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An examination of retention and length of employment among public child welfare workers

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  • Madden, Elissa E.
  • Scannapieco, Maria
  • Painter, Kirsten

Abstract

Using longitudinal data collected over a 10year period from a statewide sample of all new public child welfare caseworkers hired between 2001 and 2010 (N=9195), the present study uses Cox Proportional Hazards Regression analysis to examine personal and organizational factors that affect length of employment among child welfare workers. This study adds to the expanding body of research on factors that impact retention of child welfare workers, as few other studies have explored how personal and organizational factors influence caseworker length of employment. Understanding factors that may influence caseworker retention, and specifically length of employment, is an important next step in understanding the type of caseworkers that agencies should target when hiring, as well as the types of workplace interventions and strategies that should be implemented to help retain caseworkers and move toward achieving a more stable workforce. The findings of this study suggest that a mixture of personal and organizational factors influenced the length of time that child welfare workers remained with the agency. Of the variables evaluated in the models, gender, social work education, Title IV-E involvement, organizational support and job desirability were shown to significantly influence longevity with the agency.

Suggested Citation

  • Madden, Elissa E. & Scannapieco, Maria & Painter, Kirsten, 2014. "An examination of retention and length of employment among public child welfare workers," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 41(C), pages 37-44.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:cysrev:v:41:y:2014:i:c:p:37-44
    DOI: 10.1016/j.childyouth.2014.02.015
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Curry, Dale & McCarragher, Timothy & Dellmann-Jenkins, Mary, 2005. "Training, transfer, and turnover: Exploring the relationship among transfer of learning factors and staff retention in child welfare," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 27(8), pages 931-948, August.
    2. Chen, Szu-Yu & Scannapieco, Maria, 2010. "The influence of job satisfaction on child welfare worker's desire to stay: An examination of the interaction effect of self-efficacy and supportive supervision," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 32(4), pages 482-486, April.
    3. Ellett, Alberta J. & Ellis, Jacquelyn I. & Westbrook, Tonya M. & Dews, Denise', 2007. "A qualitative study of 369 child welfare professionals' perspectives about factors contributing to employee retention and turnover," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 29(2), pages 264-281, February.
    4. Scannapieco, Maria & Hegar, Rebecca L. & Connell-Carrick, Kelli, 2012. "Professionalization in public child welfare: Historical context and workplace outcomes for social workers and non-social workers," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 34(11), pages 2170-2178.
    5. Auerbach, Charles & McGowan, Brenda G. & Ausberger, Astraea & Strolin-Goltzman, Jessica & Schudrich, Wendy, 2010. "Differential factors influencing public and voluntary child welfare workers' intention to leave," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 32(10), pages 1396-1402, October.
    6. Shim, Miseung, 2010. "Factors influencing child welfare employee's turnover: Focusing on organizational culture and climate," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 32(6), pages 847-856, June.
    7. Yankeelov, Pamela A. & Barbee, Anita P. & Sullivan, Dana & Antle, Becky F., 2009. "Individual and organizational factors in job retention in Kentucky's child welfare agency," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 31(5), pages 547-554, May.
    8. Mor Barak, Michalle E. & Levin, Amy & Nissly, Jan A. & Lane, Christianne J., 2006. "Why do they leave? Modeling child welfare workers' turnover intentions," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 28(5), pages 548-577, May.
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    Cited by:

    1. Potter, Cathryn C. & Leake, Robin & Longworth-Reed, Laricia & Altschul, Inna & Rienks, Shauna, 2016. "Measuring organizational health in child welfare agencies," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 61(C), pages 31-39.
    2. Modderman, Corina & Threlkeld, Guinever & McPherson, Lynne, 2017. "Transnational social workers in statutory child welfare: A scoping review," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 81(C), pages 21-28.
    3. Miller, J. Jay & Donohue-Dioh, Jessica & Niu, Chunling & Shalash, Nada, 2018. "Exploring the self-care practices of child welfare workers: A research brief," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 84(C), pages 137-142.
    4. Kothari, Brianne H. & Chandler, Kelly D. & Waugh, Andrew & McElvaine, Kara K. & Jaramillo, Jamie & Lipscomb, Shannon, 2021. "Retention of child welfare caseworkers: The role of case severity and workplace resources," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 126(C).
    5. Miller, J. Jay & Niu, Chunling & Moody, Shannon, 2020. "Child welfare workers and peritraumatic distress: The impact of COVID-19," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 119(C).

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