Learning, Negotiating, and Surviving in Child Welfare: Social Capitalization Among Recently Hired Workers

ABSTRACT

In the child welfare workplace, accessible relationships and support, although understudied, are vital to worker success. Using telephone interviews with a statewide sample of recently hired, frontline workers (N = 38), this study applied a social capital framework to consider support functionality or capitalization. Findings highlight that, although nearly all workers recognized the importance of instrumental and expressive support, many workers did not capitalize on support. Agencies may benefit from an atmosphere focused on collective interests rather than individual survival. Policy can promote supportive atmospheres through providing agencies with the ability and time to foster recently hired workers’ skills.

KEYWORDS:

• Social support
• child welfare workers
• child protection investigators
• case managers
• retention
• social capital
• capitalization

Acknowledgment

The research was supported in part by grants from the Florida Department of Children and Families and the Florida Institute of Child Welfare.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Melissa Radey

Melissa Radey, PhD, is an Associate Professor in the College of Social Work at Florida State University. Her work examines social support among vulnerable populations, including low-income families as well as stakeholders across the child welfare system. She uses both multilevel modeling and qualitative research to promote just policies and practices to enhance public and private safety nets.

Lisa Schelbe

Lisa Schelbe, PhD, is an Assistant Professor at Florida State University College of Social Work and a Faculty Affiliate at the Florida Institute for Child Welfare. She serves as co-Editor-in-Chief of Child and Adolescent Social Work Journal. Lisa received a Doris Duke Fellowship for the Promotion of Child Well-Being (2011-2013).

Carmella L. Spinelli

Carmella Spinelli, LMSW, is a doctoral candidate at Florida State University College of Social Work. As a licensed clinical social worker her research is influenced by practice experience. Her research interests include child welfare and mental health.