IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jscscx/v15y2026i5p301-d1937069.html

Investing in the Child Welfare System Through the Workforce: Lessons Learned from a Title IV-E Child Welfare Stipend Program

Author

Listed:
  • Yao Wang

    (School of Social Work, University of Texas at Arlington, Arlington, TX 76010, USA)

  • Scott D. Ryan

    (School of Social Work, University of Texas at Arlington, Arlington, TX 76010, USA)

  • Damone Wisdom

    (School of Social Work, University of Texas at Arlington, Arlington, TX 76010, USA)

  • Hui Huang

    (School of Social Work, University of Texas at Arlington, Arlington, TX 76010, USA)

  • Catherine A. LaBrenz

    (School of Social Work, University of Texas at Arlington, Arlington, TX 76010, USA)

Abstract

The child welfare system is designed to promote child safety, well-being, and permanency, but the high stress and intensity of cases require a specialized workforce. Using a qualitative case study design, this study explored the perspectives of current and former Title IV-E stipend recipients on their preparation and readiness to actively participate in the child welfare workforce. The research team conducted semi-structured interviews with 10 individuals who had participated in a large Title IV-E stipend program in a southern state during a five-year period (2020–2025). Using applied thematic analysis, four main themes emerged: (1) bridging the classroom-practice gap; (2) professional preparation and development; and (3) experiences and future directions for Title IV-E Programs. We explored implications for Title IV-E policies and programs on specific strategies to best prepare the child welfare workforce so that they can best ensure child safety, permanency, and well-being.

Suggested Citation

  • Yao Wang & Scott D. Ryan & Damone Wisdom & Hui Huang & Catherine A. LaBrenz, 2026. "Investing in the Child Welfare System Through the Workforce: Lessons Learned from a Title IV-E Child Welfare Stipend Program," Social Sciences, MDPI, vol. 15(5), pages 1-14, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jscscx:v:15:y:2026:i:5:p:301-:d:1937069
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-0760/15/5/301/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-0760/15/5/301/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    More about this item

    Keywords

    ;
    ;
    ;

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jscscx:v:15:y:2026:i:5:p:301-:d:1937069. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    We have no bibliographic references for this item. You can help adding them by using this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager The email address of this maintainer does not seem to be valid anymore. Please ask MDPI Indexing Manager to update the entry or send us the correct address (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.