Perceptions of agency leadership and intent to stay: an examination of turnover in the child welfare workforce

ABSTRACT

Retention of the child welfare workforce is an ongoing challenge. In this study, we evaluate the association between child welfare workers’ perceptions of agency leadership and their intent to remain at their agencies. The sample included 119 frontline child welfare workers surveyed at three child welfare agencies in a large Northeastern city. Participants who viewed agency leadership more positively were more likely to intend to remain at their agencies than those who viewed it less positively (p = .008). Agency administrators looking to minimize turnover may benefit from engaging in clear and consistent communication with frontline workers and multi-level consensus building.

KEYWORDS:

• child welfare
• retention
• administration

Disclosure statement

The authors declare that there are no conflicts of interest.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Colleen C. Katz

Colleen C. Katz is an Assistant Professor at the Silberman School of Social Work, Hunter College. She is a child welfare practitioner and researcher, focusing on outcomes associated with the experience of parental maltreatment and foster care involvement. She is particularly interested in the mental health of youth who experience foster care emancipation and strategies for effective intervention. Dr. Katz has worked as a children’s psychotherapist in foster care and hospital settings.

Francie J. Julien-Chinn

Francie J. Julien-Chinn is an Assistant Professor at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa Myron B. Thompson School of Social Work. Dr. Julien-Chinn practiced in the field of child welfare. Her practice experience included supervision, management, and frontline field work. She obtained her BSW from Northern Arizona University, and her MSW, and Ph.D. at Arizona State University.

Eden Wall

Eden Wall, Ed. M., is a clinical MSW student at the Silberman School of Social Work with a background in child development and education. She is interested in working with children and families from a trauma-informed perspective.