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Schedule:
Saturday, January 14, 2017
Bissonet (New Orleans Marriott)
* noted as presenting author
Background and Purpose: One of the most critical gaps in child welfare research lies between what is known about training and what is known about the translation and retention of training knowledge by child welfare workers. The area is further complicated by a lack of data that allows researchers and policy-makers to identify and support organizational practices associated with successful knowledge translation and sustainability (KTS). This paper aims to examine ways in which child welfare workers’ personal experiences are fused with the training curriculum within a state child welfare agency and a university department of social work training collaboration; how this knowledge is translated into practice, and what vehicles support knowledge sustainability over time.
Methods: The present qualitative study examined overarching personal constructs and beliefs about underlying conditions of KTS among 65 child welfare workers in the deep south of the United States. The study was developed in collaboration with the Department of Human Services and was approved by authors’ university IRB. Participants of pre-service (for newly hired front-line social workers); supervisory (all newly hired or promoted child welfare supervisors) and ongoing (for all child welfare staff in the state) training were recruited to this study and signed consent forms. The workers were on average, 35 years of age and represented most counties in the state. The majority of the workers had a BSW degree. An experienced focus group facilitator conducted all focus group sessions. All data were transcribed verbatim and coded to derive salient themes relevant to KTS using NVivo software package version 10 (QSR International, 2014). Various reliability checks were used to ensure a high level of inter-rater agreement among four coders.
Results: Findings from focus groups revealed four major themes related to KTS. Theme 1 dealt with continuum of practice knowledge origins that ranged from personal life experiences (e.g., “if we had had the similar experience to clients such as being poor then we could relate better to them being poor”), through pre-service training (e.g., “I learned about [clients’] strengths and weaknesses”) and to evidence-based practices (e.g, “agency really encourages the training”). Theme 2 pertained to usefulness of knowledge/skills (e.g., “MACWIS training, just the way that was presented was not helpful”). On-the-job training and supervision were explored in Theme 3 (e.g., “we could have a trainer on site”) while organizational context and support from colleagues and administrators were the main focus of Theme 4 (e.g., “a lot I learned from mostly seasoned workers”).
Conclusions and Implications: Rich narratives provided by child welfare workers uncovered the breadth of KTS factors that were summarized in four thematic categories. Results supported the usefulness of the pre-service training. Workers highlighted the need to increase resources needed for application of professional knowledge, including evidence-based practice, better on-the-job training, supervision and organizational support. The study raises awareness of organizational factors that support knowledge translation, transportation and retention in the U.S. child welfare system.
Methods: The present qualitative study examined overarching personal constructs and beliefs about underlying conditions of KTS among 65 child welfare workers in the deep south of the United States. The study was developed in collaboration with the Department of Human Services and was approved by authors’ university IRB. Participants of pre-service (for newly hired front-line social workers); supervisory (all newly hired or promoted child welfare supervisors) and ongoing (for all child welfare staff in the state) training were recruited to this study and signed consent forms. The workers were on average, 35 years of age and represented most counties in the state. The majority of the workers had a BSW degree. An experienced focus group facilitator conducted all focus group sessions. All data were transcribed verbatim and coded to derive salient themes relevant to KTS using NVivo software package version 10 (QSR International, 2014). Various reliability checks were used to ensure a high level of inter-rater agreement among four coders.
Results: Findings from focus groups revealed four major themes related to KTS. Theme 1 dealt with continuum of practice knowledge origins that ranged from personal life experiences (e.g., “if we had had the similar experience to clients such as being poor then we could relate better to them being poor”), through pre-service training (e.g., “I learned about [clients’] strengths and weaknesses”) and to evidence-based practices (e.g, “agency really encourages the training”). Theme 2 pertained to usefulness of knowledge/skills (e.g., “MACWIS training, just the way that was presented was not helpful”). On-the-job training and supervision were explored in Theme 3 (e.g., “we could have a trainer on site”) while organizational context and support from colleagues and administrators were the main focus of Theme 4 (e.g., “a lot I learned from mostly seasoned workers”).
Conclusions and Implications: Rich narratives provided by child welfare workers uncovered the breadth of KTS factors that were summarized in four thematic categories. Results supported the usefulness of the pre-service training. Workers highlighted the need to increase resources needed for application of professional knowledge, including evidence-based practice, better on-the-job training, supervision and organizational support. The study raises awareness of organizational factors that support knowledge translation, transportation and retention in the U.S. child welfare system.