Radford pilots statewide child welfare professional development program

Four Radford students are the first recipients in Virginia of a program that includes a $10,000 scholarship in exchange for post-graduate work in child welfare at the state level.

Cheyenne Blade, Adriana Koss, Janeen Lloyd and TyEnna Spencer-Sturdivant from the School of Social Work have been selected as recipients for the Child Welfare Stipend Program (CWSP) that prepares undergraduate and graduate social work students for careers in child welfare.

In exchange for the stipend and extensive child welfare training, Blade, Koss. Lloyd, and Spencer-Sturdivant will commit to work at a local Department of Social Services within Virginia for a year after graduation.

Radford is piloting the program during the academic year 2016-2017 and will be joined in the fall of 2017 by Norfolk State, George Mason and VCU.

“The program is an important start toward making a real difference in the lives of children who have experienced abuse and neglect or are in need of foster care,” said Diane Hodge, Director of the School of Work.

CWSP scholarship recipients will prepare for their fieldwork by:

  • learning to be an advocate for children and families
  • utilizing a trauma informed approach with family engagement and assessment
  • developing their cultural and diversity competence
  • mastering self care, supervision and on-going professional development
  • promoting the safety, permanency and well being of children and families

The collaborative relationship between the state, social work departments and local agencies is valuable and necessary, said Hodge.

“The program has been brought back after a seven year absence,” Hodge said. “It is a way we can partner with the Commonwealth and local departments of social services to train and support those who can do this really important and really difficult work.”

At Radford, the application process for 2017 will begin in February and is open to both graduate and undergraduate full-time social work students. For more information, click visit the program website.

Nov 2, 2016
Don Bowman
(540) 831-5182
dbowman@radford.edu