For CPS Employees - School of Social Work

Supporting CPS Employees Seeking Social Work Degrees

Have you ever considered returning to school to get your degree in Social Work? Would you benefit from stipends to finance your education? Is meaningful and vital work on behalf of families a continuing interest to you? What doors would a Masters in Social Work open for you?

If so, you might want to consider becoming a Child Welfare Scholar. Linking social work education with public child welfare, the Child Welfare Education Collaboration (CWEC) is a partnership of the School of Social Work (SSW) at The University of Texas at Austin, the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services Child Protective Services (CPS), and select students enrolled in the BSW and MSSW programs.

This partnership results in:

Financial support each semester CPS employees are in school
Enhanced skills on behalf of the children and families served by CPS
The SSW fulfilling its long-standing mission related to public child welfare

Benefits and Responsibilities

Benefits for CPS Students:

Reimbursed full in-state equivalent tuition, books, fees and parking for each semester the student is registered
Priority registration for select practice courses and electives tailored to developing skills for child welfare practice
Additional support from project personnel in navigating both the academic program and agency requirements

Responsibilities of CPS Students:

Commitment to work at CPS for 4 months for each semester of stipend support received, after graduation
Employed by CPS 1 year, in a qualified IV-E position: CVS, FAD, PAL, Kinship
Recommended by supervisor, program director and program administrator
Successful completion of all recommended coursework, field work and supplemental assignments

CPS and School Responsibilities

Child Protective Services Responsibilities to CPS Students:

3 hours educational leave per week
Limited flexibility in completing field hours

School of Social Work Responsibilities to CPS Students:

Provide core social work classes and field experiences to enhance knowledge and skills necessary for practice in child welfare
Offer timely processing of stipends
Ensure sufficient project staffing to support needs of students
Schedule relevant electives each semester to support the learning goals of the project

Knowledge and Skills Developed through Participation in CWEC

Along with the more general skills in social work practice with children and families, CWEC Scholars, through their education and CPS employment, develop specific abilities to:

Deal with challenging family situations and dynamics
Intervene in troubling situations to improve the lives of children and families affected by abuse, neglect or exploitation
Understand the underlying dynamics of abuse and neglect, attachment, grief and loss as they apply to investigations, intensive family services, foster care and adoption
Interface with community services such as law enforcement, the judicial system, medical personnel, mental health resources, and schools
Manage a complex caseload, often in crisis situations
Work in a large public bureaucracy

What Students Say About Being a Child Welfare Scholar

“This has been a great experience because of my clients and my co-workers”
“The program is a great opportunity to serve a vulnerable population and help to finance my education”
“Having my Masters in Social Work has afforded me opportunities I never dreamed of and without the stipend I would have never been able to go back to school “
“Yes it is difficult to work full-time at CPS and go to Graduate school part-time, but I am living proof it can be done..”

FOR MORE INFORMATION

Region 7 inquiries only contact:
Jennifer Graham, CWEC Student Coordinator
jennifergraham@mail.utexas.edu