“I was prepared for the worst I guess”: stayers’ and leavers’ perceptions of their Title IV-E education

ABSTRACT

Child welfare workforces across the nation are experiencing high turnover and have for decades. The chronic cost of turnover makes efforts to increase retention crucial. The Title IV-E education stipend program is one way that many states employ to improve their child welfare worker tenure. Through qualitative interviews, this study examines Title IV-E graduates’ experiences and perceptions of preparedness for working in child welfare agencies. Examining how the responses of stayers and leavers differ and assessing similarities collectively can inform educational and agency enhancements to improve services, as well as worker competence and retention.

KEYWORDS:

• Title IV-E
• social work education
• child welfare workforce
• retention
• qualitative

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Amy D. Benton

Amy D. Benton, PhD, LCSW, is an Associate Professor in the School of Social Work at Texas State University. She received her doctorate from the University of California, Berkeley, School of Social Welfare, and her MSSW from the University of Texas at Austin. Prior to getting her PhD, Dr. Benton worked for 7 years as a Program Director for a large non-profit organization. Her primary areas of interest are management and administration of child welfare and human service agencies, worker support, development and retention, and policy.

Michelle Iglesias

Michelle J. Iglesias, MSW, works with families transitioning through divorce and custody matters in Central Texas. She received her Masters of Social Work from Texas State University and her Bachelors of Arts in literature and sociolinguistics from the University of New Orleans. Her primary areas of interest are change management in social service organizations, LGBTQIA+ youth support in educational and social environments, and youth empowerment in leadership.