Welcome to New Staff Training For Family Service Workers
Welcome to New Staff Training for Family Service Workers. We at MidSOUTH are excited that you have taken this challenging and rewarding job. DCFS, MidSOUTH, and the other universities of the IV-E Partnership are very invested in your professional development. You will have a lot of support from all of us along the way.
MidSOUTH is part of the College of Business and Health and Human Services at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock (UA-Little Rock). We provide the classroom parts of New Staff Training at our five sites throughout the state. Click here to locate the site nearest you. In addition, MidSOUTH provides field training in Areas 3 and 6.
Training is more than just the classroom experience. It is a process that occurs over the first year of your employment. It is based on competencies identified by DCFS and aligns with the DCFS Practice Model. Training is a combination of classroom instruction, field training, and self-directed learning experiences. Click each section below to learn more about the training structure.
DCFS Portal
When you began with DCFS, MidSOUTH created an account for you in the MidSOUTH/DCFS Portal. During New Staff Training, you will access the portal for your Online Training Modules. During class, you will access it for pre and post assessments. Throughout your employment with DCFS, you will access the portal for online trainings required by your agency.
Orientation Activities in the County Office with University Field Trainer
Orientation exercises are designed to start your first week on the job. These activities are things that are likely to be significant and/or frequent job tasks. Some of these are done with your field instructor, supervisor, and/or peers. Others are self-directed study exercises to acquaint you with your policies and procedures.
Field Training by a University Partnership Field Trainer
Field Training begins your first week of employment. The Field Trainers should meet you or contact you during that week. The Field Trainer’s primary responsibility is to help you improve the quality of your work with families.
For more information about field training for new DCFS staff in Area 3 and 6, please contact:Amber Bajorek
Field Training Coordinator
Email: abajorek@ualr.edu
Phone: 501-747-0581
CHRIS Orientation and Navigation Training (MidSOUTH Lab)
CHRIS Orientation and Navigation is designed to familiarize you with common CHRIS Tasks and how to navigate through the CHRIS database. The training is presented in a MidSOUTH lab by a Child Welfare Trainer and should occur within two weeks of the day you start work. You will receive a manual and navigation tip sheets during this training.
Classroom Training at MidSOUTH
Classroom training takes place at a MidSOUTH training site. It consists of…
Curriculum Training Roadmap Infographic: Download PDF
MidSOUTH Curriculum Online Outline: Download PDF
MidSOUTH Curriculum Classroom Outline: Download PDF
MidSOUTH Curriculum Supervisor Outline: Download PDF
Important Information
MidSOUTH tracks your training records and arranges your hotel room if you are eligible to stay in a hotel during training. So there is some data we need to collect from you. Please complete the MidSOUTH Training Academy Participant Information form and bring it with you when you come for your CHRIS Orientation and Navigation Training.