SUPERVISOR CORE

Supervisor Core Module 1: Supervising Casework Practice (511-SC1A-S)

In this module, the Ohio Child Welfare Practice Model is introduced. New casework supervisors explore their critical role in assuring family-centered practice, and are provided basic tools and strategies to help with their work, such as time management, prioritizing the work, establishing a mission-focused unit, creating the ideal work environment, use of Practice Profiles, etc. Consideration is also given to the pressures and stresses that child welfare supervisors often face.

Supervisor Core Module 1 Learning Lab: Promoting Critical Thinking in Casework Practice (511-SC1-LLS)

This learning lab involves viewing the first two parts of a DVD entitled Failure to Protect. Part One, The Taking of Logan Marr, tells the tragic story of a 5-year-old girl whose death in foster care prompted the state of Maine to re-examine its child welfare policies and practice. Part Two, The Casework Files, follows caseworkers in Bangor, Maine as they struggle to make decisions on matters that child welfare professionals face daily. The viewing of the DVD will be interspersed with dialogue and guided discussions to help participants apply critical thinking to key decision-making points in the cases that are presented. The last part of the learning lab is aimed at developing supervisor skills specific to helping caseworkers conduct quality home visits. Participants will develop criteria for home visits, develop strategies for preparing caseworkers for home visits, and determine measures for ensuring that quality home visits are occurring.

Supervisor Core Module 2: Leadership in Child Welfare (512-SC2A-S)

In this module, participants will learn about Transformational and Transactional Leadership and the importance of both for supervisors in Ohio’s public child protection system.  They will also learn about the significance of vision and mission, the use of authority and influence, understanding systems, and the benefits of engaging staff. Participants will assess their own leadership qualities and potential, and will establish goals for leadership growth.   They will also be offered different strategies for use in their unit, their agency, and within their community.

In this module of Supervisor Core, participants are introduced to two essential practices: the performance assessment and performance evaluation of the individual staff in their unit. Both assessment and evaluation are presented as continuous processes, as well as discrete functions necessary to produce competent and confident caseworkers. Also presented is an illustration of how agency mission guides everything from the development of job tasks, job descriptions, performance expectations, and performance evaluations. There are strategies offered for conducting ongoing assessments and evaluations, as well as strategies for providing feedback throughout the assessment and evaluation processes.

A primary responsibility of a child welfare supervisor is to develop, motivate, and maintain highly committed and skilled caseworkers. In this module, participants will work together to increase their knowledge and skills related to the development of staff, and identify ways to incorporate a “coaching mindset” into their everyday practice. Participants will be given information to help them understand the diverse learning needs they may encounter, and strategies to guide and support staff as they continuously develop to meet the ever changing needs of the job.

Supervisor Core Module 6: Building a Highly Effective Unit (516-SC6A-S)

This module addresses several topics conducive to new child welfare supervisors as they work toward developing their units: stages of unit development, characteristics of highly effective units, and strategies for building and sustaining a highly effective unit. Supervisors are also presented with an opportunity to practice unit meeting conversations with their staff and develop a plan to improve their unit’s overall level of functioning.

Did you know that you can quickly search for and enroll in available sessions of these courses inside E-Track? Simply log into E-Track and click on the [Advanced Search] button; click on the Classification magnifying glass icon; scroll down and click on the yellow Supervisors/Managers folder; click on the CORE - Supervisor/Manager classification to select; then click on the [Search] button; on the resulting screen, locate the desired learning and click on the [Sessions] button to see available sessions; and to the left of the desired session, click on the [ENROLL] button. For more information, visit the E-Track Help Center.

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SUPERVISOR SPECIALIZED TOPIC AREAS

Specialized workshops address knowledge and skills needed to effectively manage or supervise the planning and delivery of child welfare services.  

Specialized supervisor topic areas (classifications) and competencies can be accessed on the Universe of Competencies pages of this site, which will also direct you on how to search by competencies and classifications in E-Track.

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SUPERVISOR RELATED TOPIC AREAS

Child welfare supervision requires knowledge and skill in many related areas of practice.  An attempt has been made to develop an exhaustive list of relevant topic areas.  The scope of individual workshops will be developed from individual training needs assessment data.  Both basic and advanced level content are available in all topic areas.

Related supervisor topic areas (classifications) and competencies can be accessed on the Universe of Competencies pages of this site, which will also direct you on how to search by competencies and classifications in E-Track.

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