Social Work Commons^™

Sexual Exploitation: The Crisis And Eradicative Solution, Tonnie Adams Bracey

Student Capstone Projects

French writer Jean-Baptiste Alphonse Karr wrote, “The more things change, the more they stay the same.” I find this to be true in our current era of the digital age. Although technology has gifted a newly improved and vast method of making worldwide connections and broadening our perceptions and views, a change in how we communicate has conveniently presented itself, but the historic pattern of how we handle these new advancements have indeed stayed the same.
Smart phones are a mainstream vessel employing the world with a plethora of information while giving all sorts of people access to individual’s lives …

Expanded Child Tax Credit Payments Supported Families Raising Children With Disabilities, Allyson Baughman, Laura Brugger, Meg Comeau, Leah Hamilton, Candace Jarzombek, Caroline Parker, Stephen Roll

Social Policy Institute Research

The 2021 expanded Child Tax Credit (CTC) provided temporary enhancements to the existing CTC for the tax years 2021 and 2022. Under the expanded credit, families with children under the age of 18 were eligible to receive a credit of up to $3,000 per child ($3,600 for children under the age of 6).

In addition, half the credit was paid out on a monthly basis rather than as a one-time payment at tax time. This provision was designed to provide more immediate financial support to families with children during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, it also supported families who were at …

“It Helped Us More Than I Could Have Imagined”: How The 2021 Expanded Child Tax Credit Supported Families Raising Children With Disabilities, Laura Brugger, Stephen Roll, Leah Hamilton, Allyson Baughman, Meg Comeau, Candace Jarzombeck, Caroline Parker

Social Policy Institute Research

The 2021 expanded Child Tax Credit (CTC) provided temporary enhancements to the existing CTC for the tax years 2021 and 2022. Under the expanded credit, families with children under the age of 18 were eligible to receive a credit of up to $3,000 per child ($3,600 for children under the age of 6). In addition, half the credit was paid out on a monthly basis rather than as a one-time payment at tax time. This provision was designed to provide more immediate financial support to families with children during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, it also supported families who were at …

Power Of Arts & Craft To Support Children With Illnesses, Gerardo Hernandez

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

Jacob’s Heart Children’s Cancer Support Services is a non profit agency in Watsonville, California. Providing family-centered care for children and their families in their emotional, practical, and financial struggles. Due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, there’s a need for a laser-focused strategy to meet the immediate needs of children’s health. Childhood cancer greatly affects their upbringing and may create worse problems throughout their adulthood. Without assistance, these families are critically vulnerable to their physical and mental health issues. This project allows children with illness alongside their families to receive mental health assistance throughout their complex journey. With the …

Police Prevention Of Domestic Homicide: Missed Opportunities And Barriers To Change, Michael D. Saxton

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

This integrated-article dissertation focused on the critical role of police in responding to domestic violence (DV) and recognizing the potential risk of adult and child homicides. The first study examined the police role in domestic homicide through an analysis of cases reviewed by the Domestic Violence Death Review Committee in Ontario, Canada. Homicide cases with police contact were found to have 1.6 times more risk factors compared to those without police contact. Cases also show an overall scarcity of formal risk assessments, even when there was prior police contact. The second study was a national survey on the types of …

Remarital Chances, Choices, And Economic Consequences: Issues Of Social And Personal Welfare, Kevin Shafer, Todd M. Jensen

Kevin Shafer

Many divorced women experience a significant decline in financial, social, physical, and psychological well-being following a divorce. Using data from the NLSY79 (n= 2,520) we compare welfare recipients, mothers, and impoverished women to less marginalized divorcees on remarriage chances. Furthermore, we look at the kinds of men these women marry by focusing on the employment and education of new spouses. Finally, we address how remarriage and spousal quality (as defined by education and employment) impact economic well-being after divorce. Our results show that remarriage has positive economic effects, but that is dependent upon spousal quality. However, such matches are rare …

Prevention Of Violence Against Children: A Systems Readiness Assessment In Côte D’Ivoire, Marie-Kaye Soletchi Seya-Sery

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Violence against children (VAC) is a global problem with significant consequences. Recognizing the need to better understand the problem of VAC in Côte d’Ivoire (CI), the government of CI recently completed a survey on violence against children. The recent data will support an evidence-based national action plan for the prevention of VAC. Research shows that initiatives tackling specific problems will only be as successful as the community’s readiness to take action. This study applied the community readiness model to assess the readiness of the multisectoral task force (MSTF) to implement the national action plan in CI. Eight MSTF participants’ interview …

