For 14 years, the Center for Child Welfare at the University of So. Florida has worked with the Florida Dept. of Children and Families (DCF) as a resource for partners in Florida’s complicated child welfare system. We work hand in hand with the DCF as the custodian of official child welfare policy, practice, training curriculum, and process documentation. We provide prompt and direct access to policy and practice changes that impact the system. We have worked in the child welfare system as front-line staff, supervisors, quality reviewers, trainers, program managers, foster parents, and advocates. We understand the needs of the system and have worked with various agencies and University partners to evaluate programs and implement training. Our expertise in video production, webinar hosting, support, and training design enables us to capture the knowledge of experts from around the country to expand quality training for Florida’s certified child protection staff, management and leadership, attorneys and judiciary, caregivers and advocates. Through website development and management, we support Florida's Children’s Legal Services through a password-protected website. We also maintain and develop content for Florida foster, adoptive, and kin caregivers through the Just in Time (JIT) website to support Florida’s Quality Parenting Initiative. Our national reach through our JIT program shares training and resources via websites for California, Nevada, Kentucky, Philadelphia, and Cuyahoga Co, Ohio. The JIT network connects foster parents, kinship and other caregivers with high-quality training, peer experts, and other resources. We help to identify, schedule, record, and edit video training that states can use to enhance the knowledge and skills of caregivers within their child welfare systems. We believe that easy access to information and training is the key to improving practice across the system. Contact us at centersupport@usf.edu to learn how we can help you.
