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April 2026
Workforce & Training
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Dear My Child Welfare Librarian Subscriber,
We're pleased to share this month's collection of featured publications added to our library catalog.
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National Child Welfare Center for Innovation and Advancement; United States. Department of Health and Human Services. Administration for Children and Families. Children’s Bureau. (2026)
This resource introduces child welfare agencies, universities, and training partners to the power of simulation‑based learning in using live scenarios, virtual reality, and computer‑based environments to replicate real‑world casework in a safe, controlled setting. The guide also highlights common implementation challenges and offers insights for expanding or enhancing workforce development efforts.
Barbee, Anita P.; Winters, Andrew; Graef, Michelle I.; Purdy, Lisa; Antle, Becky F.; Cunningham, Michael R.; Taylor, Jenny; Henry, Katy; Putnam-Collins, Penny. (2026)
Child welfare professionals face high levels of secondary trauma and organizational stress, but research shows that supportive supervision and resilience skills can make a meaningful difference. This study highlights a multi‑level intervention funded by the Children’s Bureau that successfully strengthened resilience and supervisory support across five counties, with strong fidelity and high skill transfer into practice. The findings demonstrate that investing in workforce well‑being strategies can reduce burnout, strengthen supervision, and support a more stable, effective child welfare workforce.
Park, Tae Kyung; Florida Institute for Child Welfare. Florida State University. (2025)
Child welfare turnover remains a critical challenge, yet the role of supervisors and how leadership affects their own well‑being has often been overlooked. This study highlights how transformational leadership not only reduces burnout and strengthens commitment among supervisors but can also offer support to build healthier teams and improve retention. The findings offer actionable insights for agencies seeking to invest in leadership practices that sustain the workforce and strengthen child welfare systems from the top down.
Esposito, Tonino.; Caldwell, Johanna.; Chabot, Martin.; Précourt, Stéphanie.; Trocmé, Nico.; Fallon, Barbara.; Hélie, Sonia.; Fluke, John.; Hollinshead, Dana. (2025)
This study highlights a powerful connection between child protection staffing levels and the likelihood that families experience repeated substantiated reports. Drawing on data from more than 720,000 children across Quebec, researchers found that lower staffing levels were linked to a significantly higher risk of recurrence and suggest that adequately staffed evaluation teams play a critical role in timely, effective intervention. These findings underscore the need for continued investment in the child protection workforce to strengthen family outcomes and inform smarter policy decisions.
Florida State University. College of Social Work. Florida Institute for Child Welfare. (2024)
The Alliance for Workforce Enhancement (AWE) is a three‑year initiative designed to strengthen child welfare organizations through targeted leadership development, workforce well‑being supports, and hands‑on implementation guidance. Using an implementation‑science approach, AWE helps agencies assess their strengths, co-develop improvement strategies, and carry out action plans supported by coaching, evaluation, and sustainability planning. This report offers a clear overview of the program’s phases and shows how AWE equips leaders and teams to build healthier, more resilient workplaces.
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