In The Child's Best Interests: Preparing Culturally Responsive Guardians Ad Litem In Minnesota, Ashley Brown, Emily Camacho, Taneesha Hunter, Skylar Retterath

Master of Social Work Student Policy Advocacy Briefs

Guardians ad litem (GALs) serve and advocate for the most vulnerable children in Minnesota. These individuals make recommendations to the courts which can impact the amount of time children are placed out of their homes. The Guardian ad Litem Board sets the qualifications and training requirements for Guardians ad Litem in Minnesota. Guardians ad litem are currently required to participate in 3 hours per year of continuing education in cultural awareness topics; this amount of training is not adequate in relation to the diversity of the population with which the GALs are working. The importance of cultural responsiveness is significant …

Growing Up With Porn: The Developmental And Societal Impact Of Pornography On Children, Gail Dines

Dignity: A Journal of Analysis of Exploitation and Violence

No abstract provided.

In Search Of A Forever Home: Raising The Standards For Our Kids, Katarina Barrett, Shelby Marx, Moriah Mueller, Christopher Olson, Michelle Olund-Youngberg

Master of Social Work Student Policy Advocacy Briefs

There are currently 12,167 children in foster care in Minnesota and 32% experienced multiple placements in 2014. Many children are entering foster care due to concerns of child behavior, parental chemical use, or allegations of maltreatment. After an often unexpected separation from their family, children are then expected to adapt to a new foster family with a new set of family norms and rules. Many children are moved between multiple foster homes, or are returned to their caregivers only to be placed back in foster care at a later time. In the wake of media reports revealing stories of child …

Remarital Chances, Choices, And Economic Consequences: Issues Of Social And Personal Welfare, Kevin Shafer, Todd M. Jensen

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Many divorced women experience a significant decline in financial, social, physical, and psychological well-being following a divorce. Using data from the NLSY79 (n= 2,520) we compare welfare recipients, mothers, and impoverished women to less marginalized divorcees on remarriage chances. Furthermore, we look at the kinds of men these women marry by focusing on the employment and education of new spouses. Finally, we address how remarriage and spousal quality (as defined by education and employment) impact economic well-being after divorce. Our results show that remarriage has positive economic effects, but that is dependent upon spousal quality. However, such matches are rare …

U.S. Immigration Policy And Immigrant Children's Well-Being: The Impact Of Policy Shifts, David K. Androff, Cecilia Ayon, David Becerra, Maria Gurrola, Lorraine Salas, Judy Krysik, Karen Gerdes, Elizabeth Segal

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

America is built upon a history of immigration; yet current immigration policy and anti-immigrant sentiment negatively affect the vulnerable population of immigrant families and children. Immigrant children face many problems, including economic insecurity, barriers to education, poor health outcomes, the arrest and deportation of family members, discrimination, and trauma and harm to their communities. These areas of immigrant children's economic and material well-being are examined in light of restrictive and punitive immigration policies at the federal and local level. Implications for social policy reform, such as decriminalization, are discussed.

First Jobs Academy Work Readiness Training For Child Welfare Involved Youth: Trainer Guide, Amy Beaulieu (Ed) Mssw, Lcsw

Children, Youth, & Families

This curriculum focuses on mastery of knowledge, skills, and abilities related to work readiness in four main competency areas:

Communication: Articulates thoughts and ideas clearly and effectively; demonstrates public speaking skills; writes work-related materials clearly and effectively.

Critical Thinking & Problem-Solving: Exercises sound reasoning and analytical thinking; uses knowledge, facts, and data to solve workplace problems.

Professionalism: Demonstrates personal accountability and effective work habits, such as punctuality, working productively with others toward a goal, and time and workload management.

Teamwork & Collaboration:Builds productive and professional working relationships with colleagues, supervisors, and customers; able to work with diverse teams; able to …

Parenting Coordination: Resolving High Conflict Parenting Disputes In The Usa, Sherrill W. Hayes

Sherrill W. Hayes

For The Children: Accounting For Careers In Child Protective Services, Joan M. Morris

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

This paper analyzes autobiographical essays from women who work as social service workers in child-protection agencies. Working long hours in relatively low-paying jobs, these women have limited prestige and autonomy and increasingly, come under close scrutiny and public criticism. They are clearly exploited in terms of the emotional and "mothering" labor they are expected to perform and are held personally accountable for daily decisions that could have dire consequences for the children they serve to protect. This paper is an investigation of how their narratives explain and justify their willingness to continue working in these situations and how their professional …