NATCHITOCHES – Northwestern State University opened a new Child Welfare Simulation Lab on Wednesday, Nov. 4, providing students and child welfare professionals with a realistic training environment to practice skills needed to work with children and families across Louisiana.
Located on the third floor of Kyser Hall, the lab is the first of its kind in northern Louisiana. The facility recreates a home environment where students can practice conducting home visits, assessing family environments, interacting with clients and making decisions in situations they may encounter in the field.
The grand opening included tours of the facility and opportunities for attendees to learn about simulation-based training and the Louisiana Title IV-E Child Welfare Program.
Dr. Jennifer Shaw, Louisiana Title IV-E training and research coordinator, said the lab provides students with practical experience that can help prepare them for the demands of child welfare careers and improve employee retention.
“I think the experiential aspect of this and making it more of a concrete reality leads to improved retention within agencies,” Shaw said. “They bring with them knowledge and hands-on skills that they may not have had previously.”
The simulation space includes areas designed to resemble a living room, kitchen and bedrooms, allowing students to practice responding to different household situations in a controlled setting.
While the lab primarily focuses on child welfare training, NSU plans to expand its use through collaborations with students in psychology, child and family studies, criminal justice and nursing, as well as community partners such as Court Appointed Special Advocates and local hospitals.
The lab was developed in collaboration with Southern University in Baton Rouge, which operates an existing child welfare simulation lab. The partnership helped NSU establish a similar training environment in Natchitoches, expanding access to hands-on child welfare training in northern and central Louisiana.
The facility is part of the Louisiana Title IV-E Child Welfare Program, which works with the Louisiana Child Welfare Training Academy, University Workforce Alliance and Louisiana Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) to prepare students for careers serving children and families.
Greere Koehler, Louisiana Title IV-E statewide program manager, said the simulation lab will provide a supportive environment where future child welfare professionals can develop their skills before entering the workforce.
“I just hope we encourage the new workers that are coming into child welfare,” Koehler said. “I’m just grateful for everyone who is involved, and I am excited to see it filled with students and future DCFS employees and everyone else who is going to come by.”
Nilah Pollard, a senior social work major from Benton and Title IV-E Child Welfare scholar, said she recognized a risk factor in the simulation lab that she had recently encountered while shadowing in foster care. Pollard, who serves as Miss Northwestern Lady of the Bracelet, plans to graduate in December.
“I was walking through the lab earlier, and I noticed a risk factor that made my lightbulb go off because just two weeks ago, we unfortunately removed a child due to one of the risk factors that I saw here,” Pollard said. “I believe that this lab is exactly what students need to be able to walk into their internships with the confidence that ‘I have seen this before, so I know how to handle the situation.’”
The Title IV-E Scholar Program provides students with training, practical experience, research opportunities and financial support as they prepare for child welfare careers.
For more information about NSU’s social work program, visit https://www.nsula.edu/social-work/. To learn more about the Louisiana Title IV-E Child Welfare Program, visit https://www.lcwta.org/ive-program.