- Child Welfare 1

Catalog description

This course examines contemporary child welfare policies and practices in the State of Illinois and the United States. The course explores the rights of children, the rights and responsibilities of parents and society and their points of conflict. The nature and impact of child maltreatment, the ways in which society prevents or responds to the social problem of child maltreatment, and the system of response to child maltreatment are addressed. This undergraduate social work course is presented through a partnership between the Department of Social Work and the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services (IDCFS). The knowledge included in the IDCFS Placement/Permanency Foundation Training curriculum for caseworkers is integrated throughout, and that content is included on the professional employment exams discussed below. This course includes online content developed by the IL DCFS that focuses on the fundamentals of knowledge required for child welfare practice in Illinois. Upon completion of both Child Welfare I and Child Welfare II, students are eligible for expedited Child Welfare Employee Licensure (CWEL). Students will take the Child Welfare Employee Licensure (CWEL) Exam, as well as the Child and Adolescent Needs and Strengths (CANS) Exam that are both required for those providing direct child welfare services to Illinois families with children placed in substitute care.