Child Protective Services worker and graduate social work student La Shawn Deckard knows how tough it is to protect children and families from frightening situations such as abuse and neglect.
"CPS work is challenging and demanding, but at the same time rewarding, which is why I, along with many others, have been dedicated to the agency’s mission of protecting the unprotected," Deckard said.
Deckard, who has been employed by the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services since 1996is part of the Graduate College of Social Work Child Welfare Education Program, which prepares master’s level students to work for child protective services.
About 65 percent of the Child Welfare Education Program students are currently employed as CPS workers and are looking to better their skills in their respective fields, Joe Papick, director of the Child Welfare Education Program, said.
"A main goal is to expand professionalism in the field of child welfare so that they are doing work appropriately and professionally," Principal Investigator Monit Cheung said. "We try to provide training and educational opportunities for people employed as social workers."
Papick has several goals that he and his staff try to help students reach.
†"We try to improve and strengthen the quality of case workers for families and children by having the best-trained individuals," Papick said. "We want to make sure CPS workers know how to interact with children and families by assessing problems and issues and knowing how to interact with others."
Alumna Arnitia Mitchell, who earned her master’s in social work in 2003, said families "tend to struggle with domestic violence, substance abuse and poverty," but the students’ experience is rewarding.
"It is demanding; however, there are some success stories," Mitchell said. "The Child Welfare Education Program made it possible for me to further my education and allowed me to become more familiar with different aspects of the social work field."
Papick agrees that many difficulties come with CPS work.
"The difficulty comes in having to (handle) life and death situations facing children and families," Papick said. "There is lots of anger and hostility that is faced when staff visit homes where there may be abuse and neglect."
The Child Welfare Education Program has provided students the opportunity to overcome those challenges and handle the tough situations more easily, Deckard said.
"UH GCSW has provided me with invaluable knowledge and tools to enhance my professionalism and ability to serve the children and families in the community," Deckard said. "I have much gratitude for the Child Welfare Education Program and the staff who work closely with the UH GCSW."
Deckard said students should consider the program and utilize its training.
"I do hope more current CPS employees, as well as future staff, strongly consider the program and the opportunity to obtain their master’s in social work with the Child Welfare Education Program’s support," Deckard said.
Applicants are chosen after a required pre-employment screening and criminal background check, which includes driving record, abuse and neglect checks.
Throughout the program, students attend seminars and workshops geared toward helping students learn about child welfare issues. Students also participate in field internships in which they work in the CPS field, ultimately helping with their professional development.
Child Welfare Education Project students receive a stipend to help them earn a degree while working as a CPS employee. Full-time students receive $3,500 per semester for up to six semesters, while part-time students receive $5,000 for the first semester and $2,500 for each following semester for up to 10 semesters, according to the GWS’ Web site.
The stipends go to books, tuition and other miscellaneous costs that come with the Child Welfare Education Program.
For every semester in which a student receives a stipend, they must repay with eight months of employment, Cheung said.
"Students sign a contract which indicates that after graduation, they will remain in CPS for a certain amount of years to pay back their time in exchange for the stipends they received," Cheung said.
For Deckard, the financial support has proven valuable.
"The Child Welfare Education Program has helped me financially in working towards my master’s in social work while working full-time," Deckard said. "The staff has provided the most-needed support in terms of guidance and disseminating pertinent information throughout my educational experience."
Many of the students continue to work in the CPS field after they graduate, Cheung said.
"A lot of our students stay in the field well beyond the limits of their stipends," Cheung said. "We have a number of alumni still in the field."
The Child Welfare Education Project is open to all GCSW students.
Those UH students interested in a career involving CPS or who want to learn more about the project can contact Project Director Joseph Papick at [email protected] or visit www.sh.uh.edu/communityoutreach/cwep.php.
