Alliance Course Catalog

In this course, you will learn the definitions of child abuse and neglect used in Washington State, as well as your obligation to report suspected child maltreatment.  You will be introduced to 3 foundational concepts used in child welfare work: child safety, risk assessment and global assessment.  You will consider how ethical principles, particularly related to confidentiality and your role as a helping professional impacts how you do your work.  Lastly, you will be introduced to the Safety Framework, the guiding structure used in our state to understand and assess child safety.  You will be asked to consider how culture might affect both your assessment of child safety and the work you do to ensure children are kept safe.

Participants register separately for each part of the module, but MUST complete each session within the module in order. Participants who have not completed 1.1 will not be allowed to participate in 1.2.

Module 1 Child Safety includes:

1.1 eLearning

• Mandatory Reporter
• Ethics and Confidentiality
• Basics of Present Danger and Protective Actions

1.2 Webinar

• Child Safety: Identifying Present Danger

1.3 Webinar

• Child Safety: Taking Protective Actions

In this course, you will learn how protective actions help ensure the safety of children in present danger.  You will learn what components protective actions must include for you to feel confident in their being effective.  Of particular importance, you will consider how you decide whether a specific adult can be relied upon to participate and provide safety to the child.  Finally, you will put everything you have learned about child safety into practice as you consider a scenario and determine whether present danger exists and, if so, what protective actions might be effective.

Participants register separately for each part of the module but MUST complete each session within the module in order. Participants who have not completed 1.1 and 1.2 will not be allowed to participate in 1.3.

Module 1 Child Safety includes:

1.1 eLearning

• Mandatory Reporter
• Ethics and Confidentiality
• Basics of Present Danger and Protective Actions

1.2 Webinar

• Child Safety: Identifying Present Danger

1.3 Webinar

• Child Safety: Taking Protective Actions

Identifying injuries which tend to be seen prior to, or along with, serious physical abuse can help us identify children who are unsafe, and sometimes prevent disastrous consequences.  You will learn about these injuries, called “Sentinel Injuries,” as well as injuries that are more common in childhood and don’t typically raise concern for abuse.  You will practice differentiating between the two using many different scenarios.  Lastly, you will learn more about how to collaborate with key partners, particularly medical professionals, in response to your concerns related to an observed mark or injury.

Participants register separately for each part of the module but MUST complete each session within the module in order.  Participants who have not completed 2.1 will not be allowed to participate in 2.2.

Module 2 Physical Abuse includes:

2.1 eLearning

• Intro to Physical Abuse and MedCon
• Basics of Photographic Documentation
• Limited English Proficiency

2.2 Webinar

• Physical Abuse: Sentinel Injuries

2.3 Webinar

• Physical Abuse: Serious Physical Abuse

In this course, you will learn more about how Washington State defines and responds to neglect and sexual abuse. Afterhours staff rarely interview children to gather information about the specifics of maltreatment, but their discussions with young people can help or hurt DCYF’s ability to protect the child in the future. You will review and apply basic principles of child interviewing to support you in talking with children about their overall safety at home. You will learn about the function of child advocacy centers as partners in responding to sexual abuse concerns. Lastly, you will learn best practice for assessing the suitability of unlicensed relatives/others and the importance of providing caregivers with all information available about the child.

Participants register separately for each part of the module but MUST complete each session within the module in order. Participants who have not completed 3.1 will not be allowed to participate in 3.2.

Module 3 Neglect, Sexual Abuse and Placing Children includes:

3.1 eLearning

• Neglect and Basics of Child Interviews
• Intro to Sexual Abuse and Responding to Spontaneous Disclosure
• Placing with Unlicensed Caregivers for AHCT

3.2 Webinar

• Neglect, Sexual Abuse and Placing Children: Assessing Neglect and Sexual Abuse

3.3 Webinar

• Neglect, Sexual Abuse and Placing Children: Placing Children

Afterhour’s staff respond in crises and emergencies – situations that are likely to be traumatic for everyone involved.  In this course, you will consider ways to reduce the traumatic impact of removal from the home and placement into a new care setting.  You will carefully consider how to determine, along with your supervisor, whether a placement with a relative or suitable other is safe and should occur.  In addition, you will learn how to support the success of a placement by reviewing critical forms with a new caregiver, and providing information about the child.

Participants register separately for each part of the module but MUST complete each session within the module in order.  Participants who have not completed 3.1 and 3.2 will not be allowed to participate in 3.3.

Module 3 Neglect, Sexual Abuse and Placing Children includes:

3.1 eLearning

• Neglect and Basics of Child Interviews
• Intro to Sexual Abuse and Responding to Spontaneous Disclosure
• Placing with Unlicensed Caregivers for AHCT

3.2 Webinar

• Neglect, Sexual Abuse and Placing Children: Assessing Neglect and Sexual Abuse

3.3 Webinar

• Neglect, Sexual Abuse and Placing Children: Placing Children

In this course, you will review several principles of trauma informed care and consider how these apply to your routine interactions with children awaiting placement. You will consider what you will need (and need to do) to care for children awaiting placement, whether that is for an hour or a weekend. Significant time is spent addressing children who have challenging behaviors or exceptional care needs. This includes building a stronger understanding of policy and practice around youth who run away or have returned from being on the run. You will become more familiar with how to monitor, dispense, and document medications to youth who are taking them. Lastly, you will discuss your takeaways from the eLearning related to the Indian Child Welfare act. You will apply what you learned to your role in afterhours, and identify steps you should be taking to ensure everyone’s rights are protected.

