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Monday 8am - 5pm Tuesday 8am - 5pm Wednesday 8am - 5pm Thursday 8am - 5pm Friday 8am - 5pm

Florida Institute for Child Welfare at FSU's College of Social Work

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Florida Institute for Child Welfare at FSU's College of Social Work

Promoting safety, permanency, & well-being for children & families of Florida's child welfare system.

The Florida Institute for Child Welfare, housed at the Florida State University College of Social Work, was established Section 1004.615, Florida Statutes to advance the well-being of children and families by improving the performance of child protection and child welfare services through research, policy, analysis, evaluation, and leadership development.

10/02/2026

With Survivors, Always. 💜

This October, we are proud to support national Domestic Violence Awareness Month to raise awareness, elevate survivor voices, and promote pathways to safety and healing.

Supporting survivors requires informed, compassionate, and coordinated responses. Throughout the month, we will be spotlighting resources, research, trainings, and conversations that help child welfare professionals navigate the intersection of domestic violence and child maltreatment with greater understanding and compassion.

Follow along!

09/28/2026

What if understanding your body's response to stress could help you navigate challenges more effectively?

Join us for “The Science of Somatic Regulation: Understanding Stress, the Body, and Resilience”, an engaging webinar that explores how stress is experienced in the body and how somatic regulation practices can support well-being, resilience, and recovery.

Dr. Kelsey Evans-Amalu, founder of The Mindful Prof and the Mindful Corporation will be leading this conversation.

Don't miss it! 👉 Register to attend or to receive the recording: https://loom.ly/KNeFimw

09/26/2026

Connecting, learning, and advancing child welfare practice.

This month, we joined child welfare professionals from across the state at the Florida Department of Children and Families Summit in Orlando, where we had the opportunity to share the Institute's resources, exchange ideas with colleagues, and discuss ways to support Florida's child welfare workforce.

A highlight of the event was a presentation by our Senior Assistant Director of Practice Innovation, Research and Evaluation and partners from 4 Sisters Solutions, Inc. Together, they explored the Permanency Primer© model and shared how ongoing evaluation efforts are helping identify lessons learned, measure impact, and support continuous improvement. Their session underscored the value of evidence-informed approaches in strengthening training and improving outcomes for children, families, and professionals.

Thank you to everyone who stopped by to connect with us. We look forward to continuing these important conversations.

09/24/2026

Are you passionate about shaping the future of child welfare education?

We are hiring a Senior Learning Specialist to join the Academic Innovation program at Florida Institute for Child Welfare. In this role, you'll help design and facilitate simulation-based learning experiences, support faculty development, collaborate with university partners across Florida, and advance innovative educational strategies that prepare the next generation of child welfare professionals.

Visit our website to review the position requirements, preferred qualifications, and application details: https://loom.ly/ib499_c

09/15/2026

We have an urgent need for diapers, especially sizes 4-8 (most requested), emergency food for our pantry, period products and more.

Women shouldn't have to decide between gas and diapers.

Thank you!

09/08/2026

Florida's child welfare system is entering a new phase, and compliance alone will not achieve the structural change needed for lasting impact.

Our upcoming webinar, "Nothing About Us Without Us: Peer Workforce Development, Advisory Councils, and Sustainable System Change," explores the benefits of incorporating peer support and how organizations can implement it to create better outcomes for youths and families. 👉 Register to attend or to receive the recording: https://loom.ly/--MJY-8

The webinar will help child welfare organizations discover a practical integration framework drawing from the Family Safety Alliance Peer Support Toolkit for Employers to help:

➡️ Build and sustain a professionally supported peer workforce

➡️ Design high-impact advisory councils beyond token involvement

➡️ Align lived experience integration with measurable system and fiscal outcomes

Peer support isn’t a soft strategy; it’s a powerful driver of system-wide transformation.

09/04/2026

"We are particularly proud of this recognition because it celebrates the very principles that guide our work every day: innovation, collaboration, accountability, and a commitment to improving public service." - Institute Director, Dr. Lisa Magruder.

Accepting the award, Kristina Finch, Associate Director of Professional Development and lead developer of the Learning Lab, highlighted the purpose driving this innovative initiative:

"The Learning Lab was created to solve a simple but important problem: How do we better prepare and support our students and the professionals responsible for serving Florida's most vulnerable children and families?"

In her speech, she noted that the Lab's impact extends beyond a single facility, serving as a statewide resource designed to maximize collaboration and public investment. "Rather than having universities and agencies build separate simulation spaces, we created a centralized model that reduces duplication, increases access, and makes better use of public resources."

Thank you once again Florida TaxWatch for this recognition.

09/02/2026

We are honored to receive the Florida TaxWatch Productivity Award for creating Florida's first immersive child welfare learning lab.

This recognition celebrates innovation, collaboration, and our commitment to preparing the next generation of child welfare professionals to better serve children and families throughout Florida.

The Learning Lab, a statewide resource, was created to provide students and child welfare professionals with realistic, hands-on opportunities to practice critical skills before encountering complex situations in the field.

Thank you to the Florida legislature, Florida State University, and the many partners, educators, researchers, and professionals who helped bring this vision to life. Visit our website to learn more about the FICW Learning Lab: https://loom.ly/-M1R3Ys

08/26/2026

We're excited to welcome Penny Malone as our new Associate Director of Administration!

With nearly 20 years of experience in higher education administration, Penny brings extensive expertise in finance, administration, procurement, human resources, and research administration. We are thrilled to have her join the Institute team.

Learn more about our team: https://loom.ly/cEG6-DU

08/24/2026

Congratulations to our affiliate, Dr. Marianna Colvin, on the publication of her article in the latest issue of the 𝘑𝘰𝘶𝘳𝘯𝘢𝘭 𝘰𝘧 𝘗𝘶𝘣𝘭𝘪𝘤 𝘊𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘥 𝘞𝘦𝘭𝘧𝘢𝘳𝘦.

The article, "The challenge within challenges: A common thread of instability in interorganizational child welfare practice," highlights her findings that embracing adaptability and building flexibility into child welfare systems may be key to navigating ongoing challenges and driving meaningful change.

Access the full report to learn more about this study and its findings: https://loom.ly/fvh3w34

Address

2139 Maryland Circle
Tallahassee, FL
32303

Opening Hours

Monday	8am - 5pm
Tuesday	8am - 5pm
Wednesday	8am - 5pm
Thursday	8am - 5pm
Friday	8am - 5pm

Website

http://ficw.fsu.edu/

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