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This webpage will help you navigate the transition from Charting the Course (CTC) to Foundations. The below columns take you through the new staff onboarding process, first stepping out how it was done for CTC, then doing the same with Foundations. Click on more info for additional information pertaining to that step.

Charting the Course

Have your new staff added to Encompass

Talk to them about the series [more info]

The series includes 120 hours in-person (20 days) and 6 hours of online pre/post work

  • There are 10 in person modules they will attend

      1. Introduction to PA's Child Welfare System
      2. Identifying Child Abuse and Neglect
      3. Using Interactional Helping Skills to Achieve Lasting Change
      4. In-Home Safety Assessment and Management
      5. Risk Assessment
      6. Case Planning with Families
      7. The Court Process
      8. Assessing Safety in Out-of-Home Care
      9. Out-of-Home Placement and Permanency Planning
      10. Making Permanent Connections: Outcomes for Professional Development

  • Each module has a pre and post work assignment to complete and should be done before and after each module. Participants can attend if online work is not complete.


Register for a CTC series at all one time (all 10 mods) [more info]

  • All modules in-person with pre/post work online
  • Training rooms within each region of the state

Participants can begin to attend in-person modules (Module 1) [more info]

  • Series is to be attended in order. If there is a need to attend out of order, permission must be obtained from OCYF Regional office.
  • Participants who miss a module unexpectedly must make up the module as soon as possible.
  • Participants who miss more than 15 minutes of an in-person module will not receive credit and will need to repeat the module.

Role of the supervisor [more info]

  • Prepare staff for what is in the series
  • Discuss transfer of learning opportunities
  • Support completing online pre/ post work

After completing Module 10 and online work, participant must complete ITNA to complete certification.

Foundations

Have your new staff added to Encompass

Talk to them about the series [more info]

The series includes 40 hours of online course work, 72 hours of in-person (12 days), and 12 hours of field assignments (124 hours total)

  • There are 10 modules, 8 of which include in-person attendance. There are also seven online-only modules which are not numbered.

    1. Introduction to Child Welfare Practice (online only)
    2. Introduction to Engagement (online, field, and in-person)
    3. CPS/GPS (online and in-person)
    4. Safety Assessment (online, in-person, and field)
    5. Risk Assessment (online, in-person, and field)
    6. Permanency and Concurrent Planning (online and in-person)
    7. Dependency Court Practice (online, in-person, and field)
    8. Family Service Planning (online and in-person)
    9. Achieving Permanency (online, in-person, and field)
    10. Professional Development (online and field)
    • Recognizing and Reporting Child Abuse (online only)
    • Introduction to Interviewing (online only)
    • Educational Advocacy (online only)
    • Safety Risk Continuum (online only)
    • Child Development (online only)
    • Personal Safety (online and field)
    • Self-Care (online and field)

  • Each in-person module has required online course work that must be complete prior to attending. Participants will not be admitted to attend the in-person session if they have not completed the online course work.

  • Field assignments require participants to work with a pre-identified advisor at their county agency on a structured assignment that includes discussion questions and practice scenarios. The participant and their advisor document their key discussion points in an online module which they submit for training credit.

  • For all in-person modules we ask that you have a mobile device, laptop, or tablet with Wi-Fi capability available with you during the training session
Each module has a pre and post work assignment to complete and should be done before and after each module. Participants can attend if online work is not complete.

Register for a Foundations series (8 in-person modules) [more info]

In-person modules will be scheduled in the following rooms
  • Meadville, Monroeville
  • Pittston
  • State College, Mechanicsburg
  • Norristown

A participant must complete online course work (Module 1 and Module 2 prerequisites) before attending the first in-person module (Module 2) [more info]

  • Participants must attend in-person modules in order. If there is a need to attend out of order, permission must be obtained from OCYF Regional office.
  • Participants who miss a module unexpectedly must make up the module as soon as possible.
  • Participants who miss more than 15 minutes of an in-person module will not receive credit and will need to repeat the module.
  • Online work not connected to in-person sessions can be completed anytime during the series.

Role of the advisor [more info]

  • The advisor provides support to the Foundations training participants
  • Reviews, provides feedback, and certifies the participants’ completed field assignments
  • Provides the participants information unique to county agency practices

Who is the advisor? [more info]

  • Each CCYA determines who will serve as an advisor to the Foundations training participant. This may be:
    • Supervisor
    • Assigned mentor
    • CCYA individual responsible for onboarding new staff or;
    • Lead worker

During Module 10, participant completes ITNA as the field work assignment and to complete certification.