Participants register separately for each part of the module but MUST complete each session within the module in order. Participants who have not completed 4.1 will not be allowed to participate in 4.2.

Module 4 Caring for Children, Worker Safety and Documentation includes:

4.1 eLearning

• Caring for Children and Using Car Seats Correctly
• Worker Safety
• Indian Child Welfare: An Introduction

4.2 Webinar

• Caring for Children

4.3 Webinar

• Worker Safety and Documentation

The most frequent allegation of child maltreatment is neglect.  Some families are referred to the department numerous times with little change in family functioning.  In this course, participants will learn how to assess for chronic neglect, its effects on children and appropriate interventions.

This short eLearning will orient participants to the four means by which this legal authority to place a child may be granted: Law enforcement protective custody, hospital holds, court order, and a voluntary placement agreed to by the child’s legal parents. Legal, policy and practice consideration for each, as well as subsequent placement requirements are reviewed. In addition, the legal and policy preference for placing children with safe, suitable relatives is reviewed.

Did you know more than half of children’s car seats are installed incorrectly? The car is a dangerous place for a child to be, but there are many resources that can help ensure you’re following all safety and legal guidelines. This brief eLearning for DCYF staff is the perfect spot to start, helping you select, fit and install the correct seat each time you need to transport a child. You will find an overview of basic requirements and Washington state laws as well as real-world installation examples and tips. The course is full of useful, surprising facts – the appropriate time to transition a child out of a booster seat might surprise you! You will also find links to many outside resources for more in-depth information.

This two-day in-service training delivered by webinar will prepare new CFWS caseworkers and experienced CFWS caseworkers who wish to improve their practice to engage parents and families from the point of transfer or case assignment. Participants will learn how to make the most of the first meeting and monthly visits with the parent in building a working relationship geared toward safe reunification and timely permanency. Participants will explore engaging children and caregivers during monthly visits, best interest considerations and permanency planning. Participants will be provided tools to improve the quality of court reports in addressing policy requirements and good practice.

A pre-requisite to the webinar training is the Permanency Considerations (eLearning). Participants must register and complete this eLearning prior to the webinar.

This eLearning primarily features a video of a popular Child Protection Medical Consultation (MedCon) presentation for Regional Core Training. The video showcases two respected and well-known child abuse pediatricians, Dr. Rebecca Wiester and Dr. Joyce Gilbert. Dr. Wiester and Dr. Gilbert discuss important aspects of Physical Abuse, Sexual Abuse, and Neglect within the context of their expertise as child protection medial consultants.

Viewers are walked through recognizing sentinel injuries; understanding Abusive Head Trauma and its connection to the Period of PURPLE Crying; identifying when to seek medical consultation, how to submit a referral, and what information to provide; and how to locate important county protocols and policy resources online. Viewers will also be provided with a helpful Notes Worksheet, which will guide them through capturing important information needed in practice, and to pass the quiz at the end. This eLearning also provides a Facilitator Guide and can be viewed either individually, or facilitated for a small group viewing.

Coaching sessions are utilized to enhance a learner’s specific skill attainment in an identified area of practice.  Coaching sessions are provided to Children’s Administration workforce to help workers attain specific skills pertinent to their daily work/practice in child welfare.  Identified goals are created and progress towards those goals is measured by both the learner and the coach after each session. 

Ad Hoc field based coaching topics include:

Tasks such as AFCARS, redaction, case closure, and entering ICWA/NAIR information into FamLink, filing of documentation into case files.

Coaching sessions are utilized to enhance a learner’s specific skill attainment in an identified area of practice.  Coaching sessions are provided to Department of Children, Youth, and Families workforce to help workers attain specific skills pertinent to their daily work/practice in child welfare.  Identified goals are created and progress towards those goals is measured by both the learner and the coach after each session. 

Case Organization and Prioritization field based coaching topics include:

How to prioritize the daily work, including:  using outlook, desk calendars, and reminders; prioritization of caseload activities, assessments and due dates for different programs; reassessing safety and updating safety assessments at pivotal points in the case.

Coaching sessions are an opportunity for participants to receive training and support on critical topics that is flexible enough to respond to their current needs.  Coaching sessions can involve one or several workers, and may be delivered in person, on the phone or by other real time collaboration (face-time, etc).  Preferably, they allow material to be understood within a context of an actual case, and completion of current work.

This coaching session opportunity for staff will aim at compliance with ICWA, give recommendations for working with Tribes and Tribal families, revisit the Federal Act, State ICW codes and current policies/procedures when ICWA applies or is being considered.  

