Module One: California Core Practice Model

California’s Core Practice Model (CPM) is the foundational practice framework for child welfare services in California. This module provides the participant with source materials and assessment tools to assist the Director in understanding where the agency is in the implementation and maintenance of the CPM. It also helps the Director identify the elements of the California Core Practice Model and understand the leadership role in modeling the behaviors. There are four areas of concentration in the CPM and an implementation toolkit for each area: Organizational Readiness Building; Engagement, Relationship and Partnership; Workforce Development and Quality Outcomes and System Improvement.

Learning Objectives:

• Knowledge: Name and summarize the core principles of the core practice model.
• Skill: Display and facilitate implementation of the core practice model within agency structures to meet agency needs.
• Attitude: Foster and practice core practice model leadership behaviors with colleagues and staff

Reading and Activities:  1-3 hours

Coaching:                        up to 2 hours

Segment #1:     History, Purpose, and Principles of the California Core Practice Model

Reading:           up to 1 hour

Coaching:         up to 1 hour

Learning Objective

To be able to articulate the history, purpose, and principles of the core practice model.

Content

• The core practice model is central to the work that child welfare is using in the state of California. It is the overarching framework from which child welfare should be approaching their work.
• All projects and initiatives should fit within the framework of the CPM so that staff can have a clear understanding about how their work fits within the framework and the behavioral expectations for working with children and families regardless of the specific project or initiative.
• The CPM was implemented statewide in collaboration with counties, CFPIC, RTA’s, CWDA and CALSWEC and included:
  1. Director’s sessions to assist with implementation.
  2. Learning circles that included staff from each county to further develop the four key areas of Organizational Development and Readiness Building, Workforce Development, Building Relationships with Community Partners and Quality Outcomes and System Improvement;
  3. RTA development bootcamps; and some specific regional work for managers and staff by the RTA’s.

Activities

Completed before 1st coaching session:

1. Review the Child Welfare Directors Development Program Overview

Materials

1. CALSWEC Core Practice website
2. CPM Overview and Behaviors:
3. We Believe Video
4. CFPIC REDI Resources

Preparation for next segment

Completed independently before 2nd coaching session all materials:

1. View We Believe video.
2. Review CPM Overview brochure and leadership behaviors handout
3. Director will complete the self-assessment tool.
4. Director identifies areas of improvement and develops a list of priorities.

Segment #2:                    Core practice model self-assessment

Reading and Activities:  1 to 2 hours

Coaching:                        1 hour

Learning Objective

The director will gain an understanding of how they can begin or support implementation of the CPM and how they can model the leadership behaviors that support CPM. The director will be able to determine how their leadership can currently, and in the future, address race, equity, diversity and inclusion in their organization.

Content

• The director will have viewed the “We Believe” video and debrief with the coach about their thoughts about the video.
• The director will have reviewed the handouts to develop an understanding of the different components of the CPM, i.e., theoretical basis, casework components, practice elements, practice behaviors and leadership behaviors.
• Director will have participated in the self-assessment activity regarding their leadership style and the CPM.
• Coach will debrief the results of the self-assessment with the Director.
• Director should have identified the areas for improvement based on the assessment and create a list of priorities.
• From the self-assessment and list of priorities, the creation of the Director’s professional development plan should occur between the director and the coach.
• The director should have prioritized the areas and the coach should work on assisting them to identify activities and/or opportunities in which they can test out the new behaviors and report back to the coach on how things are going.
• These areas of professional development should occur and be reviewed over the course of the coaching program to give the director plenty of time to address more than one improvement area and test the change over time.

Activities

Between coaching sessions 1 & 2:

1. Director will complete the self-assessment tool.
2. Review CPM Snapshot
3. Director identifies areas of improvement and develops a list of priorities.

During coaching session #2:

4. Creation of a professional development plan with the Director.

Materials

1. CPM Snapshot
2. NCWDDP Leadership Assessment tool
3. Professional Development Plan Template
4. Integrated Core Practice Model Primer: Leadership
5. CFPIC REDI Resources

Preparation for next module

Review National Child Welfare Workforce Institute resources:

• Change & the Roles People Play
• Get on the Balcony eLearning.
• Organizational Culture and Retention
• Organizational Environment
• Organizational Leadership
• Three Tools to Guide Change Efforts

Review:

• Continuous Quality Improvement Toolkit from the Child Welfare Information Gateway