The stipend student commitment to child welfare

Abstract

ABSTRACTStudent stipend programs are a significant strategy to build the child welfare workforce and encompass a set of specific obligations. This includes the student’s pledge to enter the child welfare workforce after completing a specialized course of study in an accredited social work program. This duty to enter the child welfare workforce derives from the student’s dedication to the field, acceptance of significant financial assistance, and a promise to pursue employment in child welfare. The National Child Welfare Workforce Institute (NCWWI) has administered federally funded student stipend programs for over a decade. First established in 2008, the Institute worked with 12 social work programs and 349 stipend students. Next, NCWWI was refunded for another five years and worked with 13 social work programs, this time engaging 368 stipend students. This article reflects on this decade of education and training and the evaluation of student stipend programs with special attention to 2013–2018 findings. For most students, this commitment to work in child welfare was achieved. For some students, the pledge to work in child welfare was challenged by their post-graduation experiences. There are lessons for social work programs and child welfare agencies in how to strengthen student commitment to child welfare.