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CWTAP is a collaborative effort between the UW School of Social Work and Washington State’s public child welfare agency, Department of Children, Youth and Families (DCYF) Child Welfare Program to promote quality social service practitioners in public child welfare by providing specialized educational seminars, hands on experience and tuition assistance to accepted BASW or MSW students.
No. CWTAP is complimentary to the BASW or MSW program. CWTAP is a specialized child welfare concentration where students complete their mandatory practicums at the Department of Children, Youth and Families Child Welfare Program.
CWTAP offers a comprehensive educational experience in Washington State’s public child welfare. The student completes both their generalist and specialized practicums at a Department of Children, Youth and Families Child Welfare Program' office. Students will be immersed in services provided by DCYF that are designed to reduce the risk of abuse, find alternatives to out-of-home placements, assure safety and permanency for children in care, and support transition into adulthood.
After you have been offered admission into the UWT BASW or MSW program you should receive an email from CWTAP with an invitation to attend an informational meeting. CWTAP generally accepts applications:
- BASW: Beginning in spring quarter of Junior year.
- MSW 3 year part-time program: May/ June prior to Autumn start date
- MSW Advanced Standing: August/September prior to Winter start date
First step would be admission into the BASW or MSW program here at UWT. The admission process for CWTAP is:
- Attend the mandatory informational meeting
- Submit CWTAP application packet
- Participate in the CWTAP interview process
- Receive notification of admittance decision into CWTAP
- Attend meeting to review and sign Participant Agreement (PA) contract
Currently, CWTAP covers 100% of tuition for BASW Senior or MSW required courses, practicum fees, HSIP, UPASS, and the University YMCA Student Center fee. Students are responsible for books, student health fees and any additional fees. Tuition assistance per year may vary based on availability of funding.
DCYF/CWTAP will not pay for any general education requirements or BASW pre-requisites.
Upon graduation, CWTAP participants must gain employment with the DCYF Child Welfare Program within four months and work for the DCYF Child Welfare Program for the same period of time that the participant received financial assistance from CWTAP.
A CWTAP graduate may be able to fulfill their employment obligation with a Washington State federally recognized tribe if approved by the DSHS/DCYF Assistant Secretary or designee prior to accepting any position.
Within four months after graduation.
Field instructors are UWT School of Social Work and Criminal Justice faculty who teach and assess the progress of CWTAP students through educational seminars, observation of students in the field and during and clinical supervision. Field instructors have extensive experience with public child welfare practice, laws and regulations and adhere to the values and ethics of the NASW and social work profession. Field instructors are educators, leaders and mentors for CWTAP students linking theory to child welfare practice.
