Child Protective Services and Child Welfare

The Child Protective Services and Child Welfare Capacity Development Training Component of KCSDV’s Empowered Families Kansas Project takes new, evidence-based practices and implements those practices to create a model for the state and for others nationally.

In 2016, KCSDV conducted a needs assessment to help identify what training on domestic violence was offered to child welfare staff, including child protective services staff, and how child welfare professionals and domestic violence advocates collaborated across the state. A survey was sent to all child welfare professionals in Kansas, and listening sessions were completed with child welfare administrators and domestic violence advocates as well as with non-abusing parents navigating the child welfare system.

The needs assessment results were used to create training curriculum and resources for child welfare professionals on how to respond to families experiencing domestic violence when the families reach out for victim advocacy services or are in the child protection services and child welfare systems. One of the resources developed was the Domestic Violence Manual for Child Welfare Professionals.

The results of the needs assessment were used to update and expand the manual, which is a key component of the trainings provided through the project. Over 1,250 copies of the manual have been distributed to date.

KCSDV began trainings in the fall of 2017. 1,221 child welfare professionals and domestic violence advocates have been trained to date. This equates to more than 110 contact hours of training. The 32 trainings included topics such as: safety planning with survivors of domestic violence and their children, strategies and skills to address domestic violence in child welfare, and collaboration building between child welfare and domestic violence programs. The trainings included in-person presentations, online webinars, and conference and preconference institute learning sessions. The trainings were held in Topeka, Olathe, Chanute, Wichita, Hays, Emporia, Kansas City, and Overland Park.

The project is now in its final year. Evaluations of the project trainings show that training participants felt they increased their individual and professional knowledge by attending the trainings.

“Quality training on best practices and evidence-informed services is critical to creating positive outcomes for victims and their children involved in the child welfare system,” said KCSDV Child and Youth Project Manager Carolyn Allred.

KCSDV began the Empowered Families Kansas Project in 2016 as one of 12 demonstration sites nationally. The project is funded by the U.S. government’s Family and Youth Services Bureau FVPSA (Family Violence Prevention and Services Act) grants under the Specialized Services for Abused Children and Parents Program.

This project was supported by Grant No. 2017-MU-AX-0006 awarded by the Office on Violence Against Women, U.S. Department of Justice. The opinions, findings, conclusions, and recommendations expressed in this publication are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Department of Justice, Office on Violence Against Women.

The Kansas Coalition Against Sexual and Domestic Violence (KCSDV)’s mission is to prevent and eliminate sexual and domestic violence. Find more information on KCSDV’s website at http://kcsdv.org.

The 24-hour Kansas Crisis Hotline is 888-END-ABUSE (888-363-2287).