access this information online.
Below, please find descriptions of the materials included in this training kit.
To request Child Welfare Training in a Box® sets and materials for your unit or team, please email cascw@umn.edu and specify which topic.
| Video Card | |
 | The Video Card: Highlighting a three-part video series that will help you and your team identify signs of CODs, understand barriers to recovery for clients, improve case and safety planning, and recognize the importance of integrated treatment options for families managing CODs in child welfare.
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| Practice Notes | |
 | Practice Notes: Two Practice Note publications on informational topics for child welfare practitioners to reference. Practice Notes link innovative research with best practices in child welfare.
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| Practice Tips | |
 | Practice Tips: Two Practice Tips on informational topics for child welfare practitioners to reference. Practice Tips link innovative research with best practices in child welfare.
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| COD Resource Booklet | |
 | COD Resource Booklet: This booklet provides information on many aspects of CODs and recovery for individuals simultaneously navigating the child welfare system.
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| Training Resource Card | |
 | Training Resource Card: A four-part podcast series on the intersection of parents and children with disabilities and involvement in the child welfare system.
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| Research Resources | |
 | Minn-LInK Research Briefs: Minn-LInK Research briefs provide opportunities to understand the experiences of children and families who are served by multiple systems by linking longitudinal data from multiple systems to answer questions about the effects of policies, programs and practice on the well-being of children and families in Minnesota.
Minn-LInK Research Brief Discussion Guides: The Minn-LInK Discussion Guide is designed to help facilitate thoughtful dialogue about the information presented in the research brief in order to inform practice and enhance discussion surrounding meaningful issues. Translating research to practice may be difficult, yet a better understanding of current research is necessary to ensure child welfare workers, educators, and other professionals engage in best practices when working with children and families. |
| Disability Resource Card | |
 | Disability Resource Card: Resource cards providing definitions of different types of disability, rates of prevalence and practice suggestions for working with children with different disabilities. |
| Policy Resource | |
 | Policy Brief: A Policy Brief providing a briefing on the prevalence and experience of older youth with disabilities in foster care in Minnesota using an analysis of state administrative data.
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| CW360° Publication | |
 | Child Welfare 360° (CW360°) is an annual publication that uses a multidisciplinary approach for its robust examination of an important issue in child welfare practice. This box includes an issue focused on the issues of children with disabilities in the child welfare system, a population that is overrepresented in child welfare.
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| Training Resource Card | |
 | Online Modules: Three-part module providing historical context and prevalence for parents with disabilities in child welfare, related policies, and social support for parents with disabilities.
Podcasts: Several podcast series exploring how professionals can best support parents with disabilities.
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| Research Resources | |
 | Minn-LInK Research Brief #64: A Minn-LInK Brief describing the characteristics of parents with different types of disabilities and their representation at various child protection system (CPS) decision-making points.
Minn-LInK Research Brief #64 Discussion Guide: The Minn-LInK Discussion Guide is designed to help facilitate thoughtful dialogue about the information presented in the research brief in order to inform practice and enhance discussion surrounding meaningful issues. Translating research to practice may be difficult, yet a better understanding of current research is necessary to ensure child welfare workers, educators, and other professionals engage in best practices when working with children and families. |
| Policy Resources | |
 | Policy Brief: A Policy Brief providing an overview of how the child welfare system uses parental disability as a consideration in removing children and termination of parental rights.
Guide for Creating Legislative Change: This guide provides key principles for protecting parents with disabilities; model statutory language and accompanying definitions; a legislative change strategy; and practice suggestions for modifying services and providing parental accommodations.
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| CW360° Publication | |
 | Child Welfare 360° (CW360°) is an annual publication that uses a multidisciplinary approach for its robust examination of an important issue in child welfare practice. This box includes an issue focused on the experiences of parents with disabilities and mental illness in the child welfare system.
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Engagement and Partnership in Child Welfare (coming soon!)