BCWEP is a collaborative effort by the New Jersey Department of Children and Families and a consortium of accredited baccalaureate social work programs in New Jersey.  The intent of the program is to enhance the public child welfare workforce by encouraging students with generalist social work education and additional coursework in child welfare to enter professional positions in New Jersey public child welfare agencies. If awarded a child welfare traineeship through BCWEP, students' tuition and fees will be paid for one academic year.  In return, students accepting a traineeship must sign a legally binding commitment to work for the New Jersey Division of Child Protection and Permanencyfor a minimum of two years following graduation. 

Any social work major in good standing enrolled at one of the participating colleges or universities may apply.  Students must be ready to enter their direct service practicum placement, have a satisfactory grade point average, and be recommended by the faculty of their social work program.

PARTICIPATING INSTITUTIONS AND CONTACTS

• Centenary University - Tara Veerman, Campus Academic Coordinator, (Tara.Veerman@CentenaryUniversity.edu)
• Georgian Court University - Erica Hansen, Campus Academic Coordinator, (ehansen@georgian.edu)
• Monmouth University - Sarah Brown, Campus Academic Coordinator, (sabrown@monmouth.edu) 
• New Jersey City University - Jennifer Pax, Campus Academic Coordinator, (jpax@njcu.edu)
• Ramapo College - Cardacia Davis, Campus Academic Coordinator, (cdavis3@ramapo.edu)
• Rider University - Timmesha Davis(tdavis@rider.edu), Campus Academic Coordinator
• Rutgers University - Camden/Mays Landing - Natalie Bembry, Campus Academic Coordinator, (nmbembry@ssw.rutgers.edu)
• Rutgers University - New Brunswick - DuWayne Battle, Campus Academic Coordinator, (dbattle@ssw.rutgers.edu)
• Rutgers University - Newark - Lana Church, Campus Academic Coordinator, (lana.church@rutgers.edu)
• Saint Elizabeth University - Lauren Busfield, Campus Academic Coordinator, (lbusfield@steu.edu)
• Seton Hall University - Mary Landriau, Campus Academic Coordinator, (mary.landriau@shu.edu)
• Stockton University - Dawn Konrady Fanslau, Campus Academic Coordinator, (dawn.konrady@stockton.edu)
• William Paterson University - Jessica Lake (Lakej4@wpunj.edu) and Sharon Bale-Peña (balepenas@wpunj.edu), Campus Academic Coordinators

BCWEP covers tuition and fees, minus grants and scholarships. It does not cover housing or meal plans. If you have dedicated housing scholarships, BCWEP will exclude them from the calculation.

If you are fully supported by grants and scholarships, then there would be no financial payment made by BCWEP.  While you would still have an employment committment of two years, if you left before that committment was met, you would not have a financial obligation.

Yes, students must take at least one course in child welfare and request DCP&P for their practicum placement. Students are also required to attend an orientation, mid-year meeting, and specialized Work Readiness Training program that occurs virutally and in-person throughout the year.

Students need to inform their program faculty of their interest in a child welfare career and BCWEP.  Each social work program has a BCWEP Campus Academic coordinator who can offer assistance, advice, and information about the program. 

Students meeting the eligibility requirements must complete the BCWEP application , an updated resume that includes employment history, education, relevant volunteer experiences, and specialized skills (such as ability to speak a second language), and a personal statement. The Social Work Faculty will then prepare a letter of recommendation and submit the materials to the lead institution, Stockton University.

BCWEP applications must be received no later than March 1st.  The selection of students for a traineeship is based upon criteria which include available funding, geographic distribution, availability of practicum placements and qualified supervisors, grade point average, demonstrated interest in a child welfare career, and social work faculty recommendations. Acceptance into BCWEP is also contingent upon approval of the internship by DCP&P, which requires a background check and valid driver's license.

Successful applicants must undergo additional screening by the NJ Division of Child Protection and Permanency. All students interning at DCP&P must undergo a criminal background check, a CARI (Child Abuse Registry Index) check to verify that the student has no history of maltreatment of children, and a check of the applicant's driving record. A valid, non-provisional, driver's license is required. Because driving of state vehicles with clients is an essential function of this position, the following may disqualify you from consideration: driving record with five points or more within the past five years; any driving under the influence conviction within the past five years; or any combination of three motor vehicle violations/license suspensions within the last five years). Once cleared by DCP&P, students are matched with a qualified social work practicum instructor at a local or area office.

Yes, a valid, non-provisional, driver's license is required. Driver's abstracts are reviewed to determine eligibility. Because driving of state vehicles with clients is an essential function of this position once fully employed, the following may disqualify you from consideration: driving record with five points or more within the past five years; any driving under the influence conviction within the past five years; or any combination of three motor vehicle violations/license suspensions within the last five years). 

BCWEP participants must have a horizontal, non-provisional license in order to begin employment. For example, if a student is under 21 years old, and has a verticial provisional license, it must be updated to a horizontal standard license prior to the student being hired so there are no driving restrictions.

BCWEP strives to establish meaningful practicum experiences which means that you may have to drive up to an hour to get to your practicum location or training location. The commute will vary based on your proximity to the local offices within the counties you submitted in your application. It is best that your famliarize yourself with the DCPP local office map, so you can explore locations and select the counties that would work best for you.

Yes, you need a social security number or ITIN and be fully eligible to be employed in the United States. You will have to complete an I-9 Form for employment verification purposes.

You can complete your practicum in any of the DCPP local offices, pending supervisor availability. 

Every county has at least one local office. It is strongly encouraged that you view this map of DCPP local offices so you know which counties you'd like to include on your application.

Traineeships are funded by the New Jersey Department of Children and Families.

The responsibilities of the Family Services Specialist Trainee (FSST) fluctuate to meet the needs of the children and families we serve. For clarity and transparency, please review the below information pertinent to the requirements of this position.

• While the stated hours of work are 9am-5pm, your schedule will fluctuate based on caseload and you may be required to work outside of those hours, starting your day earlier or ending later as needed.
• Frequent driving of various state vehicles of all sizes is a requirement of this title.
• Transportation of clients may include travel across county, state, and/or international borderlines.
• As a trainee, there will be rigorous training within the first eighteen (18) months of hire. Such training may require attendance at a location different from your hiring office, including the Office of Training and Professional Development located in New Brunswick.
• The ability to perform heavy lifting (up to 100lbs) of children and their belongings is a requirement of this position.
• The requirements of this role may not be conducive to continuing education as educational accommodations cannot be guaranteed.

You should apply only if you have a serious interest in working within the public child welfare system after graduation. Should you receive a traineeship, you will be required to make a commitment to work in child welfare for at least two years upon completion of your undergraduate social work degree. Should you be unable to fulfill this commitment, you will be required to repay the funds you received.

Yes, you are still eligible to pursue a MSW degree. While it is recommended that you wait at least a year after you start working at DCP&P so you can get acclimated to the work and complete your training, it is possible to still attend an MSW program.