Child Welfare Fellowship (formerly known as Title IV-E)
What is the Child Welfare Fellowship?
The Child Welfare Fellowship (formerly known as Title IV-E) is a collaboration between the University of Maryland School of Social Work and the Maryland Department of Human Services. Its purpose is to prepare Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) and Master of Social Work (MSW) students for public child welfare practice.
Who is eligible to participate?
All full-time BSW and MSW students who are entering or continuing their field placements as part of their social work education and who meet the criteria for selection are eligible.
What are the criteria for selection?
- Student expresses a specific and genuine interest in social work
practice in a child welfare setting. - Student agrees to accept a field placement within a local
department of social services. - Student agrees to accept employment in child welfare with the
Department of Human Services after graduation for a period equal to
one year for each year spent in a financially supported field
placement. - Student must have a 3.0 GPA to be considered.
- Student must apply to an MSW Program.
What does the Child Welfare Fellowship provide?
- A financial stipend is provided for each student selected.
Tuition and fees are paid from the stipend. - A child welfare field placement in a local department of social
services, offering services to children and families through programs
including Family Preservation, Out of Home Placement, Child
Protective Services, and Adoption. - Additional training specifically designed to enhance skills in
child welfare practice, including Legal and Clinical Issues in Child
Abuse and Neglect, Motivational Interviewing, Addictions, Working
with Involuntary Clients, Parenting Skills, and other skill-based
workshops. - Assistance applying for state employment at a local department of
social services after graduation.
Where are the field placements located?
Most new students will be placed in student units in Baltimore City, Baltimore County, Anne Arundel County, or Prince George’s County. Placements with agency-based field instructors have also been arranged in counties on the Eastern Shore and Western Maryland based on student residence. Strong preference is given to new students who can be placed in a student unit in one of those four counties. All Child Welfare Fellowship student units have Tuesday/Thursday placements.
What if I decide child welfare is not the right field for me?
Students who decide not to accept employment in child welfare in Maryland after graduation are required to repay the total of their stipends within 90 days of graduation. If for any reason the student must leave the state or cannot accept employment, they are obligated to repay the full stipend amount.
Can I defer my employment obligation to attend graduate school?
Yes, you may request deferment as long as you are attending a full-time MSW program in Maryland. You are also eligible to apply for the Child Welfare Fellowship again at the UMB School of Social Work. You will be required to work in child welfare in Maryland for one year for each year you participated in the program.
When can I apply?
You can apply at the same time you apply for a field placement in your junior year of college, or after you have been accepted into the graduate program at the University of Maryland. The application form is available on the UMB and UMBC Social Work websites.
What is the application process?
The process begins with a pre-application presentation by Child Welfare Fellowship staff for all interested students at UMB, UMBC, and the Shady Grove Campus. Students should indicate their intent to apply on their field application, complete the application form and essay, and submit both along with their field placement application.
In the spring, students will be notified of their eligibility, interviewed by program staff, and offered times to attend an orientation session. If the student attends and accepts the program conditions, they will be referred to a local department of social services for an interview. After the interview, both the student and field instructor will determine whether the placement is a good fit.
Still have questions?
Email Claire Meringolo of the Child Welfare Fellowship, or call the UMBC Field Office at
410-455-2008.