SOWK 4700 - Child Welfare Practice and Services

3 hours

This course presents the history of child welfare practices, social institutions, policy development, and the social service delivery system. Utilizing a trauma-informed lens, the dynamics of child abuse and neglect, family structures, support systems and methods of intervention will be examined. Students will recognize that the impact of trauma is experienced not only by children and families in the child welfare system, but also by foster families, kinship caregivers, and social service providers. Students will examine their own beliefs and values to address issues, as well as the ethics inherent in this system. The development of assessment skills on both a macro and micro level will be expected, taking into account adverse childhood experiences and historical trauma.

Prerequisite(s): None.