Prospective applicants to the Berkeley Social Welfare MSW Program who are interested in pursuing their social work career in public child welfare services are invited to apply for consideration for the Child Welfare Scholars (CWS) training program. Before applying all prospective applicants are strongly encouraged to review the CWS program information.
Stipend Eligibility
Students who have been accepted for admission to the Berkeley Social Welfare MSW Program may also apply to be considered for the Child Welfare Scholars Program. Selected applicants are invited to a panel interview with Berkeley MSW Program faculty and county child welfare agency representatives as part of the selection process, which occurs separately from the annual admissions process.
To be eligible for consideration in the Child Welfare Scholars stipend-based training program, students must:
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Be accepted for admission to the Berkeley Social Welfare Master of Social Welfare (MSW) Program. Note: Participation in the Child Welfare Scholars Program precludes enrollment in any concurrent degree programs.
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Be enrolled full-time for the duration of the program, remain in good academic standing, and complete their MSW degree at Berkeley.
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Be eligible to work in the State of California upon graduation. Students who are not eligible to work in the United States are not eligible to participate in the CWS program.
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Have a valid driver's license, and be able to commit to securing the use of a car as required for practicum placement.
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Complete a criminal background check and DMV pre-screening.
How to Apply
Child Welfare Scholars Program applications are submitted as supplemental material directly to the online application for admission to graduate study at Berkeley.
- Prepare a written response to the following vignette as directed. Do not exceed the 500-word limit.
- Save your essay as a PDF file. Make sure you include your full name on your document, exactly as it appears in your online application for admission.
- Upload your written response as a PDF file to the Social Welfare Program page of your online application for admission.
Eligible CWS applicants offered admission to the Social Welfare MSW Program will be invited to a panel interview with Berkeley MSW Program faculty and county child welfare agency representatives as part of the CWS program selection process. This interview is not considered part of the MSW Program admissions review process.
Vignette and Response
Street Lights
Vignette:
Child Protective Services in an urban county received a report from an elementary school about a five-year child. The teacher noticed marks on his legs. When she asked the child what happened, he said that last night their mother hit the child with a belt. A child welfare worker interviewed the child and learned that when the child did not return home from the neighborhood center in their public housing complex “by the time the streetlights came on,” their mom hit the child with a belt.
Response:
In a 500 word essay, please envision yourself as the child welfare worker. Prepare for your interview with the mother. Share examples of a few questions you will ask her. (Consider what else you want to know. Can you imagine finding signs of safety in how the mother addressed this situation?) Discuss at least two reasons why mom, as a parent, might have responded in this way. Please also share your reactions to this situation. You are not expected to have child welfare expertise. We are more interested in your critical thinking skills.