Research Paper on Division of Child Protection and Permanency, State of New Jersey

Introduction

The protection of children in the United States and across the world is crucial to their survival health, and their wellbeing. Sadly, many children as young as five years who are victims of violence or neglect are exploited and abused on a daily basis. In such instances, they are forced to work on the streets selling drugs, as prostitutes, on farms, as casual workers or as domestic workers. These acts of abuse and exploitation, as disgraceful as they are, exist in many forms and often never witnessed. They rely on secrecy, coercion, control, and abuse of power as well as the trust of the children. Indeed, child abuse is a complex practice issue that has posed great threats to many young adults and challenges for child protection practitioners all over the world. Even though they are devastating, child protection practitioners are required to respond professionally to these abuses and all the parties involved including the victim, the parents, the community and obviously the offender. The focus of this paper is specifically on a career working as a social worker for the Division of Child Protection and Permanency in the state of New Jersey.

Is your time best spent reading someone else’s essay? Get a 100% original essay FROM A CERTIFIED WRITER!

Save 25%

History of the Agency

For a long time, child protection was never considered to be a governmental function. In most cultures, fathers, being the head of the family had an almost unlimited right to determine the upbringing and the welfare of their children. However, as child abuse cases rose, courts and governments resolved that states have the power to demonstrate, by clear and convincing evidence, that the protection of children is paramount and that termination of parental rights can sometimes be necessary to keep the children safe. The Division of Child Protection and Permanency in New Jersey can be traced back to the founding of the Division of Youth and Family Services in 1996. The department which ran from the year 1996 to 2012 was also formed to replace the former Child Protection Services. Child protection Services before 1996 had a primary purpose of responding to the needs of children at risk to ensure their well-being in terms of physical and emotional safety, however, after 1996, the department was transformed to reflect more on family-centered practices as opposed to child welfare alone. It became the Division of Youth and Family Services (DYFS). In 2012, the child welfare agency was renamed again to portray few responsibilities unlike before. It involved delegating cutting some of the agency's duties to some volunteer organizations. It officially became the Division of Child Protection and Permanency (DCP&P) with an aim of providing safety, permanency as well as the well-being for the state's most vulnerable occupants who are the children (Livio, 2012). Currently, the division is in charge of investigating child maltreatment reports and managing cases with sufficient evidence.

Service Area

Child welfare social workers have a wide range of roles they perform on a daily basis to ensure the welfare and well-being of neglected children and their families. For instance, social workers are tasked with receiving and evaluating reports of child abuse cases. These are usually done around the clock either through formal submission or through phone calls. After receiving the reports, it is the responsibility of the social workers to apply their reasoning and investigative skills to determine if the child in question is at risk. Similarly, social workers through a standard protocol, are tasked with responding to the reports by counseling and rehabilitating the child and family (MSWOnlinePrograms.org, 2019). In this case, if the results from the assessment indicate that the child not at risk, he/she is required to work with the family on ways of reducing future maltreatment if any, and also help the victims cope with their past experiences of maltreatment. In case the victim's environment is seen risky, it is the responsibility of the social worker to intervene while observing the interest of the minor. In most cases, these victims are assigned to foster homes as the investigations and counseling continue. The basic guiding principle as a social worker is that a safe and a permanent home is the best place for a child to be brought up, therefore, when parents are unable to successfully take care of their children, social workers intervene of their behalf. In particular, the duty of a social worker is to find a safe and a permanent home in the quickest way possible if a child has to be placed in home care.

Education Requirement

Social work is a profession that encompasses many different kinds of career fields which all serve people in need. Ideally, social work is an interrelated system of values, theory, and practice that involves a series of services that include counseling, therapy, and education. A career as a social worker usually requires a minimum of a bachelor's degree in social work. Sometimes, some entry-level positions may accept individuals with undergraduate degrees in related fields such as sociology and psychology that deals with human interactions (CareersinPsychology.org, 2019). Currently, a huge number of child welfare social workers at New Jersey's child protection agency hold a master's degree in social work since it is a requirement before applying for advance social work licensure. For undergraduates, they are required to hold a degree from a school approved by the Council on Social Work Education.

