Recruiting and retaining child welfare workers: is preparing social work students enough for sustained commitment to the field?
Graduates of specialized BSW child welfare education programs are more likely to be retained after two years of service in the agency, but many leave at the four year mark. Two studies explored possible reasons for departure at this time. The first study found that graduates of specialized child welfare programs were significantly more likely to engage in best practices in nine areas than workers from other fields. Thus, frustration with practice skill was ruled out as a cause. The second qualitative study found that poor supervision, lack of coworker support, and organizational stress among other variables prompted these high-functioning workers to leave the agency. Suggestions for innovative interventions to enhance retention at this critical juncture are included.
Barbee
Anita P
AP
Kent School of Social Work, University of Louisville, Louisville, Kentucky 40292, USA.
Antle
Becky
B
Sullivan
Dana J
DJ
Huebner
Ruth
R
Fox
Steve
S
Hall
Jon Christopher
JC
D002568:Certification; D002648:Child; D002669:Child Welfare; D006801:Humans; D007588:Job Satisfaction; D015279:Organizational Culture; D009936:Organizational Innovation; D010558:Personnel Loyalty; D010560:Personnel Selection / Q000379:methods / Q000458:organization & administration* / Q000592:standards; D012947:Social Work / Q000193:education / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000592:standards; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D014481:United States; D000078329:Workforce