This session will revisit current practices in Department of Children, Youth, and Families, specialized units and steps available for staff, including tailored topics such as:

1. Initial Intake (ICW Procedures at initial contact) 
2. Tribal/State Agreements 
3. Inquiry and Verification of Child’s Indian Status 
4. Disclosure of Confidential Records/Information to Tribes
5. Child Protective Services for Indian Children 
6. Casework Activities for Court Proceedings – forms Legal Notice, FamLink Response from NAIR eLearning, Monthly Progress report 
7. Indian Child Placement Preferences and Relative Search
8. Adoption
9. Interstate Compact on the Placement of Indian Children
10. Local Indian Child Welfare Advisory Committees 
11. Payments for Services for Children in Tribal Care or Custody
12. Casework Services for Children and Families of Non-Federally Recognized Tribes and Canadian First Nations

In this coaching session you will get individual support from a coach as you apply what you learned during the NCAST/PCI Teaching Scales Certification training. This application includes observing a teaching interaction and gathering pertinent information about the parent-child dyad; assessment of parent-child interactions; scoring the Teaching Scale; and recommending service interventions for parents and young children. You will get direct feedback as you learn to apply the skills and knowledge to your everyday interactions with children and families inside and outside the scope of the Teaching Scales assessment.

Coaching for Regional Core Training (RCT) Continuation provides an opportunity for you to enhance your skills after you graduate from RCT in a focused area of practice pertinent to your daily work/practice in child welfare. Identified goals are created and measured for progress toward those goals by both you and your coach after each session. Coaching sessions are offered by an Alliance coach at 30, 60, 90 and 120 days after the RCT class is completed. 

This course provides information on the service contract process and the role of Social Workers, Fiduciaries, Program Managers, and Contract Managers. Participants will learn how to identify what types of services do and do not require contracts, how to determine if a contract is already in place, how to access contracted providers appropriately, how CA Contract Managers develop contracts and the Social Worker’s role in the process, as well as the process for paying for contracted services through FamLink.

For years society has encouraged colorblind ideology without taking into consideration the impact this has on People of Color.  Through video, interactive activities and discussion of the research, participants are challenged to examine implicit bias, stereotype threat and its effect on cross cultural relationships and ethnic/racial identity development.  As a result, participants deepen their appreciation of challenges facing People of Color, grow in self-awareness and learn ways to mitigate the impact.

Objectives:
Participants Will…

1. Engage in courageous conversations;
2. Deepen their understanding of implicit bias and stereotype threat;
3. Learn strategies to mitigate the impact of implicit bias.

This training is presented by Cultures Connecting, LLC. Cultures Connecting, LLC was founded in 2008, providing culturally relevant professional development, keynote addresses, consulting and coaching services to organizations seeking to improve their staffs’ ability to effectively work with diverse cultures. 

Owners, Caprice D. Hollins, Psy.D., and Ilsa M. Govan, M.A., have over 30 years combined experience researching race related topics, designing curriculum, and facilitating culturally relevant professional development workshops.

DCYF rolls out new policies and any updates, revisions or other changes to current policy as needed throughout the year. This eLearning walks you through the following policies, which are effective December 31, 2021:

New Policy

• 4551. Day and Overnight Camp Approval Process

Revised Policies

• 1150. Case Plan
• 2310. CPS Initial Face-to-Face (IFF) Response
• 4122. Case Transfer
• 4420. Monthly Visits with Children or Youth, Parents or Guardians, and Caregivers
• 46100. Monthly Clinical Supervision Case Reviews
• 4430. Courtesy Supervision

This training provides you with specifics on what the policy changes are and why the changes are being made. You will find links to resources that provide context or support your policy compliance. For your continued learning, the training includes the full text of the policy and a way to connect with someone within DCYF if you have questions.

This eLearning is part of a series that will be updated along with policy rollouts.

As a meeting facilitator you have an important role in achieving safety, permanency and well-being for children in out of home care. Permanency planning meetings can be emotionally charged. This eLearning will help you learn how more effectively manage a situation that has become a crisis and may involve threats to someone’s safety. The key insights in this course are identifying a crisis, verbal strategies to help de-escalate situations and managing your own reaction, as well as specific stay-safe strategies and considerations during and after a crisis. There are many opportunities within the course to examine real-life situations and practice applying the information. Upon completing the course, you will be better prepared to respond in a crisis and prevent safety issues from occurring. You will have a better understanding of what to do when staff safety threats do occur, and what to do after such incidents.

Children and youth in care who identify as LGBTQ+ face challenges that can affect their quality of life far beyond their experiences in the child welfare system. Because of this, it is especially important that Licensing Division Foster Care employees can assess providers’ and caregivers’ ability to provide a welcoming and affirming environment for LGBTQ+ children and youth.

The training first takes you through an exercise that allows you to reflect on possible personal biases that may affect your evaluation of prospective caregivers, children and youth during the licensing process. You will then go through a learning around SOGIE/LGBTQ+ terminology and discuss how to talk to children, youth and providers about LGBTQ+ culture, a critical component of interviewing.

