CWTAP is a collaborative effort between the UW School of Social Work and Washington State’s public child welfare agency, Department of Children, Youth and Families (DCYF) Child Welfare Program to promote quality social service practitioners in public child welfare by providing specialized educational seminars, hands on experience and tuition assistance to accepted BASW or MSW students. 

No. CWTAP is complimentary to the BASW and MSW programs. CWTAP is a specialized child welfare concentration where students complete their mandatory practicums at the Department of Children, Youth and Families Child Welfare Program or at an approved Federally Recognized Tribe in Washington State.  

CWTAP provides a comprehensive learning experience in Washington’s public child welfare system. Students complete both generalist and specialized practicums at a DCYF Child Welfare office, gaining hands-on experience in services that promote child safety, reduce abuse risk, prevent unnecessary out-of-home placements, ensure permanency, and support youth transitioning to adulthood. For Tribal employee students, your practicum experience will take into consideration your local Tribal offices.  

The CWTAP application portal will be open on January 15th, 2026 and accepting applications for review 

First step would be current standing as a BASW Junior or admission into the MSW program here at UW-Seattle. The admission process for CWTAP is: 

STEP 1: A current standing of BASW Junior or acceptance into MSW Program 

STEP 2: Attend the mandatory informational meeting 

STEP 3: Submit CWTAP application packet online  

STEP 4: Participate in the CWTAP interview process 

STEP 5: Receive notification of conditional admittance decision into CWTAP 

STEP 6: Attend meeting to review and sign Participant Agreement (PA) contract 

Here you can find the MSW Application Process page 

Here you can find the BASW Application Process page 

• Covers up to 100% of tuition for BASW Seniors and MSW students in CWTAP approved courses and electives. Tuition assistance per year may vary based on availability of funding. 

• Facilities Renovation 

• S-A IMA Bond 

• S-A Student Facilities and Programs 

• S-A UW Financial Aid Fund 

• Technology Fee 

• HSIP Quarterly Fee/HS Program 

• UPASS 

Students are responsible for books, student health fees, and any additional fees.  

DCYF/CWTAP will not pay for any general education requirements or BASW pre-requisites. 

A CWTAP graduate may be able to fulfill their employment obligation with a Washington State Federally Recognized Tribe if approved by the DCYF Leadership prior to accepting any position. 

Upon graduation, CWTAP participants must gain employment with the DCYF Child Welfare Program and work for the DCYF Child Welfare Program for the same period of time that the participant received financial assistance from CWTAP. CWTAP graduates may also fulfill this obligation by receiving prior approval from DCYF to work with a Federally Recognized Tribe.  

Admission to CWTAP is a competitive process and depends on available federal and state Title IV-E funding. The number of students accepted may vary each year based on funding and program capacity. Selection focuses on candidates who demonstrate strong potential to meet CWTAP learning goals and succeed in DCYF Child Welfare settings.  

Students must choose electives that are CWTAP-approved and related to child welfare.  

Federal guidelines for Title IV-E funding require cases to be Title IV-E eligible.  

CWTAP considers student preferences when assigning practicum sites, but placements are based on program needs and availability. Local non-employee students are placed at one of five DCYF sites: King West, King East, OICW, MLK, or King Southeast/West. DCYF employees collaborate with Field Advisors, supervisors, and administration to design placements that combine new learning with their current roles. 

Practicum days and times are set by the School of Social Work’s Office of Field Education, following Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) accreditation requirements. All students must complete the same number of hours to earn credit. 

CWTAP designs practicum schedules based on student type—non-employee, DCYF employee, or Tribal employee—and program requirements. For DCYF and Tribal employees, practicum experiences are highly specialized to build new skills while continuing in their roles. Non-employed students participate in Student Units that include structured agendas, organized activities, educational seminars, presentations, and a quarterly syllabus. 

Please communicate the concern to your Field Instructor and Field Advisor first. If the issue is not resolved, or it involves your Field Instructor or Field Advisor, and you are not able to discuss it directly with them, contact the Director of CWTAP. 

Yes. Additionally, CWTAP student units provide much more support, teaching and learning opportunities. Non-employee students placed within the student units must follow a credit plan that fits with their CWTAP cohort to facilitate consistent learning experiences and practicum days. DCYF and Tribal employee students’ credits may vary dependent upon their approved agency of employment agreements. 

Yes. The Director of CWTAP, Supervisors, Area Administrators and Regional Administrators (or designee) must approve the employee student’s field proposal for both Generalist and Specialist field experiences. DCYF is not obligated to approve practicum experiences for CWTAP student employees. There is a commitment to partnering with the employee and program to find the best experience and plan for both the student and DCYF. 

No. Ultimately, it is the student’s responsibility to communicate openly with their DCYF or Tribal leadership to actively advocate and collaborate with each other to create a schedule that supports their academic goals and balances the needs of the program.  

All non-employees must meet with their Field Instructors and Field Advisors prior to seeking employment within DCYF. Early employment can seriously impact a student’s ability to successfully complete the CWTAP Program and should be thoroughly discussed prior to making a decision to apply. 

Also, to increase the opportunities for success and decrease the potential for students not succeeding, many students will not qualify for early employment. Not succeeding in early employment may result in a referral to the Office of Financial Recovery (OFR). 

Email us at: cwtapseattle@socialwork.uw.edu