Transcript Factors Influencing the Retention of Specially Educated Public Child Welfare Workers Nancy Dickinson, UNC Chapel Hill Robin Perry, Florida State University.

Factors Influencing the Retention
of Specially Educated Public
Child Welfare Workers
Nancy Dickinson, UNC Chapel Hill
Robin Perry, Florida State University
Purpose of the Study
To identify those factors most likely to
influence the retention in public child
welfare positions of MSW social workers
educated with Title IV-E support through
the California Social Work Education
Center.
Method
• Between 1996 and 1999, self-administered survey
instrument was mailed to every social worker who
received Title IV-E support through CalSWEC.
• Mailed to workers between 3 and 6 months
following completion of their work payback.
• In June 1999 368 participants were surveyed.
Survey Instrument
1.
•
•
•
•
Questions about CW work experiences:
Job roles & responsibilities
Size and demands of caseload
Breakdown of caseload by ethnicity
Perceived nature and level of supervisory
and social supports
• Likelihood of seeking other employment
Survey Instrument
2. Perceptions of Work Conditions
• Extent of burnout, as measured by MBI
• Level of stress associated with specific
duties or situations in child welfare
• Level of satisfaction with a variety of
employment related experiences
• Views on quality and efficacy of their work
Survey Instrument
3.
•
•
•
•
•
Personal Variables
Age, sex, ethnicity
Relationship status
Religious affiliation, political and
ideological affiliations
Socio-economic status while growing up
Time spent in non-work activities
Retention Rate
• June 1999, of 368 potential study subjects,
78% (n=287) remained employed in public
child welfare.
• 81 or 22% subjects were no longer working
in the public child welfare agency where
they completed their employment payback.
– 27 employed in another, non CW, setting
– 54 could not be located
Survey Subjects
• Of 368 social workers surveyed, 63.5% (n=235)
completed the survey instrument
– 88.5% (n=208) of these 235 respondents were still in
public CW job; 27 were not.
• 65 of the 235 were employed in a CW agency but
indicated plans to leave within the next year.
• Total of 143 (60.9%) remained and intended to
remain in CW.
• Total of 92 (39.1%) had left or intended to leave
Bi-Variate Analyses Results
•
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
No significant differences in:
Time spent in specific service areas
Percent time spent in administrative tasks
Perception of caseload size as being too high
Level or kind of support from nonwork sources
Average hours worked weekly
Demographic characteristics
Bi-Variate Analyses Results
• Significant differences in:
1. Salary, with leavers having $38,986 compared to
$41,764 on average.
2. Level of reported work-related support from
work peers and supervisors
3. Views on skills and characteristics of
supervisors.
4. Higher levels of satisfaction on the job in 9 of 22
practice & work environment conditions
5. Higher level of influence with clients
Reasons for Leaving
• Feeling burned out or over stressed
• Dissatisfaction with current job/work
environment
• Changes in career goals
• Availability of other jobs
Burnout and Stress
• No significant differences in the levels of
personal accomplishment and sense of
depersonalization. Levels not associated
with high levels of burnout.
• Significant differences in mean levels of
emotional exhaustion. Leavers experienced
levels related to high burnout.
Multiple Logistic Regression
Model
•
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Social workers who remained in public
child welfare positions:
Were less emotionally exhausted
Earned higher salaries
Spent less time on court related tasks
Had work peers who listened to workrelated problems
Received more support from supervisors