DCF 43.01 History
History: CR 06-081: cr.
Register January 2008 No. 625, eff. 2-1-08.
DCF 43.02
DCF 43.02
Applicability. This chapter applies to the department; county departments under ss.
46.215,
46.22, and
46.23, Stats.; child welfare agencies licensed under s.
48.60, Stats., and under contract with the department or a county department to provide child protective services; and staff of those agencies who are child protective services caseworkers and child protective services supervisors hired to perform child protective services job functions.
DCF 43.02 History
History: CR 06-081: cr.
Register January 2008 No. 625, eff. 2-1-08.
DCF 43.03
DCF 43.03
Definitions. In this chapter:
DCF 43.03(1)
(1) “Access" means the function of the agency to gather information leading to a determination of the need for child protective services intervention.
DCF 43.03(2)
(2) “Agency" means the department, a county department under s.
46.215,
46.22, or
46.23, Stats., or a child welfare agency licensed under s.
48.60, Stats., and under contract with the department or a county department to provide child protective services.
DCF 43.03(3)
(3) “Child protective services" means specialized casework services provided to children and their families where there is abuse or neglect, or threatened abuse or neglect, or emotional damage to the child.
DCF 43.03(4)
(4) “Child protective services caseworker" or “caseworker" means an employee of an agency whose primary job function is the provision of child protective services, including access, investigation/initial assessment, and ongoing child protective services.
DCF 43.03(5)
(5) “Child protective services supervisor" “or supervisor" means a person who directly supervises a child protective services caseworker.
DCF 43.03(6)
(6) “Child welfare agency" means a person licensed by the department under s.
48.60, Stats., and
ch. DCF 54.
DCF 43.03(7)
(7) “Continuing education" means training hours that can be met through attending one or more of the following:
DCF 43.03(7)(a)
(a) Formal presentations at seminars, workshops, programs, or institutes.
DCF 43.03(7)(b)
(b) A university, college, or vocational technical adult education course.
DCF 43.03(7)(d)
(d) Interactive internet learning courses approved by the department or offered by an accredited college or university.
DCF 43.03(7)(e)
(e) A self-study course approved by an accredited college or university school of social work or a local or national professional social work organization.
DCF 43.03(8)
(8) “Department" means the Wisconsin department of children and families.
DCF 43.03(8m)
(8m) “Employing agency" means the department, a county department under s.
46.215,
46.22, or
46.23, Stats., or a child welfare agency licensed under s.
48.60, Stats., and under contract with the department or a county department to provide child protective services that employs a child protective services caseworker or supervisor.
DCF 43.03(9)
(9) “Foundation training" means curriculum content approved by the department that provides essential skills and applications training. Foundation training may include information on subjects such as professionalism; the legal aspects of child welfare; case assessment and planning, including safety; effects of abuse and neglect on child development; separation, placement and unification.
DCF 43.03(10)
(10) “Investigation/Initial assessment" means the process by which information about a family is gathered and analyzed in response to an indication that a child or unborn child may be in need of protection or services under ss.
48.13 or
48.133, Stats.
DCF 43.03(11)
(11) “In-service training" means continuing education in child welfare approved by the department.
DCF 43.03 Note
Note: In-service training may include information on subjects such as: adolescent drug and alcohol abuse in addictive families, effective case presentation and courtroom testimony, independent living, mental health issues in child welfare practice, or termination of parental rights training.
DCF 43.03(12)
(12) “Pre-service training" means a curriculum approved by the department that provides beginning knowledge and awareness of areas essential to child welfare practice. This includes, but is not limited to, knowledge of the scope and philosophical base of child welfare services and the basic process and functions of providing those services.
DCF 43.03(13)
(13) “Statewide automated child welfare information system" means Wisconsin's computerized system under s.
48.47 (7g), Stats., that is designed to document and manage casework associated with public child welfare responsibilities.
DCF 43.03 History
History: CR 06-081: cr.
Register January 2008 No. 625, eff. 2-1-08; correction in (13) made under s.
13.92 (4) (b) 7., Stats.,
Register January 2008 No. 625;
corrections in (6), (8) and (13) made under s.
13.92 (4) (b) 6. and
7., Stats.,
Register November 2008 No. 635.
DCF 43.04
DCF 43.04
Child protective services caseworker training. DCF 43.04(1)(a)(a) Except as specified in
s. DCF 43.06 (1), each individual who is employed as a child protective services caseworker shall complete pre-service training. The web-based portion of the pre-service training shall not exceed 40 hours. The guided activities within the curriculum are not part of the web-based portion of pre-service training. If the caseworker receives pre-service training in a format that is approved by the department under
par. (d), the caseworker may complete the curriculum in the time specified by his or her employing agency.
