Our Community Our Kids (OCOK), and 2INgage, two of the state’s Community-Based Care contractors, were the first to mandate the child welfare supervisor credential for their employees. Their inaugural cohort of 40 child welfare supervisors passed their credentialing exam this June. This implementation is part of a larger effort to credential all Texas child welfare supervisors on the CBC model.
Since then, SJRC/Belong, another of the state’s Single Source Continuum Contractors (SSCC’s), joined the effort to raise the standard of care in their region through credentialing supervisors at their operation.
Texas Center for Child and Family Services (The Center) and the National Certification Board for Child Welfare Professionals (NCBCWP) to provide a credentialing program for child welfare supervisors in their regions.
The supervisors typically manage caseworkers who work directly with children and families involved in the Child Protective Services (CPS) system. The supervisors help manage foster care, adoption, residential treatment, shelters, and other types of care for youth who are victims of alleged abuse or neglect.
The newly credentialed supervisors will maintain their certification through 20 hours of continued education each year. Being certified also makes them answerable to the National Board’s Code of Ethical and Professional Conduct. Should they violate the code, their certification could be revoked.
“This is significant and will put Texas at the forefront of professionalizing the workforce caring for many vulnerable children and families.”
Wayne Carson, OCOK CEO
Florida was the first state to implement the NCBCWP minimum certification standards after 2011 legislation began to require child welfare caseworkers to be credentialed. Texas is the first state in the country to credential a cohort of supervisors with the National Board.
“We already know that supervisors lead to strong caseworkers and those caseworkers are in constant contact with our children and youth each day. It’s so important that we elevate and professionalize the work supervisors do.”
Tara Roussett, SJRC/Belong CEO
An SSCC is an organization that coordinates foster care services for each child in a region that uses the CBC model of care. The SSCCs hope for credentialing of supervisors to play a role in improving capacity issues statewide.
“The purpose is to credential strong supervisors who give caseworkers the skills and guidance they need,” said Shirley Dwyer, 2INgage CEO. “Strong supervisors are key to the development and retention of caseworkers committed to meet the needs of children and their families in our communities.”
“We’re thrilled to be able to provide this important credentialing opportunity. Credentialing supervisors is a step toward embracing the great impact a strong, consistent, and trained workforce can have on our system of care.”
Katie Olse, CEO of The Center
The Center provides the 40-hour “Excellence in Supervision and Management” training curriculum developed by the Global Center for Creative Learning to the next cohort through virtual sessions throughout the year.
More about this credential:
Credentialing of these supervisors will:
- Connecting the organization’s vision, mission and values.
- Promote accountability, set clear expectations, and ensure staff do their jobs well.
- Promote education, and support that will allow supervisors to meet the needs of supervisees.
- Help employees understand the families they are working with to build a comfortable positive relationship.
- Increase supervisor’s knowledge to create positive relationships.
- Learning time management strategies will help supervisors guide employees to be productive.
- Professionalizes the workforce that is serving our state’s most vulnerable children.
Learn more about the credential and the National Board.
About CBC
Texas legislators created CBC in 2017. The model empowers a community-based organization in a region to draw on other organizations to provide the full range of services needed by children in foster care. Seven of the state’s 11 regions have transitioned from traditional foster care to CBC. The model empowers local organizations to manage the care of youth in their regions.