Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Date of Degree

2-2026

Document Type

Doctoral Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy

Program

Social Welfare

Advisor

Barbra Teater

Committee Members

Bryan Warde

Maurice Vann

Keywords

transfer of learning, public child welfare workforce development, peer support in the work environment for MSW's

Abstract

Public child welfare agencies make substantial financial and organizational investments to support workforce members returning to school to obtain advanced degrees, most notably the Master of Social Work (MSW); however, challenges remain in ensuring that newly acquired knowledge and skills are effectively and continuously applied into practice settings, a process known as transfer of learning. The work environment plays a critical role in shaping organizational conditions that either support or impede successful transfer of learning, yet empirical research remains limited in guiding public child welfare organizations to develop strategies that sustain educational investments and contribute to improved outcomes for children, youth, families, and communities. This qualitative study employs a grounded theory approach to illuminate organizational strategies that support transfer of learning within public child welfare agencies. The study included twenty participants with pre-MSW public child welfare experience who returned to practice in the same agency following completion of their MSW degrees. Findings highlight the central role of peer relationships in supporting the transfer of learning journey and navigating the transition from student to advanced practitioner or administrator. The study offers implications for public child welfare workforce programming and policy; for schools of social work investing in university–agency partnerships; and for the social work profession more broadly, with implications for future research also discussed.

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