In-Service Child Welfare Training Initiative

Executive Summary of 2013 Cohort Evaluation

For full report, click here: 2013 MSU Final MDHHS Evaluation Report

Michigan State University School of Social Work and the Michigan Department of Helaht and Human Services

To advance positive outcomes for children and families in Michigan, to support worker competency and job satisfaction, and to address the in-service training requirements for the Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS), Michigan State University coordinates an in-service training initiative involving Michigan’s seven graduate schools of social work. This partnership with the Department delivers workshops across the state of Michigan aimed at enhancing the knowledge and skills needed by child welfare workers to effectively achieve positive goals for families. This partnership includes collaboration of curriculum, strategies for engaging trainees, and evaluation. The evaluation consists of a pre-training survey, post-training survey, and follow-up survey with participants administered approximately three months after the training. This is an evaluation summary for training delivered in 2013. MSU acknowledges the funding and strong support of MDHHS in this work together.

Descriptive Findings:

1.    The initiative provided 44 training events (plus five on-line courses), in 20 locations with a total number of 1172 trainees (MDHHS and private child welfare agency workers). The initiative provided a total of 4347 training hours.

2.    The majority of participants were female (82%); primarily between the ages of 25-35 (39%); most participants were white (64%), African American (25%); and most workers had a bachelor’s degree (50% of all workers; 13% with BSW degrees and 37% with other bachelor’s degrees), 31% with MSW degrees, and 11% with other masters degrees.

3.    The majority of participants were employed by MDHHS (64%) while 27% were employed by private child welfare agencies. The primary work category was Child Protective Services (27%), followed by Foster Care (22%) and Adoption (10%). There were a number of supervisors (11% of participants).The average number of years worked in child welfare was eight years (ranging from newly employed to 40 years); with the average length of time with current employer at almost seven years. The average for MDHHS employees tended to be slightly higher than private agencies.

4.    The majority of participants learned about the training from the printed catalog (67% of MDHHS employees and 34% of private agency workers). E-mail notification was the second most frequently cited source of information, followed by continuing education and university-based websites.

5.    Training took place in twenty separate locations, comprising 16 different cities and participants came from 51 different Michigan counties.

Outcomes:

1.    The majority of participants reported that the training increased (“Strongly Agreed” or “Agreed”) their understanding of the topic (81% post-test; 2% disagreed). At follow-up this increased to 86%.

2.    The majority of participants rated the topic as relevant to their work (84% post-test; 2% disagreed).  At follow-up this increased to 89% relevant.

3.    The majority of participants indicated they would use the training content in their current employment (82% post-test; 2% disagreed).  At follow-up this decreased to 72% usefulness.

4.    The majority of participants would recommend this training to their co-workers (80% post-test; 3% disagreed).  At follow-up this increased to 83% recommendations.

5.    Participants reported a high level of concurrence between the learning objectives advertised and the knowledge/skills that were provided (mean score of 8.55 for in person trainings and 8.12 for online trainings on a scale of 1-10).

6.    On average, participants rated training facilitators’ delivery of the training material as 8.41 for in person trainings and 7.28 for online trainings on a scale of 1-10.

7.    Trainee self-assessment of competency increased significantly (average of 3.14 before training and 4.22 averages after training on a 1-5 scale). In the five on-line courses, similar gains were reported.

8.    In the eleven courses offered by MSU there was a knowledge-based pre-test and a post-test administered. Each course showed a strong gain in knowledge.

9.    In three-month follow-up surveys, the majority agreed or strongly agreed that they used the training content in their work (72% with 18% disagreeing).

Conclusions:

1.    The trainings were accessible to child welfare workers.

2.    The trainings increased knowledge, were relevant to current child welfare work, and would be recommended to other workers.

3.    There was a self-reported increase in worker competency due to the training.

4.    In pre-test and post-test evaluations, there was a consistent, strong increase in knowledge by participants.

5.    Trainers were rated highly in both in-person and in on-line workshops.

Lessons Learned:

1.    To increase attendance and participation in under-represented counties it could be helpful to provide more outreach efforts. There need to be continuing efforts to raise awareness of the availability of this training opportunity.

2.    The training sessions were generally full to capacity, with an average of 27 attendees across each of the 44 training events. There is high demand and efforts to accommodate expanding interest could be considered.

3.    The partnership between MDHHS and MSU (and MSU’s work with the schools of social work) continues to be an excellent example of collaboration in the design and delivery of training.

Michigan State University School of Social Work

February 2014