Turnover rates of the child welfare workforce continue to rise, resulting in poor outcomes for children and families. Efforts to improve readiness and retention are needed to better prepare child welfare workers. This case study uses a qualitative analysis research method to explore high impact practice (HIP) focusing on a training program that…

U.S. public opinion polls suggest that average citizens have a surface understanding of child welfare; they recognize the complex decisions at stake in matters of child protection; they understand that a public response is sometimes required when children are in danger; and they acknowledge that the work is challenging. Social work academics have,…

Over the past 10-15 years, self-described "statewide networks of support" have emerged to serve students experiencing foster care (SEFC) who seek to access postsecondary education. These networks, designed to foster communication between professionals in higher education and their counterparts in the child-welfare system, consist of…

In this paper, we explore the critical praxis approach of an equity initiative with students who have left care. We contend that 'praxis' ("International Studies in Widening Participation," 2018, 5: 10-20) -- understood here as the close, dialogic and iterative relationship between research and practice, can be a powerful tool for…

This research looks into what Kuwaiti University students think about the rights of stateless kids, focusing on how much students support these rights. Even though students show strong support, the Education Ministry in Kuwait says stateless kids can only go to school if they have a special ID card. This rule leaves out stateless people who do not…

For nearly 50 years, the Thomas Coram Research Unit (TCRU) has been integral to the IOE (Institute of Education), UCL's Faculty of Education and Society (University College London, UK). This article is written from the perspectives of four researchers who have served in the TCRU's formative years and over its lifetime. It chronicles the TCRU's…

The educational outcomes of youth in foster care are far worse than those of other students, in part because transitions into or out of the foster care system and placement changes can lead to frequent school transfers, which are associated with a host of problems. Since the early 2000s, policymakers at the state and federal levels have passed…

While there is an urgency to offer graduate students' inter-professional education (IPE) in child advocacy, there are no templates for educators to utilize. Participants (n=34), inclusive of students, community stakeholders, and faculty from a northeastern university, participated in focus groups to describe what IPE should entail. Grounded theory…

There is little in the body of literature about the experience of orphans and vulnerable children (OVC) in Ghana from their perspectives. In this inquiry, four adult orphans and one doctoral candidate employed a narrative framework to share their stories about growing up in a children's home in the Central Region of Ghana and how their lives…

Students with lived experience in government care can face significant challenges in their lives and their educational journeys. Students entering higher education may be simultaneously transitioning out of government care and grappling with the complexities of a new educational system. Students formerly in care are more likely than the general…

Social work students often come to the profession with their own history of childhood difficulty and adversity. Although these experiences frequently motivate students to become social workers, they can also impede a professional's ability to practice effectively. This teaching note presents the literature regarding the impact of the attachment…

Higher education is experiencing a mental health epidemic (Venit, 2022). There is unprecedented student demand for psychological services that colleges are unable to meet (Lipson et al., 2019a), leading to high rates of mental illness-related attrition (Koch et al., 2018). Two groups of students at particularly high risk of mental illness-related…

The recognition of social work as a writing-intensive profession is the first step needed to bridge the divide between academic and practice writing. The demonstration of persuasive writing skills rarely achieves a highly-ranked social work curriculum priority despite the recognition by faculty that these skills are essential for effective…

This article explores the factors that influenced team leader decision-making processes about pathways for duty/intake referrals in one TUSLA region in the Republic of Ireland. It provides an overview of theories relating to decision making focused on systems, risk, relationships and processes. An ecological framework is presented as the…

Exchanges between the great range of disciplines and experts within IOE (Institute of Education), UCL's Faculty of Education and Society (University College London, UK), can be very productive. This article celebrates two professors who, in markedly different ways, have transformed interdisciplinary understanding of their chosen specialties. Some…