A key component of the course is the focus on being able to review and apply the laws and minimum licensing requirements around assessing a provider’s ability (not just willingness) to care and support children and youth who identify as LGBTQ+, as well as the provider’s level of knowledge pertaining to LGBTQ+ children and youth, and their interest in expanding that knowledge as needed. This learning includes defining welcoming and affirming environments. You will learn characteristics of those spaces, such as open conversations with children and youth, and talk about how to support caregivers in providing positive and affirming surroundings.

Finally, you will dive in for a deep look at nondiscrimination-focused RCWs, WACs, and Policies, Practices and Procedures, and discuss how to apply them in licensing and investigations. You will have an opportunity to build skills formulating and applying questions based on current licensing standards and mandates.

At the close of the training, you will have a personal and professional action plan that outlines what you have studied and the steps you will take to best engage with, learn from and advocate for your clients.

Drug testing practices and their use in child welfare assessment of safety and risk is covered in this course.  Participants learn the guidelines for the frequency and duration of testing, practices at drug collection sites, detection of adulterated samples and interpreting drug test results. Participants will know what to test and how to include this in the assessments of parents involved in the child welfare system, focusing on the behavior of parents, and knowing what a drug test can tell us is emphasized.

This is Section 5 of the 3-hour in-service level training for Social Workers that explores the principles of child development across the age ranges of birth to three years, three to five years, five to 11 years, and 11 to 17 years.  In each age range, factors that affect development across physical, social, emotional, cognitive and reproductive domains, as well as the developmental effects of abuse and neglect on those domains are examined through videos, worksheets, and case scenarios.  Information is provided about services and resources to support Social Workers and children in care.

Participants can view and get credit for completion of all or only specific sections of the elearning:

• Section 1: Foundational Concepts of Child Development (30 minutes)
• Section 2: Birth to Three Years (60 minutes)
• Section 3: Three to Five Years (30 minutes)
• Section 4: Five to 11 Years (30 minutes)
• Section 5: 11 to 17 Years (30 minutes)

This is Section 4 of the 3-hour in-service level training for Social Workers that explores the principles of child development across the age ranges of birth to three years, three to five years, five to 11 years, and 11 to 17 years.  In each age range, factors that affect development across physical, social, emotional, cognitive and reproductive domains, as well as the developmental effects of abuse and neglect on those domains are examined through videos, worksheets, and case scenarios.  Information is provided about services and resources to support Social Workers and children in care.

Participants can view and get credit for completion of all or only specific sections of the elearning:

• Section 1: Foundational Concepts of Child Development (30 minutes)
• Section 2: Birth to Three Years (60 minutes)
• Section 3: Three to Five Years (30 minutes)
• Section 4: Five to 11 Years (30 minutes)
• Section 5: 11 to 17 Years (30 minutes)

This is Section 3 of the 3-hour in-service level training for Social Workers that explores the principles of child development across the age ranges of birth to three years, three to five years, five to 11 years, and 11 to 17 years.  In each age range, factors that affect development across physical, social, emotional, cognitive and reproductive domains, as well as the developmental effects of abuse and neglect on those domains are examined through videos, worksheets, and case scenarios.  Information is provided about services and resources to support Social Workers and children in care.

Participants can view and get credit for completion of all or only specific sections of the elearning:

• Section 1: Foundational Concepts of Child Development (30 minutes)
• Section 2: Birth to Three Years (60 minutes)
• Section 3: Three to Five Years (30 minutes)
• Section 4: Five to 11 Years (30 minutes)
• Section 5: 11 to 17 Years (30 minutes)

Washington States Extended Foster Care Program allows dependent youth in placement at age 18 to continue to receive services including placement resources until age 21, in order to complete their education and ease the transition to adulthood. In this eLearning, case carrying Supervisors and Case Workers will become familiar with the evolution of this program as well as its current Policy and Practice and learn how to document various EFC Services in FamLink.

Facilitated Cohort Learning Sessions To Support ICWA Practice provides former cohorts from RCT and SCT classes that are working on Indian Child Welfare cases to expand their knowledge beyond core training curriculum and gain application within live cases. Topics of the sessions are identified by the cohort members and learning activities are organized and facilitated by Alliance staff. These sessions will review current WA State ICWA practices while providing opportunities to apply critical thinking to the overall complexities of child welfare work. 

Tailored topics may include:

• Initial Intake (ICW Procedures at initial contact) 
• Tribal/State Agreements 
• Inquiry and Verification of Child’s Indian Status 
• Disclosure of Confidential Records/Information to Tribes
• Child Protective Services for Indian Children 
• Active Efforts
• Casework Activities for Court Proceedings – forms Legal Notice, FamLink Response from NAIR eLearning, Monthly Progress report 
• Indian Child Placement Preferences and Relative Search
• Adoption
• Interstate Compact on the Placement of Indian Children
• Local Indian Child Welfare Advisory Committees 
• Casework Services for Children and Families of Non-Federally Recognized Tribes and Canadian First Nations

Family time is an essential part of supporting a child’s ongoing relationships while they are in out-of-home care. When a parent is incarcerated, there are specific policies and processes that need to be followed to ensure continuation of family time. This training will help you understand from start to finish the process of completing a visitation at a Washington Department of Corrections (DOC) prison, and how to supplement contact in other appropriate ways.

