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Training Child Welfare Professionals on AI: How to Approach the AI Revolution
Technological innovations such as artificial intelligence (AI) are emerging as powerful tools that can improve outcomes for children and families. From predictive analytics that help identify at-risk children earlier to AI-driven case management systems that streamline operations, the potential benefits of AI in child welfare are immense and still yet to be discovered. However, building up the right skills and knowledge can help child welfare professionals be ready for the AI developments that are headed for our industry.
Learn the Language
Child welfare professionals are used to adopting new terminology and applying these terms accurately when important cases are on the line. We can do the same for the terminology that will help us understand AI and digital technology. While terms like “protective factors,” “resilience,” and “trauma-informed care” are familiar in child welfare, terms like “machine learning,” “natural language processing,” and “prompt engineering” should become familiar to child welfare professionals in order to better understand how AI tools can be used to benefit our industry.
Improve your Data Practices
Good data practices are crucial for feeding AI models because the quality of the data directly going into these models impacts their performance and reliability. High-quality, well-organized data ensures that AI tools can learn accurately and make precise predictions. Child welfare professionals should think of ways to reduce errors and ensure that the data we are collecting is reflects what is happening in the real world as much as possible. Poor data practices can lead to biased, inaccurate, or even harmful outcomes. By paying attention to our data practices we can get more from AI and trust it more to help us with our work.
Practice, Practice, Practice
Practicing with AI tools is essential for understanding their functionality and potential applications within the child welfare profession. Hands-on experience allows child welfare professionals to see firsthand how AI can analyze data, identify patterns, and support decision-making processes. This practical knowledge helps them to better evaluate the strengths and limitations of AI tools, ensuring they are used effectively and ethically. Regular practice also helps professionals stay updated with the latest advancements and adapt to new technologies, ultimately enhancing their ability to support children and families. By integrating AI tools into our daily routines, we can leverage technology to improve outcomes and streamline their work.
Remember Your Roles and Responsibilities
While AI can provide valuable insights, it also raises ethical questions, especially in our field. Child welfare professionals’ core responsibilities are to the children and families that they serve, and agencies that help support this work. Their training as professionals should remain at the forefront of their work and should inform any use of AI tools, which should be used as support systems that improve their work without losing sight of the bigger picture. This means using judgement and refraining from automating important tasks that should be left to humans.
Keep an Open Mind
We rarely understand how technologies are going to be eventually be used, which is why keeping an open mind about the use of AI tools in the child welfare profession is crucial. This might include re-imagining your work from first principles and exploring the use of AI tools in different ways. We should talk to our colleagues about these tools and communicate about the benefits and risks that we perceive as we explore them safely.
Keeping in mind each of these practices will help us prepare for the AI revolution through which we are living. It will help us anticipate and adjust quickly, which is the best way that we can take on the new opportunities and challenges that are coming to the child welfare industry.