Turning The Tide: Examining WORKFORCE TURNOVER in Child Welfare

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Turning The Tide Examining WORKFORCE
TURNOVER in Child Welfare

• presented byBrenda Bambino Knierim, Melissa
  Neff, Lillia Suh

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survey

• Do you believe workforce turnover is a problem in
  child welfare that needs to be addressed? If so,
  how high of a priority should it be?
• How would you assess the issue of turnover in
  your own agency?
• Do you believe the turnover rate can be improved?
  Or, will it always be a problem considering the
  inherent nature of social work?

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Workforce Turnover An Overview
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History

• What is now being termed workforce crisis has
  its roots in public policy decisions made over
  30 years ago.
• Source Child Welfare League of America. (2002).
  Research roundup Child welfare workforce.
  Washington, DC.

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Current Description

• In 90 of states, retention is reported to be
  one of the most difficult tasks
• Source National Association of Social Workers
  (NASW)

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question

• Among child welfare staff, what is the average
  turnover rate? average tenure?

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Current Description

• 30-40 annual turnover rate
• Average tenure is less than 2 years
• Source General Accounting Offices (GAO)

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Current Description

• In 59 out of 100 counties,
• Average child protective services workers
  turnover 44
• Workers hired were 2 years short of the
  experiences needed to meet the min job reqts
• Estimated 2-3 months to fill a vacant spot
• Estimated 5-7 months to train a new employee
• Source NC Association of County Directors of
  Social Services (NCADSS)

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question

• What are some contributing factors to the high
  turnover rate?

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Contributing Factors

• High caseloads
• Administrative Burdens
• Inadequate Supervision
• Inadequate Training
• Public Image
• Low wages

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question

• How would you describe the feeling of burnout as
  a social worker?
• Examples from personal experience?

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BURNOUT!

• a breakdown of the psychological defense that
  workers use to adapt and cope with intense
  job-related stressors
• Source Fredenberger, H. (1974). The staff
  burnout syndrome in alternative institutions.
  Psychotherapy Theory, Research, and Practice,
  12, 73-82.

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BURNOUT!

• a syndrome in which a worker feels emotionally
  exhausted or fatigued, withdraws emotionally from
  their clients, and perceives a diminution of
  their achievements or accomplishments
• Source Raider, M. (1989). Burnout in childrens
  agencies A clinicians perspective. Residential
  Treatment for Children and Youth, 6(3), 43-51.

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BURNOUT!

• Symptoms of burnout

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Impact

• Agency
• Client

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Recommendationsto reduce turnover, to retain
workers

• Supervisor training
• Child Welfare Collaborative
• Caseload accountability

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Recommendationsto reduce turnover, to retain
workers

• Increase flexibility
• Reduce caseloads
• Improve morale (culture)
• Advocate for policy changes
• local, state, and national levels
• Source Zell, M. (2006). Child Welfare Workers
  Who they are and how they view the child welfare
  system. Vol 85. Child Welfare League of America.
  pgs.82-103.

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Recommendationsto reduce turnover, to retain
workers

• Enhance ones own professional identity
  commitment!
• Establish opportunity for advancement
• Provide ongoing training and opportunity
• Source Natl Assoc. of Social Workers, NASW
  Press, www.socialworkers.org/research/nasw/support
  .asp.

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factors that influence retention

• Mission
• Goodness of Fit
• Supervision
• Investment
• Source Rycraft, J. (1994). The party isnt
  over The agency role in the retention of public
  child welfare caseworkers. Pgs. 75-80. NASW Press.

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questions

• What are some other recommendations?
• What are some barriers to improvement?

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Barriers

• Supervisors unwillingness to change strategy?
• Lack of advancement for workers
• Cost and need for more caseworkers

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Consider

• Agency Culture and Diversity
• Race
• Gender
• Lack of Spanish-speaking workers

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• THANKS! ?