The Child Welfare Certificate Endorsement (CWCE) program is a supplemental study and field experience that prepares BSW graduates for a career in child welfare. The CWCE program evolved from a partnership between the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MHDHHS) and universities in Michigan that offer Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) programs. The program was established around 2013 in an effort to recruit, develop and retain a competent, ethical, and responsive professional child welfare workforce in the state of Michigan.
Child welfare is defined as the coordinated network of services, policies, and safeguards designed to protect children from abuse or neglect, support families in meeting their needs, and secure permanent homes for children when safety cannot be ensured at home. The Child Welfare Certificate Endorsement (CWCE) qualifies BSW graduates to waive some training requirements for child welfare staff at the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) and at private agencies that contract with MDHHS for these services. *
Curriculum: Students must successfully complete all BSW program courses, the SW 401 Child Welfare course, and a Field Placement in a child welfare organization.
Field Requirement: Students complete a 400-hour specialized field placement in a state, private, or tribal child welfare agency.
Benefits: Graduates bypass many entry-level training requirements, entering the workforce with foundational experience in trauma, attachment, and child development.
The CWCE curriculum is aligned with MDHHS Pre‐Service Institute training competencies. Graduates from this program will have received a foundation of experience and knowledge that will enable them to enter training at a later phase than new hires that do not possess a CWCE. CWCE declared students complete their 400‐hour senior field placement at an MDHHS, private child welfare, or tribal child welfare organization. This structured field placement exposes students to child welfare programs and they will be expected to develop many of the same competencies that MDHHS pre-service participants develop during their on-the-job training weeks.
Most components of the Child Welfare Certificate Endorsement program are embedded into the BSW program, however CWCE candidates must successfully complete the following courses:
- SW 401 Child Welfare: This course, offered in the fall semester only, reviews the history, mission, values, principles, and practices of the child welfare system in the US.
- SW 480 & 481 Senior Field Placement: Students must complete the required 400-hour supervised field placement in a public, private, and/or tribal child welfare agency that promotes opportunities for the student to learn/practice/implement the child welfare competencies. **
NMU will provide the endorsed BSW graduate an MDHHS Child Welfare Certificate Verification Form that is good for one year from the graduation date. Those applying for a position with MDHHS will be asked to provide their Child Welfare Certificate Verification Form with their application packet.
*Administration of child welfare services and programs varies from state to state. Benefits for the CWCE program apply only within the state of Michigan. While Michigan child welfare procedures are covered, skills and best practices within the field of child welfare based upon nationally-based resources will be centered in this course. This program will benefit anyone pursuing a career in child welfare.
** Child welfare certificate candidates are prioritized for available child welfare placements. While the NMU Field Placement office has established relationships with child welfare agencies throughout the state and region, child welfare field placement opportunities are based upon availability and are not guaranteed.
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