SW 8490 - Child Welfare Practice, Policy, and Research

3 Credit Hours
Description
This course provides an overview of the contemporary child welfare system in the U.S. highlighting its historical developments in practice, policy, and research. Students explore the continuum of services designed to support and protect children and families, including prevention, family preservation, foster care, adoption, and permanency planning. Using a trauma-informed, anti-oppressive lens, students examine a range of critical issues affecting children, youth, and families, such as poverty, homelessness, violence, child maltreatment, substance use, mental health disorders, parental incarceration, and trafficking. Emphasis is placed on recognizing risk and protective factors and collaborating with community partners to implement interventions that promote the well-being of children and families. Special attention is given to populations disproportionately impacted by these issues including racial and ethnic minorities, especially Black and First Nations families, the LGBTQ community, immigrants, women, and families experiencing poverty.