Supervisor Guide to Preservice Caseworker Academy

PCA is an 8-week series that combines in-person and virtual learning with a combination of cohort and flex learning. Cohort seminars and check-ins will be led by the assigned cohort facilitator and will maintain the same peer group through the 8 weeks. Web-based trainings will be assigned to the cohort in sequence so they can be discussed in cohort gatherings. Flex learning includes four seminars that will be taken by learners at their convenience in Weeks 2–8. See this graphic of the structure. 

PCA comprises the following: 

• 4 Cohort seminars (First two are in-person, remaining two are virtual) 

• 4 Cohort check-ins (Virtual) 

• 16 Web-based trainings (independently completed outside of seminars) 

• 4 Flex seminars (Two are in-person, remaining two are virtual) 

• Learner portfolio review (Virtual meeting with learner, supervisor, and cohort facilitator) 

• Transfer of Learning (Complete at the county by the learner in collaboration with supervisor) 

When a learner registers for a cohort, they are signing up for the dates of the cohort seminars and check-ins. They must also register for the flex seminars; however, those can be completed flexibly throughout the 8 weeks or even after the completion of their cohort activities. A learner must complete all components and earn a course completion certificate before they can seek initial certification. Learners are provided with this Checklist for New Caseworker during their first seminar to track all the required activities.  

Registration in the learning management system (LMS) is streamlined for the learner.

1. Learner creates a profile in the LMS. We recommend learners use their work email address, as they will be required to update it later. Learners need to register for PCA with their own LMS account and their own email address.
2. Learners will be asked to identify their supervisor when they create their profile.
3. Registration for PCA in the LMS is a two-step process. First, learners complete 1 Getting Started with Preservice Caseworker Academy, which will ask learners to confirm their role. Once that is complete, learners are directed to the next step, 2 Preservice Caseworker Academy, to register for a cohort. Please refer to these step-by-step tutorials: Register for a PCA Cohort, Register for PCA Flex Seminars, Find and Complete a PCA Flex WBT.
4. Learners will be asked to confirm their email address at the time of registration. They will also receive an email from the LMS confirming their booking.
5. Learners will then receive an additional automated email (from Qualtrics) with important details about their cohort schedule and a link to complete their first survey. In this survey, learners will again be asked to identify their supervisor and should list the person who will oversee them during their completion of training.
6. Supervisors will receive an automated email with a link to the Supervisor Guide to PCA, a link to the weather and attendance policy, and a link to schedule the Learner Portfolio Review Meeting that occurs in Week 8.
7. During Seminar 1, facilitators will confirm with learners that they have signed up for all of their Flex Seminars, that their supervisor has signed up for a Learner Portfolio Review Meeting, and that learners have completed their first survey, which includes pre-test questions.

Supervisors play a vital role in supporting caseworkers throughout their career and especially as they seek initial certification. Supervisors can help their new caseworker be successful by doing the following:

• Helping them register for a cohort and flex seminars in the LMS
• Making sure they understand the Attendance and Weather Policy and be accountable to their seminar schedule
• Asking them about their learning experiences. A simple weekly check-in can really help. Ask:
  • What did you learn about this week?
  • Anything coming up in academy that has you excited/worried/curious/confused?
  • What questions do you have about how we do things in our county?
• Setting them up to complete their Transfer of Learning activities (TOLs)
• Actively participating in the Learner Portfolio Review Meeting and ensuring there are continued opportunities to support their learning and growth as a new caseworker after they complete PCA

Facilitators must be informed in advance of any absence and the supervisor must be copied on the correspondence. Please read the complete Attendance and Weather Policy. Do not ask your new caseworker to participate in any shadowing opportunities that interfere with scheduled seminars. 

When a new worker registers for a cohort, they are asked to provide their email address. An email will be sent directly to the supervisor they list in their profile requesting they sign up for a Learner Portfolio Review Meeting in the final week of PCA. Supervisors will also be provided with contact information for the cohort facilitator. The Learner Portfolio Review Meeting is between the cohort facilitator, the learner, and the learner’s supervisor. If your county has a training manager or training unit, the trainer overseeing the learner’s completion of PCA may also be included in the meeting.  

TOL requirements that must be completed before seeking initial certification remain the same. The TOL activities can be completed throughout or immediately after the time when the worker is engaged in Preservice Caseworker Academy. Unchanged since they were approved in 2022, there are 15 TOL activities. Eleven (11) of the TOL activities are required and four (4) of the TOL activities are optional. This designation is made on the TOL Activity Checklist and on the TOL activity worksheets. Each county has their own onboarding process with new caseworkers, so although we make suggestions regarding timing for TOL activities, we recognize that each county will dictate their own schedule and plan for completing TOL activities. Please refer to the Transfer of Learning Guide and Request for Caseworker Initial Certification for details. The Training Steering Committee will be reviewing the TOLs in 2027 for potential changes. 

Trainee Certification status allows new caseworkers who have completed Preservice Caseworker Academy (includes Mandatory Reporter Training and Educational Rights for Students in Foster Care) but have not yet completed the required Transfer of Learning (TOL) activities, or don’t have the required 1-year caseworker experience, to carry up to 5 cases.  

If you would like to seek trainee certification for your new worker after they complete PCA, follow the instructions in the LMS to download the form, confirm required coursework is complete and provide signature. 

To be eligible to request Caseworker Initial Certification, learners must have completed all required coursework (Preservice Caseworker Academy, which includes Mandatory Reporter Training and Educational Rights for Students in Foster Care). In addition, all required TOL activities must be completed, and the TOL Activity Checklist and Request for Caseworker Initial Certification form (pages 4–6 of the Transfer of Learning Guide) must be fully completed (signed and initialed by the supervisor). Visit the LMS for details.