Child Advocacy Studies: Child Advocacy Studies: Implementation and Implementation and expansion of Child expansion of Child Protection Training in Protection Training in UniversitiesUniversities

Angie Scott Dixon, JDChild Advocacy Studies Program Director Winona State University

“We must teach police officers, social workers, prosecutors and other child protection professionals to be community leaders in the prevention of child abuse. This training must begin in college and continue once these professionals are in the field.”

Victor ViethUnto the Third

Generation

“Universities seldom prepare students for the reality of child protection. Social workers, nurses, law enforcement professionals receive between two hours to two weeks of information about child protection before beginning their professional careers.”

Dr. Jackie Hatlevig

Child Advocacy Child Advocacy Studies Studies In 2002, the NCPTC entered into

an agreement with Winona State University to create a three course curriculum called Child Advocacy Studies

WSU faculty members from nursing, social work and criminal justice began to develop three undergraduate courses

Development Development Content Review of 56 child

protection training programs developed through federal funds

Development Development Evidenced-based practice literature

review of recent research (across the past five years)◦Using the concepts of child maltreatment,

child welfare, child abuse, child neglect, child protection, child advocacy, child interviewing, child abuse prevention, child abuse effects, child mental health, mandated reporting, pedophilia, child molesters, history of child abuse, medical treatment of child abuse, discipline specific terminology related to child abuse, and investigative and legal terminology related to child abuse and neglect.

DevelopmentDevelopment563 articles relevant to the topics

◦Sorted by concept◦Critiqued for quality by experts in

the literature◦Summarized by concept ◦Used to create an outline for three

core courses.

DevelopmentDevelopmentFocus groups April 2004

◦Social services◦Law enforcement◦District attorney’s office◦Physicians from Mayo Clinic◦Public health nursing and Pediatric

nurse practitioners◦College Deans and administrators◦Others

DevelopmentDevelopment

Three core courses completed◦CAST 301: Perspectives on Child

Maltreatment & Child Advocacy (3 credits)

◦CAST 401: Professional and System Responses to Child Maltreatment (4 credits)

◦CAST 402: Responding to Survivors of Child Maltreatment (4 credits)

CAST 301: Perspectives CAST 301: Perspectives on Child Maltreatment on Child Maltreatment & Child Advocacy& Child AdvocacySpring 2005 CAST 301 taught for the first

time at Winona State University Meets university studies, unity and

diversity, critical analysis criteria. No prerequisites are requiredDesigned for students majoring in

criminal justice, education, social work, sociology, psychology, nursing, paralegal and …..

CAST 301: Perspectives CAST 301: Perspectives on Child Maltreatment on Child Maltreatment & Child Advocacy& Child Advocacy

TheoryHands on Skills based

◦Child Observation◦Etta Angel Wheeler House

CAST 301: Perspectives CAST 301: Perspectives on Child Maltreatment on Child Maltreatment & Child Advocacy& Child Advocacy

Group Work◦Case Study◦Controversial topic paper and presentation

CAST 401: Professional CAST 401: Professional and System Responses and System Responses to to Child Maltreatment Child Maltreatment Expand knowledge of how

professionals and systems respond to abuse

Prerequisite CAST 301Hands on skills & Group work

◦Case studies◦Visits to court◦Forensic interviewing◦Peer Review

CAST 402: Responding CAST 402: Responding to Survivors of to Survivors of MaltreatmentMaltreatmentRecognize the effects of child

maltreatment Apply interventions strategiesGuest speakers who are survivorsHands on skills & Group Work

◦Large group project Blue Ribbon Campaign Miles for Matty

CAST Certificate CAST Certificate

When students complete CAST 301, 401 and 402 they are awarded a Child Advocacy Studies Certificate

CAST MinorCAST MinorCourses in addition to basis courses

◦CAST 302: Global Advocacy for Children◦CAST 407: Capstone Experience (4 credits◦One elective

CAST 403: Child Exploitation, pornography & the Internet (3 credits)

CAST 404: Sociology of Child Poverty (3 credits) CAST 405: Gender, Violence and Society (4 credits) CAST 406: Child Advocacy Research Studies (3

credits) CAST 408: Anatomy of a Case (in development)

CAST 407: Capstone CAST 407: Capstone ProjectProjectIntense site-based experienceMultidisciplinary approach emphasizedStudent Choice

◦Local human services◦Law enforcement◦Prosecutors office◦CAC◦Bangladesh◦Many others

Currently at WSU Currently at WSU CAST CertificateCAST minor97 declared CAST minorsCAST 501 and 502 for graduate creditChild Advocacy ClubSupport from a wide variety of

departments CAST Conference

CAST Conference CAST Conference Federally funded 40 Professors from 20 Colleges

and Universities in 2009 and 2010

Interdisciplinary Minor in Child Advocacy

Child Advocacy Studies Certificate

Arkansas State UniversityArkansas State University

Montclair State University Montclair State University Center for Child Advocacy Center for Child Advocacy (CHAD)(CHAD)

http://chss.montclair.edu/chad

Montclair State University Montclair State University Center for Child Advocacy Center for Child Advocacy (CHAD)(CHAD)Undergraduate Certificate in

Child AdvocacyBachelor of Arts in Child

AdvocacyPost-BA in Child Advocacy

now also offered onlineMaster of Arts with a

Concentration in Public Child Welfare

Child Advocacy Child Advocacy Programs around the Programs around the countrycountryMontclair State

UArkansas State

UKennesaw

State UU of D.C.NWACC

Northern State U

Judson UU of South

Carolina- Upstate

Oklahoma City U

You can get a CAST program started in your community!

Just a Thought ….Just a Thought ….