Child & Adolescent Needs & Strengths (CANS) Tool
Online Training & Certification
The Child and Adolescent Needs and Strengths (CANS)
tool is an assessment strategy that is designed to be
used for decision support and outcomes management.
Its primary purpose is to allow a system to remain
focused on the shared vision of serving children and
families, by representing children at all levels of the
system.
This online self-paced course summarizes the CANS tool and how it will be used in practice.
Note: This course uses audio and video. Each module below will launch into a separate browser window/tab.
CANS Certification and Recertification Directions
- Complete the online training modules.
Note: For recertification, it is not necessary to complete the online training
modules, but it is highly recommended to complete them to refresh your knowledge.
- Email cans@wcwpds.wisc.edu for the test
vignette and scoring form. Your test vignette and scoring form will be sent to you within three business days.
Note: Each worker must request the test by using their individual email address,
and may not share the test or scoring form.
- Complete the scoring sheet electronically or print it to complete it by hand. If
completed by hand, ensure that results are legible when submitted.
- Email the completed test to cans@wcwpds.wisc.edu
or fax it to 608-890-1594.
Note: After you submit your scoring form, your test will be scored and returned
to you within 10 business days. If you haven't heard back in 15 business days, please
contact cans@wcwpds.wisc.edu.
- You will receive an email from cans@wcwpds.wisc.edu
with your results. You are responsible to print out this email and provide it to
your supervisor as proof of certification.
Note: You will not receive any other documentation confirming your certification.
If your score is below 0.70 (the score required for certification), you will receive
another test vignette attached to your results email. You will need to complete
this test vignette and submit it for scoring.
General Information
- After you submit your test form, your results will be provided to you within 10
business days. If you have not received your results within 15 business days, please
contact cans@wcwpds.wisc.edu.
- If you do not achieve the required reliability score of 0.70, you will be provided
with another test vignette with your initial results. You will need to then score
that vignette and submit it for scoring.
- The Wisconsin Child Welfare Professional Development System will not provide supervisors
with lists of workers and their CANS results. Agencies are responsible for creating
internal processes to ensure their workers are maintaining CANS certification.
- At this time there is no process to alert workers of the need for recertification.
It is the responsibility of each worker to know their certification date and to
maintain their certification.
- If you fail to reach the required reliability three times, your results will be
evaluated and feedback will be provided.
- The scores for each vignette will not be distributed.
- Sending multiple emails will not make your process faster.
- For questions not related to scoring results, please contact Allison Olson at allisonolson@wisc.edu.
 Before you begin, please download and have available all of the resources listed in the "Essential Resources" box above. They will be vital as you go through the training.
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| Modules |
Duration |
Transcript |
Feedback |
1. Introduction to CANS
|
26 min. |
 |
 |
2. Integrating CANS Into Your Practice
|
55 min. |
|
 |
3. Wisconsin Policy
|
20 min. |
|
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4. Practice Vignettes Overview
|
3 min.
+ activity |
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Practice Vignette Activity
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In this activity, you will read a vignette then complete a CANS for each child. (Similar to the CANS certification exam.)
After submitting your practice ratings, your responses will be compared to those of an expert rater. Rationale for each rating will also be provided, which may be printed.
If you prefer to complete the ratings on paper first, please download the blank rating sheets:
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Additional Practice Vignettes (self-scored) - all are PDF files
These vignettes must be scored using the blank rating sheets (see above).
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5. Final Debrief / Review
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4 min. |
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This course requires Adobe Flash Player.