Office of Program Policy Analysis and Government Accountability
Office of Program Policy Analysis and Government Accountability

Progress Report: After Further Delay, DCF Redesigning Child Welfare Training and Taking Steps to Clarify Case Transfer

Report 05-40, August 2005




Report Summary

  • Although the Department of Children and Families has taken preliminary steps, it has not yet implemented a new child welfare training program as required by the 2003 Legislature due to procurement and design problems. Currently, the department has interim contracts, which will expire December 31, 2005, with two state universities to provide pre-service and certification training for investigators and caseworkers. The department is redesigning its training program and plans to have it fully implemented in early 2006.
  • To help clarify the roles of protective investigators and lead agency case managers in case transfer and case planning, the department has started identifying best practices and revising program rules. The department also should develop a model working agreement for lead agencies and investigation entities.
  • The department has developed and implemented a new quality assurance monitoring system for the child protection program andcompleted two rounds of lead agency quality assurance reviews. The department used data from the initial round of reviews to create a baseline from which to measure future progress or areas needing improvement.


Related Reports
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    Report 04-03
  2. CBC Pilot Project Implementation Delayed But Proceeding; Other Initiatives Implemented
    Report 07-03 January 2007
  3. OPPAGA Report: Child Welfare System Performance Mixed in First Year of Statewide Community-Based Care
    Report 06-50 June 2006
  4. Additional Improvements Are Needed as DCF Redesigns Its Lead Agency Oversight Systems
    Report 06-05 January 2006
Copies of this report in print or alternate accessible format may be obtained by email OPPAGA@oppaga.fl.gov, telephone (850) 488-0021, or mail 111 W. Madison St., Room 312 Tallahassee, FL 32399-1475.
Copies of this report in print or alternate accessible format may be obtained by email OPPAGA@oppaga.fl.gov, telephone (850) 488-0021, or mail 111 W. Madison St., Room 312 Tallahassee, FL 32399-1475.
social services, health, hotline, in-home services, out-of-home care, foster care, independent living, family safety, safety, child protection services, child abuse, child neglect, family safety, child welfare, child protection, training, quality assurance, case hand-off, lead agencies, community-based care, child protective investigations, child protection training, community-based care, lead agencies, child protection staff, case workers, quality assurance monitor, adoption