This eLearning will walk you through the myriad requirements and details involved in these types of visitations, in an easy-to-understand way. You will learn how to navigate DOC websites, schedule visitation, and which forms you will need to secure and why. You also will review the requirements and steps to arranging electronic/telephonic contact, which are additional tools you can use to support the connection between parent and child. You will have multiple opportunities throughout to test your knowledge with real-life scenarios.

The course also covers information you will need to prepare a child, the caregiver and the family time supervisor in advance of a visit to an incarcerated parent. This learning includes why it’s important to “debrief” with the child after family time.

At the close, you will get the complete resources you will need going forward, and you will take a final quiz to ensure you have fully grasped all of the information.

This online learning course will help you develop skills to support virtual family time. In this training you are provided with structured support, guidance and training to:

• Connect with the caseworker to prepare for remote supervised visits that will, to some extent, include both parent and foster/relative caregiver(s)
• Prepare the parent(s) for positive remote supervised visitation with their children
• Prepare the foster or relative caregiver(s) for how to support the child in their care in having positive remote supervised visitation with their parent(s)
• Hold a virtual Family Time Partnership meeting between the parent(s) and foster/relative caregiver(s) prior to supervised visits taking place to plan and prepare for virtual visits by getting to know one another, setting expectations and agreements and plan for and provide some structure for the remote visits
• Support the parent(s) and caregiver(s) in having positive and productive remote supervised visits and supervise the visits
• Create a plan to debrief one-on-one with the parent(s) and the caregiver(s) to celebrate success

In addition, two videos developed by Fostering Connections for Families will be shared that model a family time partnership meeting as well and an example of what a virtual family time could look like. 

“Growing a Leader” In Service training for DCYF employees is designed for child welfare social service employees who are interested in advancing to leadership roles within the Department. This course is for those who are not yet supervisors or in leadership positions. Participants will learn about their potential new role, what it means to be a supervisor and a leader in the child welfare system, their leadership styles and the responsibilities of the supervisory or leadership positions.

The training focuses on gaining an understanding styles of leadership and management; hiring and on-boarding new employees; supervisory case management expectations; providing feedback and effective communication with employees; tracking and documenting employee performance; engaging with community partners; and managing and resolving conflict.

Growing A Leader is a comprehensive training program containing three (3) in person training sessions over a three month period, laying the foundation for continuous on-the-job learning and professional development critical to developing competent, confident, and effective child welfare professionals.”

Commercial sexual exploitation impacts many children and families that the child welfare system is meant to support.  In this course, you will learn more about the dynamics of commercial sexual exploitation of children (CSEC), risk factors and warning signs, and impacts of this experience on survivors.  You will learn policy requirements to identify, document, and offer services to these young people, as well as the best practices to engage and support them. The importance of trauma based and culturally relevant work with this population is a theme throughout the course. While the focus is on children and young people, you will likely gain a better understanding of parents you work with who may also have experienced commercial sexual exploitation.

Assessment of every environment in which an infant lives and sleeps, as well as all individuals providing care, is critical to ensuring the safety of this vulnerable population. Emphasis will be placed on developmental needs, attachment, and the infant’s relationships. The focus of this course is to provide instruction around assessment of the infant’s interactions with both caregivers and the environment, identifying parent/caregiver training or support needs, and opportunities for demonstration, practice, and feedback pertaining to meeting the practice and policy requirements for this component of the Infant Safety Education and Intervention.

The Plan of Safe Care is an element of case planning for families with infants born with and affected by substance abuse or withdrawal symptoms resulting from prenatal drug exposure, or a Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder, or born to a dependent youth. The Plan of Safe Care focuses on access to a network of community-based providers and support services and addresses the needs of both the infant and the family/caregiver. The focus of this course is to provide opportunities for demonstration, practice, and feedback pertaining to meeting the practice and policy requirements for this component of the Infant Safety Education and Intervention Policy.

This is Session 1.1 of the Intake In-Service course, which will support new staff working at Intake to gain the knowledge and skills they need to be effective in gathering and documenting information and in screening intakes. The course is divided into three modules which occur at different times during the employee’s first six months at Intake.

Participants will receive practical information about their main job functions, and get to practice applying many of this information. Intake staff serve as the first point of contact for community members with concerns about children, and complete the first assessments of this information to determine if and how CA may respond. These two functions are addressed and information about the role of Intake staff in assessing child safety and in educating the community is provided. The training helps new staff to understand the differences between intake types and to identify timelines associated with each. Lastly, roles and actions outside the scope of Children’s Administration Intake are discussed.

This is Session 1.3 of the Intake In-Service course, which will support new staff working at Intake to gain the knowledge and skills they need to be effective in gathering and documenting information and in screening intakes. The course is divided into three modules which occur at different times during the employee’s first six months at Intake.

This training will support you in identifying the most important information to gather from callers, and in building skills to focus and guide callers toward this important information, so the best possible screening decisions can be made.

