Coaching
Coaching is an exciting new workforce development modality that greatly enhances transfer of learning from the classroom to the field. (Joyce and Showers, 2002)
Coaching Philosophy: Child Welfare Development Services (CWDS) believes that coaching is an on the job, effective and strength-based practice that supports the implementation of training knowledge and skills-based best practice.
CWDS Child Welfare Coaching Definition: Child Welfare Coaching is the collaboration or teaming of a coach and learner for the purpose of enhancing skills or personal development in their child welfare practice. It is learner led in that the identified skill or goal to be explored during the coaching session is determined by the learner. The coach creates a positive, structured environment with agreed upon outcomes that are designed to allow the coach and learner to focus on the goals of the session. The session is a safe place to explore and practice strength-based critical thinking skills. It does not replace supervision, nor is it a place to grade worker performance.
CWDS coaches serve the following populations: support staff, lineworkers, supervisors, and Child Welfare leadership.
CWDS Coaches support the transfer of learning from the classroom to the field. Some of the topics covered are listed here but are not limited to:
- Safety Organized Practice
- Structured Decision Making
- Healthy Organizational Culture
- Appreciative Inquiry
- Solution Focused Inquiry/Case Management
- Child and Family Teams
- Implementation Science
- Trauma Informed Care
- Secondary Trauma/Resiliency
Our coaching program uses Qualtrics, a data survey and dashboarding system, to gather data around sign in details, learning objectives and coaching feedback to provide us with live data so we can be responsive and nimble and help our county partners make data driven decisions around coaching.
Please see our CWDS Coaching Program Overview for more details.
For additional information please contact Practice Coach Manager, Nicole Heesen – nheesen@sdsu.edu