DCF 43.04(1)(b)
(b) The employing agency shall enter the date on which each caseworker completes pre-service training, or the date on which the employing agency exempts the caseworker from pre-service training under
s. DCF 43.06 (1) in the training section of the statewide automated child welfare system within 5 working days after the training is completed or the exemption is granted.
DCF 43.04(1)(c)
(c) A child protective services caseworker who has completed pre-service training required under
par. (a) may provide child protective services and be entered into the statewide automated child welfare information system as a primary caseworker. A child protective services caseworker who has not completed the training required under
par. (a) may only provide child protective services under the direction of a child protective services supervisor or experienced child protective services worker, and only be entered in the statewide automated child welfare information system as a secondary caseworker.
DCF 43.04(1)(d)
(d) An agency may deliver pre-service training through a format, other than through the web-based delivery method if the agency receives prior approval from the department. An agency may request approval from the department to offer pre-service training in an alternative format by submitting a written proposal to the department that includes all of the following:
DCF 43.04(1)(d)1.
1. The name, phone number, and electronic mail address for a contact person in the agency who is responsible for the delivery of child protective services pre-service training.
DCF 43.04(1)(d)2.
2. A description of the format chosen to deliver the pre-service training curriculum and how training meets requirement of department training.
DCF 43.04(1)(d)3.
3. The maximum number of participants that will be accommodated using the alternative format.
DCF 43.04(1)(d)4.
4. The time within which the caseworker must begin and complete pre-service training.
DCF 43.04(2)(a)(a) Except as specified in
s. DCF 43.06 (2), within 2 years after the effective date of employment, each individual who is employed as a child protective services caseworker shall complete foundation training. Foundation training shall not exceed 15 training days. A training day consists of 6 hours of training.
DCF 43.04(2)(b)
(b) The employing agency shall enter, in the training section of the statewide automated child welfare system, the date on which each caseworker completes foundation training, or the date on which the employing agency exempts the caseworker from foundation training under
s. DCF 43.06 (2) within 30 working days after training is completed, or within 5 working days after the exemption is granted.
DCF 43.04(3)(a)(a) Each child protective services caseworker shall complete at least 30 hours of in-service training in each 2 year period that begins on the nearest future reporting deadline for certified or licensed social workers under
s. MPSW 19.02 that occurs after the caseworker has completed 2 years of employment as a child protective services caseworker. The 2 year period for a child protective services caseworker who is employed longer than 2 years as of February 1, 2008, shall begin on the nearest future reporting deadline for certified or licensed social workers under
s. MPSW 19.02 that occurs on or after February 1, 2008.
DCF 43.04(3)(b)
(b) The employing agency shall enter, in the training section of the statewide automated child welfare system, the date the caseworker completes in-service training within 30 working days after the caseworker completes in-service training.
DCF 43.04(3)(c)
(c) A caseworker may not receive in-service training before receiving the pre-service training required under
par. (a), unless the caseworker received an exemption from pre-service training from the employing agency under
s. DCF 43.06 (1).
DCF 43.04 History
History: CR 06-081: cr.
Register January 2008 No. 625, eff. 2-1-08; corrections in (1) (b), (2) and (3) (c) made under s.
13.92 (4) (b) 7., Stats.,
Register November 2008 No. 635; correction in (1) made under s.
13.92 (4) (b) 7., Stats.,
Register April 2011 No. 664;
correction in (3) (a) made under s. 13.92 (4) (b) 7., Stats., Register February 2015 No. 710. DCF 43.05
DCF 43.05
Child protective services supervisor training. DCF 43.05(1)(a)(a) Unless granted an exemption under
s. DCF 43.06 (1), each individual who is employed as a child protective services supervisor shall complete pre-service training under
s. DCF 43.04 (1) (a) before providing direct supervision to a child protective services caseworker.
DCF 43.05(1)(b)
(b) Unless the child protective services supervisor has already been entered in the statewide automated child welfare system under
s. DCF 43.04 (1) (b), the employing agency shall enter the date on which the supervisor completes pre-service training or the date on which the employing agency exempts the supervisor from pre-service training under
s. DCF 43.06 (1) within 5 working days after the training is completed or the exemption is granted.
DCF 43.05(2)(a)(a) Unless granted an exemption under
s. DCF 43.06 (2), each individual who is employed as a child protective services supervisor shall complete foundation training under
s. DCF 43.04 (2) (a), within 12 months after the effective date of the individual's employment as a child protective services supervisor.
DCF 43.05(2)(b)
(b) Unless the child protective services supervisor has already been entered in the statewide automated child welfare system under
s. DCF 43.04 (1) (b), the employing agency shall enter the date on which the supervisor completes foundation training or the date on which the employing agency exempts the supervisor from foundation training under
s. DCF 43.06 (1) within 5 working days after the training is completed or the exemption is granted.
