The University of Namibia (UNAM) is partnering with the University of Minnesota’s Center for Advanced Studies in Child Welfare (CASCW) to launch the Joint Child Research Initiative and Training (CRIT). From 23 June to 5 July 2024, four professors from the University of Minnesota’s School of Social Work will visit UNAM to participate in a Kick-Off Conference held from 25–27 June at Avani Hotel and Casino in Windhoek. Co-led by UNAM’s Department of Psychology and Social Work and Namibia’s Ministry of Gender Equality, Poverty Eradication and Social Welfare, and co-funded by UNICEF, CRIT aims to strengthen multidisciplinary research and training in child welfare. The initiative will focus on analyzing administrative data, translating research into actionable insights, and building capacity for scalable, locally relevant interventions.