Skills Needed

Social welfare work can be stressful and demanding. From maintaining high caseloads to frequent staff turnover, social work requires not only professional attributes but also emotional and cognitive skills. One such skill required at the Division of Child Protection and Permanency is listening. Listening skills does not just involve listening effectively, but requires one to reflect back on what their clients say and also engage with them through active conversation to assure them of their presence (Given Sherwood, & Given 2008). This has a significant positive impact on the clients who will now feel comfortable confiding in the social worker. Similarly, social workers are also required to have a certain level of emotional intelligence. Social work involves dealing with emotionally broken families and children who, in some way, looking for a hero. This means, therefore, that the child welfare social worker must have high levels of self-awareness, empathy, and sensitivity to the minors and their families. Critical thinking is also one of the most crucial attributes a social worker can have considering the nature of the Job. Most of the agency's clients are children and families from diverse backgrounds seeking problems in many domains of their lives, hence, the child welfare worker's ability to think critically and creatively will allow him/her make decisions effectively. Additionally, apart from being an active listener, social workers are also required to have excellent communication skills. They are needed to communicate in many different ways as they meet different clients, but be clear and transparent about the topic. They can sometimes be hard and emotional conversations with clients but it is important to let the clients know the realm of possibilities and what is beyond them. Moreover, social workers are required to have much more tolerance when dealing with their clients. Social work can be emotionally challenging and can sometimes take its toll on someone. Taking care of oneself emotionally and psychologically can help the agency workers not only in deriving more fulfillment in their work but also be an effective helper to their clients.

Background Requirement

An integral part of the Division of Child Protection and Permanency's recruitment practices is the background check. New Jersey law requires that any individual who aspires to be a social worker which involves direct contact with minor clients and vulnerable families must have a background study conducted on them. Ideally, the agency has a tradition of initiating a background check on all prospect volunteers, employees or even interns who may be in direct contact with its clients before they become part of the agency. Background study is vital in facilitating worker absorption into the agency and may involve information such as criminal conviction records maintained by the Bureau of Criminal apprehensions like data on gross misdemeanors, misdemeanors and even felonies (Western, 2008).). If any candidate is found with a criminal record, it is possible that their chances with the agency, be it an internship or future professional employment are very minimal. It can also jeopardize one's chances of getting field experience with the agency and also the licensure. The department will also study the applicant's past records that may indicate any form of maltreatment of vulnerable adults and minors, and also the records with the police departments, courts or in other states.

State Requirement

For one to earn New Jersey social work licensure, he/she must first apply through the State Board of Social Work Examiners (BSWE). The board is also responsible for licensing all the social workers who have the interest of practicing social work in New Jersey and has a bachelor's degree as the minimum requirement for social work licensure. However, for a social worker to be allowed to practice at a clinical level he or she must attain a graduate-level social degree program. According to the BSWE standards, undergraduate level Bachelor's degree requires at least 20 semester hours and can only allow one to practice in a non-clinical setting (SocialWorkLicensure.org, 2019). A master's degree and a Ph.D. in social work requires 45 credits and 60 post-master's semester hours respectively. Both holders of a master's degree and a Ph.D. are allowed to conduct clinical work. Social work licensure is also issued according to the education level and the experience achieved by the recipient. For instance, Initial license can only be given to those individuals with only a bachelor's degree and without serious experience. Similarly, a master license is given to social workers though holding their initial license, have attained a graduate degree in social work. The clinical license is usually considered as a professional license and always requires years of professional experience.

Literature Reviews

Differential response in child protective services has become a serious discussion in the recent past as part of the child welfare ideas that emphasizes strength based and family oriented approaches to supporting vulnerable families and minors. Many believe that many young adults and vulnerable families brought to the attention of child protective services can be better helped with certain approaches that are collaborative and supportive, as well as free from investigations and stigma. Regarding differential response, it appears that it does not result in increased harm to minors or the wellbeing of vulnerable families. DHHS & ACF (2011) examined the differential response in child protective services. All the articles, reports and even documents presenting descriptive information 0f child welfare policies, structures, models and practices were assembled. The results indicated that a certain level of safety while others supported a reduction in the subsequent removal from the home. Some studies also indicated a positive attitude from the parents in the non-investigative pathways.

Abandonment cases in the United States' Child Protective Services usually get home-interventions, however, their success in eliminating continuous cases of child abuses has been elusive. Regarding safe care home-based services, its adoption and use within the Ch...