Child Welfare Blog Posts

Lucy Fuentes and Rose Chahla to Lead California Title IV-E Education Program at UC Davis Human Services

Human Services at UC Davis Continuing and Professional Education is pleased to announce Lucy Fuentes and Rose Chahla have accepted positions with its new, fifth program: The California Title IV-E Education Program, which was previously administered by the California Social Work Education Center (CalSWEC). Fuentes will lead the development of this new and growing team as the Title IV-E Northern site director, and Chahla will support the team as a senior project officer. 

Fortifying the Future of the Child Welfare Workforce

The California Department of Social Services has announced a strategic partnership with UC Davis Human Services and UCLA Luskin School of Public Affairs to administer the California Title IV-E Education Program. This pivotal program provides critical education and support to undergraduate and graduate social work students committed to careers in public child welfare.

Growing and Sharing in Safety Organized Practice

The power of SOP has always been that it is grassroots–developed and enhanced by the people who use it in practice. One of the key goals of the SOP Toolkit is to create a collaborative space in which this grassroots movement can continue to grow as practices and circumstances continue to evolve.

2024 Sarah Duncan Champion for Children and Families Award Winner Announced

Presented each spring by the Northern Academy at UC Davis Human Services, the Sarah Duncan Champion for Children and Families Award honors one of Northern California’s outstanding social workers and seeks to highlight additional child welfare line social workers who reflect Duncan’s passion, skill and tireless commitment to working to improve outcomes for children and families. This is the third year the award has been presented. 

SOP Toolkit: Harm and Danger Statements; Safety Goals

Sharing New Tools and Celebrating Successful Safety Organized Practice

As we surge into 2024 with a host of new and exciting changes, we’re happy to announce the release of a new and improved SOP Quick Guide and to feature a look back at one of many 2023 SOP Champions we'll be celebrating throughout 2024.

SOP Toolkit: Collaborative Engagement for Prevention

Introducing new guidance on SOP & Family First Prevention Services integration, and reflecting upon the 2023 SOP Conference

With the 2023 California Safety Organized Practice Conference recently wrapped up, we couldn’t think of a more inspiring time to tackle the topic of SOP and Family First Prevention Services (FFPS) integration. The theme for this year’s SOP conference, collaborative engagement for prevention, said much about the monumental, infrastructure-wide shift underway toward prevention-focused services. The SOP Toolkit has some new tools to help with that.

California Social Workers Return to Davis for Reinvigorating Statewide SOP Conference

For the first time in more than five years, the California SOP Conference welcomed social workers from throughout the state back to the UC Davis Campus for two days of learning, sharing and inspiration.  

Hosted by the Northern Academy at UC Davis Human Services on the Davis campus June 21-22, the 2023 California Safety Organized Practice (SOP) conference proved a reinvigorating return to its traditional form after the 2021 conference was hosted as a virtual event due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

2023 Sarah Duncan Champion for Children and Families Award Winner Announced

Presented each spring by the Northern Academy at UC Davis Human Services, the Sarah Duncan Champion for Children and Families Award honors one of Northern California’s outstanding social workers and seeks to highlight additional child welfare line social workers who reflect Duncan’s passion, skill and tireless commitment to working to improve outcomes for children and families. This is the second year the award has been presented. 

New 2023 Sarah Duncan Award Nominees Announced

In our continuing celebration of social workers beyond National Social Work Month, we are proud to announce new nominees for the 2nd annual Sarah Duncan Champion for Children and Families Award

For those who submitted a nomination, thank you so much for taking the time to recognize one of your valued colleagues. If you didn’t get a chance to nominate this year: Don’t worry! We are already taking submissions for next year’s award.