The Child Welfare and Protection Track will prepare Spanish-speaking students in the Bachelor of Social Work program with specialized knowledge and experience in child welfare and protection services to meet the needs of Connecticut’s Spanish-speaking families served by the state Department of Children and Families (DCF).
This partnership serves as a pipeline for students interested in working for DCF after completing their BSW program. Upon successful completion of the Spring and Fall semesters, students will be awarded a stipend/scholarship of $2,500: $250 provided mid-fall semester of senior year, $1,250 at the end of the fall semester of senior year, and $1,000 at the end of the spring semester of senior year.
This is a voluntary program. However, students selected will complete their senior practicum internship at DCF, which will fulfill their practicum internship requirements and credits.
Read about the first two students to graduate from the BSW Spanish-speaking track in UConn Today.
Read and view the NBC Connecticut story about the BSW Spanish-speaking track.
Application and Selection Process
The selection process is competitive, as the program is capped at five students.
Applicants will need to complete and submit the following no later than November 19th.
- BSW Child Welfare and Protection Track Application Form
- Written essay (2 pages) outlining your interest and/or experience in child welfare; please be sure to include your experience working with diverse populations, particularly the Latino/a/e community
- Unofficial transcript
- Current resume
Applicants are expected to check their UConn email regularly and respond in a timely manner. Eligible students will be required to participate in an interview scheduled in early December. Notifications regarding the acceptance of the program will be sent out between late December and early January.
Eligibility Criteria
To be eligible for the program, students must:
- Have the ability to speak Spanish fluently (Fluency is defined as the ability to converse with another person in a language other than English on a variety of subjects without much strain.)
- Have a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.7 and remain in good academic standing
- Meet UConn and DCF’s internship requirements
- Must have a valid driver's license
Program Requirements
To complete the program, students must:
- Have an interest in child welfare
- Participate in the program track series of seven sessions (Spring Junior year, Fall Senior Year, and Spring Senior Year)
- Enroll in senior year practicum placement and complete an internship at the Connecticut Department of Children and Families (DCF)
- Apply to the Connecticut Department of Children and Families (DCF) upon graduation
- Students will sign a contract provided by DCF agreeing to work for DCF for two years upon successful completion of their degree and DCF hiring process.
- If the student is not hired within three (3) months of completion of their degree, the student's commitment to work at DCF shall be void and there shall be no request to repay the stipend; however, students who do not complete their BSW programs or do not remain employed with DCF for the stated two (2) years shall reimburse DCF for the full or prorated amount of the stipend within ninety (90) days of a demand for reimbursement by DCF.
- DCF shall hire, within three (3) months, the stipend students who have successfully completed the internship program at DCF, obtained a BSW or MSW degree, and undergone all necessary steps within the normal DCF hiring process; should the student defer applying for a DCF position, DCF shall offer the student an opportunity to apply three (3) months after completion of the Advanced Standing MSW program.
DCF Scholarship Obligation
Students will need to:
- Repay the DCF portion of the full $2,000 stipend if the two-year employment commitment (e.g. termination of employment by DCF or voluntarily leaving) is not fulfilled.
- Return or repay the DCF portion of the full $2,000 if the student does not graduate and/or complete all requirements of this program.
- Notify the DCF Academy in writing within five (5) calendar days of any change in name or address, until the work commitment or stipend is fulfilled.
Student Commitment and Program Schedule
Student Commitment
The Child Welfare and Protection Track will require a total of 21 to 22 hours of work outside of the practicum internship: 17 hours of in-person sessions and 4 to 5 hours of preparation, reflection, and presentation.
Students will take notes during and after the different sessions and shadowing experience that will contribute to their final poster presentation, which will highlight what they learned while participating in the Child Welfare and Protection Track. If students wish, they can apply for a three-credit independent study in the spring of their senior year, which will count towards their elective credits. The independent study will consist of a portfolio of their work, including the final poster presentation.
Schedule
- Workshop on Social Work History of Child Welfare and Protection Services (1.5 hours)
- Held in the Spring semester of junior year
- Workshop on DCF as the Largest Child Welfare Organization in the State of Connecticut (1.5 hours)
- Held in the Spring semester of junior year
- Experiential Shadowing of a DCF Spanish-Speaking Social Worker Working with Latino/a/e Families (up to 7 hours)
- Held in early May
- Workshop on Understanding the Latino/a/e Population; Connecticut Demographics; Diversity of Culture, Beliefs, and Values (1.5 hours)
- Held in the Fall semester of senior year
- Workshop on Understanding the initial DCF intake assessment - conducted in Spanish (2.0 hours)
- Held in the Fall semester of senior year
- Review Process for Poster Presentation and Employment Processes (1.5 hours)
- Held in the spring semester of senior year
- Poster Presentation Session Conducted by Student Participants and Celebration of Graduating Cohort (1.5 hours)
- Held in April of the final semester
Schedule and dates are subject to change.