This is Session 1.5 of the Intake In-Service course, which will support new staff working at Intake to gain the knowledge and skills they need to be effective in gathering and documenting information and in screening intakes. The course is divided into three modules which occur at different times during the employee’s first six months at Intake.

Participants in this e-learning will learn how and why to collaborate with Law Enforcement to protect children, gather information needed for good screening decisions, and meet legal and policy requirements to share specific types of reports and information. How and why to work with medical professionals to support good screening decisions and assessments of child safety is also presented. Participants will have a chance to practice both skills and receive feedback.

This is Session 2.1 of the Intake In-Service course, which will support new staff working at Intake to gain the knowledge and skills they need to be effective in gathering and documenting information and in screening intakes. The course is divided into three modules which occur at different times during the employee’s first six months at Intake.

This brief e-learning will review policy and legal requirements in screening intakes regarding currently pregnant substance using mothers and infants who were exposed to substances during gestation. Participants will consider important questions to ask callers in order to gather the most relevant information, which will support good screening decisions and capture foundational information which may be used by workers who are assigned to this family now or in the future.

In this course you will learn about the requirements of the Interstate Compact and Placement of Children (ICPC), including both sending children in foster care to other States, and receiving children in foster care from other States. In addition, you will learn how ICPC applies to ICWA cases.  Your role and responsibilities from beginning to end are covered including the home study process, completing quarterly reports, and closing cases. Details about common violations, parent visits, and how to contact the headquarters ICPC team for support and guidance are provided.

In this eLearning participants will review the stages of an adult CPS interview and the information they need to gather in each stage; read a case summary; and view an interview with the parents related to the case.

This training helps social workers understand the legal requirements that must be met in order for a court to terminate a parents’ rights to their children.   Social workers also learn to separate myths from facts in the area of termination and regarding their role in preparing and submitting a termination referral to their local Assistant Attorney General or other legal representative. A score of 80% is required to complete this course.

Mandatory reporters play a key role in ensuring the safety of vulnerable children. These professionals are obligated to report concerns about abuse or neglect, and this eLearning will guide you as mandated reporter through the process of identifying and documenting those concerns.

This training breaks the process down into three parts: Recognize, Record and Report. Through the training, you will understand what indicators of abuse to look for; how to appropriately record and what information to have; and what happens when a report is filed.

You will consider the impact of biases on reporting possible child abuse and neglect, and learn about the problem of racial disproportionality in our state’s child welfare system. The training also covers the federal requirement of identification of Indian heritage and affiliation with federally recognized tribes.

At the conclusion of the training, you will feel confident in understanding your role in keeping children safe.

Este curso también está disponible en español en https://allianceforchildwelfare.org/content/mandatory-reporter-paquete-de-herramientas-para-denunciadores-de-abuso-infantil-por-mandato

Training provides an overview of successful case planning for children in foster care.  Course topics include referring to the mental health services,  use of screening tools, characteristics and behavior indicators of developmental and mental health concerns, use psychotropic medications with children in foster care, case management techniques with mental health service providers, understanding  the elements and criteria of Evidence-Based and Promising Practices, and matching available EBP’s with specific client needs.  This course will also describe key signs, symptoms and impacts of trauma, disrupted attachment, and childhood adversity and ways to incorporate trauma informed care into their day-to-day work.

This eLearning will teach the participant the steps for identifying Indian Children, address practical steps to input information into FamLink, give Department of Children, Youth, and Families staff tips on completing Ancestry Charts and submitting referrals to the Native American Inquiry Request (NAIR) unit to fulfill the requirements of the Federal ICWA, as well as reviewing State Law and Department of Children, Youth, and Families policies.

The NCAST Parent-Child Interaction (PCI) Feeding Scales are designed for parents/caregivers and children age birth-1 year (12 months). The PCI Feeding Scales are an assessment tool which provides valid and reliable measurements of parent-child interactions. When used in child-welfare, these scales can provide recommendations for services to strengthen parent-child interactions, and serve as reliable pre-/post- measures of progress made through service engagement.

Once individuals become certified to use the PCI Feeding Scales, they must prove reliable through annual re-certification. This one-day course provides participants with the opportunity to achieve annual reliability in the use of this tool. Re-certification will allow individuals to maintain certification in the use of the PCI Feeding Scales.

Current Certification as an NCAST Assessor

The NCAST Parent-Child Interaction (PCI) scales are designed for parents/caregivers and children age birth-3 years (36 months). The PCI scales consist of two measures – a Feeding Scale and a Teaching Scale. Both scales are assessment tools which provide valid and reliable measurements of parent-child interactions. When used in child welfare, either assessment can provide recommendations for services to strengthen parent-child interactions, both scales can also serve as reliable pre and post measures of progress made through service engagement.

In this training, you will learn how to use NCAST PCI scales as a tool to gather pertinent information about the parent-child dyad, assessment of parent-child interactions, and intervening with parents and young children. You will also gain a host of skills and knowledge to apply to your everyday interactions with children and families both inside, and outside the scope of these assessment scales.

