Buzzwords: Moving to Behavioral Descriptors doodle video is a short, animated video that follows a child involved in a child welfare investigation. The video describes what buzzwords are and illustrates the impact they can have on children and families. It also demonstrates how to recognize buzzwords and offers strategies for transforming buzzwords into objective, behavior-based descriptors.

This publication looks at buzzwords in the context of words or phrases commonly used in child welfare reporting and documentation that can be subjective or carry negative connotations, and offers strategies to minimize their negative impact.

Presents factors that may impact plans to conduct an assessment, how teams can clearly communicate the need for the readiness assessment, and what teams need to consider before conducting an assessment.

Explores how the factors of motivation, general capacity, and intervention-specific capacity influence agency readiness for change. This video provides examples of and considerations for conducting readiness assessments.

Reviews the final tasks of assessing agency readiness: analyzing results and determining next steps. This video explores how teams analyze assessment results, what conditions or connections help determine next steps, and why teams should reassess over time and at multiple points in the process.

Examines why teams should understand the factors influencing readiness, use a structured approach to develop and conduct readiness assessments, and analyze results. This video helps teams understand what needs to be in place before assessing readiness and sets up teams for success as part of a change and implementation process at a child welfare agency.

Explores how the factors of motivation, general capacity, and intervention-specific capacity influence agency readiness for change. This video provides examples of and considerations for conducting readiness assessments.

This tool is a role-playing activity, designed to help child welfare workers and supervisors become more familiar with the process of recognizing and translating buzzwords into descriptive language.

Explore coaching steps and tips supervisors can use to help workers strengthen skills and meet goals.