Maryland's Department of Human Services has awarded the Child Welfare Academy over $63,000 for its Child Welfare Academy LGBTQ supplement.
The purpose of the project is to improve child welfare practice and ensure the safety and well-being of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and questioning youth in the child welfare system through comprehensive, state-wide LGBTQ affirming training for child welfare professionals.
In partnership with the Maryland Department of Human Services, Social Services Administration and the Human Rights Campaign Foundation, the Child Welfare Academy is offering the All Children-All Families (ACAF) Training of Facilitators program to build internal capacity to deliver LGBTQ competency training to Maryland child welfare workers, supervisors and administrators. Using the ACAF Training Curriculum for Child Welfare Agencies, ACAF Master Trainers provide intensive instruction and coaching to prospective facilitators around best practices related to the preparation, understanding, management and delivery of foundation level LGBTQ training material. The potential impact will be a child welfare workforce that is better informed and equipped with the knowledge and skills needed to provide culturally competent, equitable and affirming services to LGBTQ youth and families.