As a result of the successful completion of this training, you can become certified assessors in one or both the Feeding Scales or the Teaching Scales. The Feeding Scales can be used with parents/caregivers and infants age 0-12 months (1 year old), the Teaching Scales can be used with parents/caregivers and infants age 0-36 months (3 years old). The scales can be used with all parenting and family scenarios (biological, adopted, blended, foster care, relative care, fictive kin, etc.) Certification, or reliability, is obtained through first practicing, and then scoring videos developed by the Parent-Child Relationship Program at the University of Washington. The videos depict parent-child interactions in both feeding and teaching scenarios.

The NCAST/PCI scales are a prominent tool that child welfare workers use to gather information when assessing parent-child interactions and intervening with parents and young children. Being certified in the use of this tool supports workers’ ongoing assessment, case planning and permanency planning efforts with families. There are two scales, Feeding and Teaching, which often are used together.

The NCAST/Parent-Child Interaction Teaching Scales Recertification course supports your knowledge-building with the opportunity to achieve reliability and to maintain your certification in the use of this tool.

This course will provide participants with an overview of permanency planning for children in out of home care. This course will focus on the differences and similarities of adoption, guardianship and non-parental custody as concurrent plans. Participants will explore personal bias, how it influences their professional decision-making, and how to counter bias in making permanency decisions that reflect the best interest of children. All permanency options are explored and a case scenario will help participants understand the multiple factors to consider in determining the child’s best interest and best alternate plan.

***Supervisors: This eLearning may be completed individually or as a group during a unit meeting. If the eLearning is completed as a group, be sure to contact an Alliance coach to input completion of the eLearning training in LMS for all participants.

Supervisors may use the Supervisors Guide to Permanency Considerations eLearning (PDF) available here to promote a permanency discussion after caseworkers have taken the eLearning. (this is an optional activity)

This course focuses on the successful transition of pregnant and parenting youth involved with child welfare and covers specific case management activities. You will learn about your role and responsibilities to provide information to pregnant and parenting youth, including the Pregnant and Parenting Teen Guidebook and tip sheets (DSHS #22-1536), and utilizing a Shared Planning Meeting to identify services and community resources.

During this two-hour workshop, you will learn what characteristics make up quality contacts with caregivers and why quality contacts matter. You will have an opportunity to watch a social worker conduct a caregiver interview, and you can then apply skills observed to a case scenario. Throughout the workshop, Alliance coaches will support the integration of quality contacts into social work practice.

During this two-hour workshop, you will learn what characteristics make up a quality contact with parents during initial and on-going assessment as well as out-of-home placement, and why quality contacts matter. You will have an opportunity to watch a social worker conduct a parent interview, and then you will apply skills observed to a case scenario. Throughout the workshop, Alliance coaches will support the integration of quality contacts into social work practice.

As a coordinator for the Random Moment Time Study (RMTS), you will learn key elements needed to support local offices with technical and program support. You will be able to identify your significant role and responsibilities in the RMTS process and how to locate notifications, determine proper coding for tasks completed during the sample and properly document associated details into FamLink.

Regional Core Training (RCT) is Washington State’s foundational training designed to prepare newly hired social service specialists with the basic knowledge, skills, and understanding to begin their careers in public child welfare for the State of Washington, Department of Children, Youth, and Families (DCYF). RCT is a comprehensive training and coaching program containing multiple sessions which lay the foundation for continuous on-the-job learning and professional development critical to developing competent, confident, and effective child welfare professionals. RCT begins on a new employee’s date of hire, either the 1^st or the 16^th of each month.

RCT includes pre-service activities to be completed prior to the first classroom session, then eight weeks of instruction integrating both classroom and field-based learning. The third week of instruction takes place in Seattle, WA. All RCT cohorts statewide will come together for Child Interview, Adult Interview, and Court Testimony Simulation Training during week 3. Once registered, RCT participants and their supervisors will receive a detailed RCT Cohort Calendar from their assigned Alliance Coach. RCT Cohort Calendars will indicate classroom session dates, times, and locations; as well as mandatory field-based learning.

RCT consists of a cohesive developmental curriculum in which knowledge and skills are broadened and deepened, without any stand-alone sessions. New employees must complete all classroom sessions and field-based learning in order to complete the RCT course and be eligible to carry a full caseload.

RCT provides participants with blended learning opportunities, including classroom instruction, transfer of learning activities in the field, and 1:1 or small-group coaching. Woven throughout RCT are several critical concepts, integral to best practice in child welfare, and designed to maximize learning within context and with relevancy to the work:

• Child Safety, Permanency, and Wellbeing
• Critical Thinking
• Trauma-Informed Practice
• Disproportionality and Racial Equity in Child Welfare
• Cultural Competency/Cultural Humility
• Reflection and Recognizing Bias
• Documentation Skills in FamLink
• Program Specific Job Skills

The Right Response Elements+ course is designed for staff who support individuals with identified behavioral challenges but minimal aggression risks, as well as those staff who have more opportunity or influence with those they support. Focus is on proactive strategies to manage the individual’s environment and provide positive behavior support to avoid the need for physical safety techniques.  Note: Basic Physical Safety Skills is not included in this course.

