What makes a case difficult: Definitions from child welfare workers and implications for workload and caseload management

ABSTRACT

This study examines child welfare worker definitions of difficult cases and how definitions change over time. Seven waves of child welfare worker responses to survey questions asking what makes a case particularly difficult were collected over 3.5 years. Findings identified eight general difficult categories: case attributes, parent/caregiver issues, case tasks, children’s issues, uncooperative/non-compliant clients, communication/logistical issues, case type, and agency-related issues. Across waves, case attributes, parent/caregiver issues, and case tasks were cited most frequently. Frequencies for some categories (i.e. case attributes) changed over time. Implications for workload and caseload management are discussed.

KEYWORDS:

• child welfare
• workload
• caseload
• child protective services
• workforce
• difficult cases

Acknowledgments

The authors would like to acknowledge the coding assistance of Lisa Magruder and Carmella Miller.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Florida Institute for Child Welfare under Grant #037181.

Notes on contributors

Michael Henson

Dr. Michael Henson completed a joint Ph.D. in social work and anthropology from Wayne State University in 2021, and also holds a BA in anthropology and an MSW. Dr. Henson is currently a post-doctoral fellow at the Florida Institute for Child Welfare. Dr. Henson’s research focuses on workforce development issues in child welfare, with his dissertation examining social work training programs focused on child welfare. He has also worked on research outside of child welfare, including projects focusing on the Flint water crisis and chronic health conditions among older African Americans.

Michaé D. Cain

Michae’ Danielle Cain is a macro social worker and a native of Savanna la Mar, Westmoreland in Jamaica. She earned a BS in Social Work from the University of the West Indies, Mona in Jamaica. Upon her graduation, she worked at the University of Technology, Jamaica, as a Career Officer in the Career and Placement Unit before leaving for Tallahassee, Florida to continue her education. Ms. Cain attained her Master of Social Work (MSW) degree at Florida A&M University (FAMU). During her tenure at FAMU, Ms. Cain interned at FAMU Educational Talent Search program (TRIO) for approximately a year and a half where she assisted low income and potential first generational college students in Leon, Gadsden, and Jefferson Counties to be prepared for their college experience. Ms. Cain also served FAMU’s Social Work department and the MSW Program Director in the capacity of Research and Teaching Assistant. Upon earning her MSW, Ms. Cain worked as a counselor in the TRIO program focusing on Gadsden County students before moving on to Florida State University, where she is currently pursuing her doctorate degree in social work.

Dina J. Wilke

Dr. Dina Wilke is a Professor in the College of Social Work at Florida State University and a Faculty Affiliate with the Florida Institute for Child Welfare. Her research examines professional training and workforce development, with a focus on early career patterns of social workers and other human service workers. She is the Principal Investigator for the Florida Study of Professionals for Safe Families, a 5-year panel study of newly hired employees into child welfare workforce. This statewide study explores individual, organizational, and contextual influences on child welfare employee retention and turnover in an effort to design interventions targeted at workers' most vulnerable periods of departure.

Melissa Radey

Dr. Melissa Radey is a professor and Agnes Flaherty Stoops Professor in Child Welfare with the College of Social Work at Florida State University and is a faculty affiliate of the Florida Institute for Child Welfare. Her policy-driven research focuses on low-income families and understanding barriers to economic, social, and physical well-being. She examines disparities for those involved in public service delivery by 1.) investigating the role of informal and formal support systems in families’ survival and well-being, and, 2.) considering the demands and well-being of frontline workers who serve them.