Assessing an Innovative Method for Training Child Protection Investigators

Background and Purpose: Investigating child abuse and neglect is a difficult job and investigators need all the preparation they can get.  Studies regarding the transfer of learning across different domains of employment have shown that only 10 to 15% of training content is transferred to the workplace.  Experiential learning is a method that constructs realistic environments in which trainees can better develop knowledge and skills through simulation. As of February 2016, the Child Protection Training Academy (CPTA) at the University of Illinois at Springfield provides simulation training for all new child protection investigators hired by the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS). New investigators come to the CPTA for a week at the end of their initial training to participate in simulations of real-life child protection tasks such as making a first encounter with a family and testifying in court. A house was re-designed to simulate a family’s home and a meeting room was outfitted as a simulation of family court. To evaluate the program’s impact, this study examined whether CPS investigators who received simulation training report better training and learning experiences, greater job satisfaction, and less intention of leaving their job than CPS investigators who did not receive simulation training.

Method:  This study utilized data collected from an online survey of all current DCFS investigators; 259 investigators completed at least part of the survey, a 35% response rate, and 122 had received simulation training (the sim group ) and 115 had not received sim training (the non-sim group). To control for confounding variables, especially job tenure and age, multivariable ordinary least squares and logistic regression models were used to examine differences between the sim and non-sim groups on outcomes.

Results:  In regression analyses, the sim group reported less difficulty than non-sims on acquiring the skill of evidence-based documentation (b=-.44; p<.05) and the skill of testifying (b =-.67; p < .05). The non-sim group was significantly more likely to report the intention to seek another job within DCFS (adjusted odds ratio=4.04; p<.05) and nearly significantly more likely to report the intention to leave DCFS once another job was available (adjusted odds ratio=3.42, p=.052).  The sim group rated their certification training higher than the non-sim group in regards to preparing them for 8 out of 9 different aspects of their work. The effect size was especially large for the difference in preparing for testifying in court (Cohen’s d =1.09).

Conclusions and Implications:  These are the first empirical results we are aware of that suggest the advantages of simulation training for fledgling child protection investigators, in preparing them for their work, helping them with their current work, and supporting them in staying in the field of child protection.  The CPTA simulation program has special advantages for helping investigators learn to prepare evidence-based documentation and to testify in court—training of these skills is typically lacking.  Based on their experience with the program, CPTA and DCFS are exploring opportunities to expand simulation training to additional professional groups, skills and venues.