You will learn the cycle of risk management and response, which includes prevention strategies, de-escalation techniques and post-crisis follow-up.

Topics include:

• Prevention, stress, and self-care
• De-escalation process and postvention
• Proactive environments
• Effects of Trauma
• Positive Behavior Support
• Motivational Model for de-escalation
• Re-stabilization
• Postvention teaching
• Cycle of reflecting

This course provides instruction on using the service referral tool in the FamLink case management system for both social workers and fiduciaries. Step by step guidance walks through the steps necessary to launch the referral, provide customized details and instructions for the authorization of payments.

Following successful completion of this elearning course, participants will understand the purpose of the Structured Decision Making-Risk Assessment (SDM-RA), and how it provides a framework for consistent decision making as well as a way to target in-demand resources toward those who can benefit most. Participants will understand the definition of each SDM-RA question, its application, and the procedures for completing this tool. This course incorporates numerous types of media through video, audio, images, and scenario application in order to enhance the transfer of learning. A score of 80% is required to complete this course.

Supervisors and supervising program managers from Department of Children, Youth, and Families will come together to learn how to strengthen their supervisorial skills and discuss current practice. Sessions are pertinent to the daily work you do as front-line supervisors and supervising program managers.

Trauma Informed Engagement is a 6-hour course applying lessons from trauma studies to child welfare practice for children, youth, and adults. Participants will discuss practice guidelines crucial to trauma informed practice in any setting. Participants will learn to distinguish trauma from other adversities and suffering; describe the characteristics, dynamics and effects of trauma; and emphasize the ways in which chronic trauma and complex trauma compromise normal functioning. Participants will learn to recognize and respond to situations involving the loss of control of body, mind, and emotions associated with trauma. Participants will practice, and commit to trauma informed engagement strategies, utilizing themes of empowerment, advocacy, and building resilience in children, youth, and adults.

TBRI® (Trust-Based Relational Intervention) is an attachment-based, trauma-informed intervention that is designed to meet the complex needs of vulnerable children. This course is an overview designed to give you exposure to all parts of TBRI® by highlighting the ways in which each section of the intervention strategy fits into the holistic nature of TBRI®. The first few activities provide an opportunity for you to become comfortable with each other, share successes and challenges with each other, and become familiar with the basic ideas of TBRI®.

In this two-session training, we will follow the flow of a Child Welfare case and how workers need to incorporate ICWA.  DCYF has revised ICW Policies and Procedures and attendees will strengthen their foundational base about ICWA and learn about changes in policy and procedure as it applies to ICWA practice in Washington State.

In this course, participants learn the policies, procedures and best practices for using interpreter and translation services when working with Department of Children, Youth, and Families clients with limited English proficiency. Participants learn how interpreter services assist in helping families achieve permanency by enhancing communication between families and the social worker.  Participants also learn how to appropriately and accurately document the use of interpreter and translation services for LEP clients in FamLink, as well as how to navigate the Department of Children, Youth, and Families Intranet to identify LEP tools and resources in order to best meet the language and communication needs of clients.

In this eLearning you will learn about the spectrum of Deaf, deaf and hard of hearing culture and how people’s culture and identity impacts their communication. In addition, you will learn about assistive communication technology and how to access these devices, setting up an environment that is conducive to communication with the deaf or hard of hearing person. You will explore ways to engage with an interpreter to support positive and productive communication when a person’s primary language is sign language. If the person you are working with has a severe hearing loss and requires C.A.R.T interpretation services or an axillary listening device to support communication, you will learn how to recognize and access the needed supports. By the end of the eLearning you will understand DCYF expectations when working with clients with disabilities under the Americans with Disabilities Act and DCYF Administrative Policy 6.03: Access to Services for Individuals with Disabilities.

This 4-part eLearning series provides an interactive, deeper dive, into the roles and responsibilities of the major programs within DCYF; CPS Investigations and CPS Family Assessment Response, Family Voluntary Services, and Child and Family Welfare Services. Participants will have an opportunity to review the flow of a case and better understand the structure of DCYF offices and the roles of those who work around them. Finally, participants will walk through the basic parts of their job as CPS, FVS, or CFWS workers, including which policies and laws often guide their choices. This eLearning is offered in four distinct modules:

In this module, you’ll ...

• Identify the role of child welfare in Washington State.
• Better understand the basic organizational structure of DCYF Child Welfare.
• Feel more confident in your understanding of your role within the child welfare system.

This 4-part eLearning series provides an interactive, deeper dive, into the roles and responsibilities of the major programs within DCYF; CPS Investigations and CPS Family Assessment Response, Family Voluntary Services, and Child and Family Welfare Services. Participants will have an opportunity to review the flow of a case and better understand the structure of DCYF offices and the roles of those who work around them. Finally, participants will walk through the basic parts of their job as CPS, FVS, or CFWS workers, including which policies and laws often guide their choices. This eLearning is offered in four distinct modules:

In this module, you’ll:

• Identify the role of child welfare in Washington State.
• Better understand the basic organizational structure of DCYF Child Welfare.
• Feel more confident in your understanding of your role within the child welfare system.