The Importance of Addressing the Affective Domain in Child Welfare

Training

Maureen Braun Scalera MSW, LCSW  

NSDTA Presentation 10.6.2015

Objectives

By the end of the session, participants will:

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• Define Affective Learning and discuss steps used to designing instruction that moves through five levels of affective learning;

• Explore the continuum of boundaries in personal and professional relationships;

 • Describe reaction to loss and trauma, and how easily persons can be

triggered to re-experience the impact of trauma in their lives;

• Observe stress reactions (“triggers”) and ways workers get triggered. Discuss how worker stress might affect the work environment, worker performance and case outcomes; and

• Describe use of one or more coping strategies on the job, and create a stress resiliency plan for use on and off the job.

 

The NJ Child Welfare Training Partnership

Rutgers University School of Social Work ,

in collaboration with the NJ Department of

Children and Families’ Training Academy, has

been the lead agency in the New Jersey Child

Welfare Training Partnership since 2007.

Responsibilities

• Development of curriculum and delivery of training to enhance case practice and planning with youth, children & their families

• Creation of over 100 training curriculums to meet the changing needs of the workforce

• Specialized training on critical issues influencing child welfare such as domestic violence, substance abuse and mental health issues

• Infusion of culturally relevant coursework that raises cultural competence of staff

• Ongoing evaluation of the effectiveness and impact of training, and transfer of learning opportunities.

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Quality Assurance & Evaluation

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• Strong commitment to outcome-focused training• Specific learning objectives for each curriculum• Pre-/post-test questionnaires document baseline

understanding and knowledge gains • Tests demonstrate increase in knowledge gained for ALL courses• Average increases in scores range from 7 to 49 point increases

• Course satisfaction surveys evaluate trainer capacity, assess utilization of knowledge, and collect qualitative feedback

• Course completion emails facilitate transfer of learning• Monthly, quarterly and annual reports capture

enrollment, monitor fiscal expenditures, and report evaluation data

Two Aspects of Affective Learning

• Learner’s attitude, motivation, and feelings about the learning environment, the material, and the instructor (conditions external to the learning)

• Learner’s feelings, attitudes, and values that are identified, explored, and modified in some way because of the learning experience (internal to the learner)

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Affective Learning

“Affective learning is consistent with social work principles of

conscience use of self, recognitions of the art and

science of social work practice, the importance of therapeutic

relationships, and the integration of values in the profession.”

Allen, K. N. and Friedman, B.D. (2010).

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Neuman’s Stages of Affective Learning

Important implications for lesson design:1. Identification – Names, recognizes

2. Clarification – Describes, sources

3. Exploration – Implications, inconsistencies,

alternatives

4. Modification – Alters, modifies, accommodates

or assimilates

5. Characterization – Identification, affective,

cognitive and behavioral consistency

Neuman, K. & Friedman, B. (2008, October). 

Helping Workers Deal with their “Stuff”

A series of workshops designed to impact the Affective Domain of learning (as opposed to Knowledge & Skills).

Workers are encouraged to become more aware of the “person inside the professional”.

Titles include:o Managing Personal & Professional Boundarieso Vicarious Trauma & Building Resiliencyo Managing Personal Stress Reactions

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Managing Boundaries

• Personal boundaries are defined & explored. Personal boundaries influence our professional boundaries.

• Boundaries can be too loose or too rigid.• Workshop invites self-reflection of current

state of boundaries and invites use of healthier and more appropriate boundaries, especially in the workplace and with families.

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Boundary Continuum

OK Not OK

Vicarious Trauma

• Identify the signs and symptoms of vicarious traumatization and recommendations how to build resiliency.

• Trauma Exercise

Personal Stress Reactions

• Helps workers to recognize their personal stress triggers and to recognize the sequence from event(s) to action.

• Maxine’s Triggers as an example• Explores and Encourages use of

Coping Strategies and Relaxation Techniques

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The Affective Domain involves

References

• Allen, K. N. and Friedman, B.D.(2010). Affective learning: a taxonomy for teaching social work values. Journal of Social Work Values and Ethics, 7(2).

• Anderson, L.W. & Krathwohl, D. (eds). (2001). Taxonomy for learning, teaching and assessing: a revision of bloom’s taxonomy of educational objectives. NY: Longman.

• Neuman, K. & Friedman, B. (2008, October). The art of effectively facilitating professional socialization in students through affective learning. Paper present at the Annual Program Meeting of the Council on Social Work Education. Philadelphia, PA.

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For more information contact:

Maureen Braun Scalera MSW, LCSW

Director, Office of Child Welfare Initiatives

Rutgers University School of Social Work

Institute for Families

Mbscalera@ssw.rutgers.edu