Implicit Bias in Foster Care Wellness Checks

In collaboration with Western Kentucky University, a need was identified to develop an immersive VR-based training platform for social workers - aiming to address and identify implicit bias during wellness checks in the foster care system. The objective: simulate high-stakes, emotionally complex home visits to improve critical decision-making and reduce bias in child welfare assessments.

Bias in foster care evaluations often arises in subtle, high-pressure situations where personal assumptions can affect life-altering decisions. We created a VR training system that replicates these scenarios with authenticity and depth—allowing trainees to build awareness, empathy, and judgment in a safe, repeatable environment.

• Realistic Scenario Simulation: Users perform home visits in diverse, immersive environments with nuanced social, cultural, and economic variables.
• Trainer-Controlled Dynamic Environments: Real-time tools allow instructors to introduce stressors—like barking dogs or crying infants—to simulate emotional pressure.
• Avatar Overrides: Trainers can "puppet" characters with voice modulation and behavioral cues tailored to specific training goals.
• Implicit Bias Challenges: Scenarios require careful assessment of complex family situations, forcing users to interrogate assumptions about poverty, disability, or immigration.

The WKU VR Bias Training Platform reimagines how future social workers are trained to handle one of the most sensitive jobs in public service. Key features include:

• Immersive Multi-Environment Home Visits: A range of real-world-inspired scenarios designed to reflect America’s socio-cultural diversity.
• Dynamic Stressor Engine: External variables such as noise, crowding, or conflict are introduced in real time to evaluate performance under pressure.
• Trainer Tablet Interface: A powerful back-end tool that allows instructors to modify character behavior, inject dialogue, and guide learning outcomes in-session.
• Ethics-Focused Roleplay Mechanics: Users must navigate “gray area” decisions with no clear right answer—strengthening moral reasoning and procedural fairness.

The resulting training tool builds real-world readiness - encouraging reflection and support for more equitable outcomes in child welfare. Through immersive, intentional design, we’re equipping social workers to serve with compassion, clarity, and cultural competence.