Curriculum and Training Opportunities

The comprehensive curriculum for Collaborative participants thoroughly prepares students for careers in North Carolina public child welfare. A combination of classroom instruction and field education fine-tunes the correlation between curriculum and core child welfare competencies. Students are provided with the knowledge and skills needed to better serve children and families effectively. Though course offerings and requirements may vary at participating universities, the following academic and training opportunities are available to all Collaborative students:

• Curriculum

Each university participating in the Collaborative offers specific coursework focused on child welfare.  Collaborative students are required to enroll in child welfare courses either as part of their plan of study, or as a requirement for Pre-Service. Collaborative students will receive guidance for academic planning. A concerted effort is made to encourage students and faculty to integrate child welfare competencies into the curriculum from other social work classes.  This enriches learning, and helps students understand how child welfare knowledge and experience applies to other areas of social work practice.

• Orientation

Orientation sessions welcome students to the Collaborative and discuss basic expectations and requirements. Students find this two-hour session extremely helpful in understanding their roles and responsibilities as new Collaborative students.

• Launching My Child Welfare Journey (LMJ)

The Collaborative offers this online training (synchronous and asynchronous).  Over the course of a week, you will become familiarized with child welfare in North Carolina. You will have the opportunity to engage in discussions and participate in activities that will broaden your knowledge of child welfare and enable you to confidently begin your field placement in a county Department of Social Services agency.

NOTE: Some universities utilize “Launching My Child Welfare Journey.” – Others have their own classes or training programs.

• Transfer of Learning (TOL) Activities

These activities foster the integration of child welfare competencies with the field and academic setting. Students are given a specific set of activities to complete in their field placements. These activities may also be incorporated into class assignments.  TOL’s help guide the learning process and promote active learning.

• ncswLearn.org

In addition to lectures, seminars and workshops, Collaborative students are given the opportunity to participate in statewide conferences and training opportunities. During field placements, students can also take training offered by the North Carolina Division of Social Services.