DCF 43.05(3)
(3) Inservice training requirements. Each child protective services supervisor shall complete at least 30 hours of in-service training in each 2 year period that begins on the nearest future reporting deadline for certified or licensed social workers under
s. MPSW 19.02 that occurs after the supervisor has completed 2 years of employment as a child protective services supervisor. The 2 year period, for a child protective services supervisor who is employed as a child protective service supervisor longer than 2 years as of February 1, 2008, shall begin on the nearest future reporting deadline for certified or licensed social workers under
s. MPSW 19.02 that occurs on or after February 1, 2008.
DCF 43.05 History
History: CR 06-081: cr.
Register January 2008 No. 625, eff. 2-1-08; corrections in (1) and (2) made under s.
13.92 (4) (b) 7., Stats.,
Register November 2008 No. 635;
correction in (3) made under s. 13.92 (4) (b) 7., Stats., Register February 2015 No. 710. DCF 43.06
DCF 43.06
Training exemptions; child protective services caseworkers and supervisors. DCF 43.06(1)
(1)
Pre-service training. At the discretion of the employing agency, the employing agency may exempt a child protective services caseworker or supervisor from pre-service training for any one of the following reasons:
DCF 43.06(1)(a)
(a) The caseworker or supervisor received pre-service training through employment at another agency as a child protective services caseworker or supervisor and the caseworker or supervisor provides the employing agency with documentation of that training or the employing agency can verify, from the statewide automated child welfare information system, or from other documentation, that the caseworker or supervisor received pre-service training, or an exemption from pre-service training. If the employing agency verifies pre-service training other than through the statewide automated child welfare information system, the employing agency shall ensure that documentation, including the criteria used to make the determination, to support its determination to exempt the caseworker or supervisor under this paragraph from pre-service training is maintained and readily available to the department.
DCF 43.06(1)(b)
(b) The caseworker or supervisor began employment as a child protective services caseworker before February 1, 2008 and the caseworker or supervisor provides the employing agency with documentation of training, work experience, or any combination thereof, that is equivalent to pre-service training. The employing agency shall determine whether the training, work experience, or a combination of training and work experience, is equivalent to pre-service training and ensure that documentation, including the criteria used to make the determination, to support its determination to exempt the caseworker or supervisor under this paragraph is maintained and readily available to the department.
DCF 43.06(1)(c)
(c) The caseworker or supervisor received a bachelor's degree in social work or a master's level social work degree from a council on social work education-accredited program that is approved by the department as having curriculum content that is equivalent to pre-service training. The employing agency shall determine whether the caseworker's or supervisor's undergraduate or graduate degree is from a council on social work education-accredited program and ensure that documentation to support its determination to exempt the caseworker or supervisor under this paragraph is maintained and readily available to the department.
DCF 43.06 Note
Note: A council on social work education-accredited program can request department approval of its program by submitting a request to the department. For more information on how to request department approval of a program contact the department at 608-266-3036.
DCF 43.06(2)
(2) Foundation training. At the discretion of the employing agency, a caseworker or supervisor may be exempt from foundation training for any one of following reasons:
DCF 43.06(2)(a)
(a) The caseworker or supervisor began employment as a child protective services caseworker before February 1, 2008 and provides the employing agency with documentation of training, work experience, or any combination thereof, that is equivalent to foundation training. The employing agency shall determine whether the training, work experience, or a combination of training and work experience, is equivalent to foundation training and ensure that documentation, including the criteria used to make the determination, to support its determination to exempt the caseworker or supervisor under this paragraph is maintained and readily available to the department.
DCF 43.06(2)(b)
(b) The caseworker or supervisor has completed caseworker core training or supervisor core training and the caseworker or supervisor provides the employing agency with documentation of having completed that training. The employing agency shall determine whether the caseworker or supervisor has completed caseworker core training or supervisor core training and ensure that documentation, including the criteria used to make the determination, to support its determination to exempt the caseworker or supervisor under this paragraph is maintained and readily available to the department.
DCF 43.06(3)
(3) Inservice training. A caseworker or supervisor may not be exempt from in-service training.
DCF 43.06 History
History: CR 06-081: cr.
Register January 2008 No. 625, eff. 2-1-08.
DCF 43.07
DCF 43.07
Monitoring of compliance with the child protective service training requirements. The employing agency shall enter the effective date of employment of each child protective services caseworker and supervisor in the training section of the statewide automated child welfare system within 5 working days after the caseworker or supervisor's effective date of employment. If the individual is an existing employee on February 1, 2008, the employing agency shall enter the individual's effective date of employment with the agency within 30 working days after February 1, 2008.
DCF 43.07 History
History: CR 06-081: cr.
Register January 2008 No. 625, eff. 2-1-08.
DCF 43.08
DCF 43.08
Agency initiated training. Nothing in this chapter prevents an employing agency from requiring a child protective services caseworker or supervisor to complete training that is in addition to the training required under this chapter.
DCF 43.08 History
History: CR 06-081: cr.
Register January 2008 No. 625, eff. 2-1-08.
