Leadership
As leaders we believe in the importance of understanding the child welfare practice as well as in the higher levels of systems management. Leadership training and development enhances the ability of supervisors and managers to initiate and support organizational transformations that lead to improved outcomes for children, families and communities.
The Alliance provides two core curriculum tracks and a coaching program for Washington state social service leadership: Foundational and Leadership Support.
Foundational
SCT provides the foundation for effective supervisory practice in the child welfare system. This program prepares workers to become comfortable in assuming their new role through learnings about what it means to be a supervisor in the child welfare system and understanding the new responsibilities of this position.
AACT provides an introduction of baseline competencies for middle managers in public child welfare, and opportunities to develop and practice new skills regarding these competencies. Managing self, managing others, managing systems and managing outward are the four main themes integrated throughout this course.
Coaching for Supervisors provides a one-on-one professional development opportunity and is an essential element in supporting the daily work supervisors do with their units and staff. Sessions can be scheduled in 30 minute intervals and can cover:
- Observation and feedback on monthly supervisory case reviews
- Use of Supervisor Review Tool in FamLink
- Documentation / Assessment review and approvals
- Observation and feedback on skills used to engage with staff
- Organization and Prioritization of work
Coaching for Area Administrators provides one-on-one skill building sessions using the Learner Centered Coaching Model. Coaching provides essential professional development opportunities to support the daily work that AA’s do to with Supervisors in their units.
Sessions can be scheduled in 30 minute intervals and can cover:
- Integration of the Quality Matters Engagement Series
- Use of the Learner Centered Coaching Model
- Skill building opportunities for integration of Coaching into their daily work
- Observation and feedback on skills used to engage with staff
Leadership Support
Supervisors, Program Managers, and Quality Practice Specialists need to achieve competency in understanding the child welfare practice as well as in the higher levels of systems management. This course provides Supervisors and Program Managers with an introduction of baseline competencies for middle managers in public child welfare, and opportunities to develop and practice new skills regarding these competencies. Managing self, managing others, managing systems and managing outward are the four main themes integrated throughout this course.
"Supervising for Safety" Series
The “Supervising for Safety” series comprises three webinars and an eLearning that aim to support supervisors in the understanding and application of assessment tools and integration of these tools into their supervision.
Supervising for Safety: Out of Home Care: Content focuses on how to support your staff in preventing and responding to safety threats in out of home care, and how integrating safety framework tools may help with this process.
Supervising for Safety: Decision Making Tools for Supervisors (eLearning): Learn how to use the Child Safety Framework and the Structured Decision Making Risk Assessment in making important decisions. Both tools aim to improve critical thinking and objective decision making, and ultimately to help you correctly identify what level of intervention from placement out of the home to providing referrals and case closure is the most appropriate for each child and family.
Based on the Situational Leadership Theory developed by Paul Hersey and Kenneth Blanchard. A model that suggests that to be effective leaders, supervisors must match their leadership style to an individual worker’s level of job readiness (job maturity).
Supervisor Reflective Workshops
The workshops are intended to be attended after the completion of the “Coaching for Supervisors” or “Coaching Skills for Area Administrators” courses and support the integration of the model into supervisory practice through peer discussion and implementation of LCC in their teams.
Enhanced skill-development opportunities such as how to assess for identified practice barriers, the use of reflective questions, motivational Interviewing strategies/techniques, providing feedback and the use of tools in coaching will be facilitated based on feedback and requests made from each independent group. Contact your Alliance coach to register.