CWEL EXAM PRACTICE QUESTIONS 2026
ACTUAL EXAM SCRIPT COMPLETE
QUESTIONS AND CORRECT ANSWERS
GRADED A+
◉ Illinois Core Practice Model. Answer: anchored in a Family
Centered, trauma informed, and strength based approach, often
times referred to as FTS
◉ 9 Core Child Welfare Practices. Answer: -agent of change
-form a helping relationship with the child and his/her family
-conduct initial and ongoing assessment
-provide information about the impact of trauma
-advocate
-provide behavioral support
-linkage to appropriate services
-coordinate all child and family services
-cultural competence
◉ Without family connectedness child is at risk for. Answer:
instability, depression, and even unemployment and delinquency
,◉ Child and Family Team Meeting. Answer: center of casework
activities and how all other staffings, or mandatory case processes
should have information flowing from and back to the CFTM. 5 key
components.
◉ CFTM 5 key components. Answer: Engagement, full disclosure,
open participation, collaboration, planning for permanency.
◉ Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs). Answer: growing up
(prior to age 18) in a household with stressful or traumatic
experiences, including abuse, neglect, and a range of household
dysfunction, such as witnessing domestic violence or growing up
with substance abuse, mental disorders, parental discord, or crime
in the home, removal or displacement, three or more placements in
an 18 month period.
◉ Response to trauma throughout development: young children
(2.5-6 years). Answer: helplessness and passivity, generalized fear,
confusion, difficulty identifying what is bothering them, attributing
magical qualities to traumatic reminders, fighting or threatening bx,
attention problems, sadness/depression, separation anxiety, specific
fears, low frustration tolerance, hyperactive, moody, aggressive
defiant, lying, learning disabilities, social problems, suppressed
immune system
◉ Response to trauma throughout development: school age children
(6-11 years). Answer: physical complaints, bedwetting, school
, failure/absenteeism, behavioral problems, attention problems,
fighting or threatening bx, guilt feelings, acting like a parent to
siblings, depression, defiant, lying, stealing, learning disabilities,
inappropriate emotional responses, self-blame, hypersensitivity to
physical contact, difficulties coordinating and balancing
◉ Response to trauma throughout development: adolescents (12-18
years). Answer: antisocial bx, eating disorders, runaway, dating
violence, depression, suicidal, substance abuse, sleeping disorders,
school failure, absenteeism, relationship problems, acting like a
parent to siblings, loses time, difficulty seeing a future for oneself
◉ 3 kinds of stress. Answer: positive stress, tolerable stress, toxic
stress
◉ postive stress. Answer: moderate, short lived stress responses
◉ tolerable stress. Answer: More intense stress responses that allow
enough time to recover, or occur in a relatively safe environment
with the presence of supportive adults
◉ toxic stress. Answer: Strong, frequent or prolonged activation of
the body's stress management system, without access to supportive
adults
ACTUAL EXAM SCRIPT COMPLETE
QUESTIONS AND CORRECT ANSWERS
GRADED A+
◉ Illinois Core Practice Model. Answer: anchored in a Family
Centered, trauma informed, and strength based approach, often
times referred to as FTS
◉ 9 Core Child Welfare Practices. Answer: -agent of change
-form a helping relationship with the child and his/her family
-conduct initial and ongoing assessment
-provide information about the impact of trauma
-advocate
-provide behavioral support
-linkage to appropriate services
-coordinate all child and family services
-cultural competence
◉ Without family connectedness child is at risk for. Answer:
instability, depression, and even unemployment and delinquency
,◉ Child and Family Team Meeting. Answer: center of casework
activities and how all other staffings, or mandatory case processes
should have information flowing from and back to the CFTM. 5 key
components.
◉ CFTM 5 key components. Answer: Engagement, full disclosure,
open participation, collaboration, planning for permanency.
◉ Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs). Answer: growing up
(prior to age 18) in a household with stressful or traumatic
experiences, including abuse, neglect, and a range of household
dysfunction, such as witnessing domestic violence or growing up
with substance abuse, mental disorders, parental discord, or crime
in the home, removal or displacement, three or more placements in
an 18 month period.
◉ Response to trauma throughout development: young children
(2.5-6 years). Answer: helplessness and passivity, generalized fear,
confusion, difficulty identifying what is bothering them, attributing
magical qualities to traumatic reminders, fighting or threatening bx,
attention problems, sadness/depression, separation anxiety, specific
fears, low frustration tolerance, hyperactive, moody, aggressive
defiant, lying, learning disabilities, social problems, suppressed
immune system
◉ Response to trauma throughout development: school age children
(6-11 years). Answer: physical complaints, bedwetting, school
, failure/absenteeism, behavioral problems, attention problems,
fighting or threatening bx, guilt feelings, acting like a parent to
siblings, depression, defiant, lying, stealing, learning disabilities,
inappropriate emotional responses, self-blame, hypersensitivity to
physical contact, difficulties coordinating and balancing
◉ Response to trauma throughout development: adolescents (12-18
years). Answer: antisocial bx, eating disorders, runaway, dating
violence, depression, suicidal, substance abuse, sleeping disorders,
school failure, absenteeism, relationship problems, acting like a
parent to siblings, loses time, difficulty seeing a future for oneself
◉ 3 kinds of stress. Answer: positive stress, tolerable stress, toxic
stress
◉ postive stress. Answer: moderate, short lived stress responses
◉ tolerable stress. Answer: More intense stress responses that allow
enough time to recover, or occur in a relatively safe environment
with the presence of supportive adults
◉ toxic stress. Answer: Strong, frequent or prolonged activation of
the body's stress management system, without access to supportive
adults
