Pre-Academy training activities are part of the transfer of learning process and new supervisors must be allowed time and support in completing these activities. In order for classroom training to have an effect on practice, participants must use their newly acquired skills in the work setting in the performance of Pre-Academy activities. Field Managers and District Directors MUST ensure that new supervisors have an opportunity to do all the assigned activities.
Note:
Prior to attending Academy, Supervisors are required to be in their position a MINIMUM of 4 weeks AND have activities #1 through #6 completed.
Prior to attending Academy, Supervisors are required to be in their position a MINIMUM of 4 weeks AND have activities #1 through #6 completed.
- Required Readings: The reading materials will be mailed through interagency mail to the supervisor when they are enrolled in Academy.
- Child Welfare Supervision: A Practical Guide for Supervisors, Managers, and Administrators (approximately 2 hours of reading time)
- Chapter 2, p. 23-27
- Chapter 3, p. 44-60
- Chapter 4, pp. 61-64
- Chapter 5, pp. 93-108
- Chapter 10, pp. 220-223, 231-236, 241-256
- Chapter 11, pp 278-285
- Strengths Based Leadership
- Read book and complete online quiz (approximately 1 hour and 30 min)
- Take the online quiz and you will enter the unique access code that is provided in the back of the Strengths Based Leadership book.
- Child Welfare Supervision: A Practical Guide for Supervisors, Managers, and Administrators (approximately 2 hours of reading time)
- Required Online Reading Assessment — After completing the required readings, Log into the Child Welfare LMS and complete the following under Online Assessments
- Pre-Academy Readings Assessment (Supervisors must make 70% to attend Academy-and they may take the Assessment as many times as needed)
- Articles. Supervisors will read the following articles and be prepared to discuss them in class. Reading quizzes over the article content will not be required.
- Secondary Trauma and Child Welfare Staff: Guidance for Supervisors and Administrators by the National Child Traumatic Stress Network
- What is Secondary Traumatic Stress?
- Field Manager/District Director meets with the Supervisor to review and process the supervisor’s Top 5 Strengths Report from Strengths Based Leadership. FM/DD should review their own Top 5 Strengths Report with the supervisor and discuss ways to use your strengths to work together effectively.
- The Field Manager/District Director meets with the new supervisor and walks through the process of assigning a specialist a new case. This process should include talking the specialist through the new case, explaining what the most critical, time sensitive tasks are, and assist the specialist with managing those particular tasks.
- The supervisor reviews the Academy Expectations of Professional Behavior form, the District Director/Field Manager and supervisor sign and date the form. The supervisor must submit the form with all other Pre-Academy documentation to the coordinator on the first day of Module 1.
- The Field Manager/District Director provides the new supervisor with the opportunity of sitting on an interview panel to hire new staff. Supervisor should not be the lead on the panel (unless he/she has previous experience being the lead) but should participate. This can be for new specialists, specialists moving positions, or for Level 3 interviews. If no interview panel is available prior to the supervisor attending Academy, the FM/DD should explain the selection process to the new supervisor, focusing on knowledge, skills, abilities and cultural fit criteria for new specialists.
