Alberta J. Ellett, Ph. D. UGA School of Social Work Chad D. Ellett, Ph.D.

1. A Study of Personal and Organizational Factors Contributing to Employee Retention and Turnover in Child Welfare in Georgia Alberta J. Ellett, Ph. D. UGA School of Social Work Chad D. Ellett, Ph.D. CDE Research Associates, Inc. Presentation to Georgia Senate Child & Youth Study Committee

2. Turnover in Child Welfare • National rates are high, 20% (APHSA) • Georgia rate in 2000, 44% (DHR) As high as 100% in some counties • Title IV-E Agency/University Partnerships to help improve retention

3. Problems Created by Turnover • Interferes with continuity and quality of services to children and families and loss of federal dollars • Lost human and financial investments (up to $17,000) in education, training, expertise • Weakens professional organizational culture and morale • Places additional burden on remaining staff

4. Problems Created by Turnover cont. • 2 year lag time for new employees to dev. essential KSAs • High turnover breeds more turnover • Delays in replacing staff send negative messages to the clients, courts, public and staff

5. General Purpose of the Study The purpose of the study was to explore linkages between, and to identify factors contributing to, child welfare staffs’ intentions to remain employed or leave employment in child welfare.

6. Measures in the Statewide Survey • Intent to remain employed in child welfare • Extensive demographic information • Work morale • Human caring (about clients & child welfare) • Professional organizational culture • Self- & group efficacy beliefs • Self-efficacy expectations • Job satisfaction • Factors contributing to decisions to leave CW • Factors Contributing to decision to remain in CW

7. Study Findings • 198 total survey items (25-30 minutes) • Surveys to all child welfare employees N=2250) • Survey respondents (n=1423, 63.2%) • 60 focus group interviews in all state regions (n=385, 85%; 1200 person hours) • Largest known statewide study of retention and/or turnover in child welfare

8. Survey Findings • Those with social work degrees and IV-E were more inclined to remain employed in child welfare than those with other degrees • Only 20% of CW staff have degrees in SW (10% have HS or GED) • Many inexperienced workers and supervisors

9. Survey Findings (cont.) • Participants were most negative in their views of work morale and job satisfaction, and most positive in their assessments of HC, SE, and relationships with co-workers • The most important predictor of intent to remain in child welfare was professional commitment of the human caring measure • All groups identified compensation and career concerns as the most important factors contributing to their decisions to leave child welfare

10. Survey Findings (cont.) • High % of employees intend to leave CW employment within 5 years (36.3% and of those, 45.6% to retirement) • The demographics showed extreme differences in caseloads across workers • 80% of workers have caseloads that exceed CWLA standards

11. Interview Findings: Turnover Factors • Most county office child welfare employees work 50-60 hours per week • Many staff on call, which intrudes on personal life • No overtime pay • Few promotional opportunities • Most DFCS CW positions are unclassified • Annual evaluation process is problematic

12. Interview Findings:Turnover Factors (cont.) • Atmosphere of tension & fear related to legal liabilities • Problems with the courts, esp. with SAAGs • Employees don’t feel valued by agency or public • Inadequate client resources • Inadequate resources for employees (work and safety)

13. Interview Findings:Turnover Factors (cont.) • Too many oversight groups (Court, CASA, Citizen Review Panel, and Child Advocate) • Many new employees lack basic knowledge, skills, abilities, and dispositions for CW work • Many new employees overwhelmed by the complexity and gravity of the job • Lack of interest in and commitment to public child welfare

14. Interview Findings: Retention Factors • Staff benefits • Flex time permitted • Retirement benefits • Supportive administrators and supervisors • Variety of work, exciting and challenging • Important and meaningful work

15. The Importance of Social Work in Child Welfare • States that require social work degrees experience far lower turnover rates • Individuals with SW degrees (especially IV-E graduates) are better prepared than others for child welfare positions • Overall job performance of individuals with SW degrees (esp. IV-E grads) rated higher than staff with other degrees

16. The Importance of Social Work in Child Welfare (Cont.) • Individuals with SW degrees (esp. IV-E grads) have stronger intentions to remain employed in child welfare • SW graduates of IV-E programs in Kentucky have better outcomes with clients

17. Recommendations • State needs to fund DFCS child welfare to lower caseloads and supervisory ratio conforming to CWLA standards • DHR/DFCS needs to develop and implement a career ladder with competitive salaries (especially for MSWs) and professional qualifications

18. Recommendations (cont.) • State needs to expand existing IV-E university SW programs and increase #s of CW employees in MSW programs • State needs to develop BSW and MSW programs with state universities for underserved areas of the state beginning in the Macon area

19. Recommendations (cont.) • DHR/DFCS needs to develop a plan for CW supervisors and administrators to obtain the MSW degree and participate in professional development activities to develop leadership capacity statewide • DFCS needs to develop a professional growth system for employees based upon identified needs that includes accountability for learning

20. Recommendations (cont.) • DFCS needs to continue targeted recruitment of individuals with BSW and MSW degrees • DFCS needs to develop an improved research-based selection process • DFCS needs to develop a mentoring and support system for all new employees

21. Recommendations (cont.) • State needs to compensate staff for on call work or find alternatives to cover after hours work • State needs to eliminate multiple layers of CW oversight • State needs to allow DFCS to develop a performance evaluation system relevant to CW work

22. Recommendations (cont.) • State needs to replace SAAGS with an adequate number of attorneys hired by DFCS • State needs to provide additional resources for client transportation (shared autos) and safety (shared cell phones for home visits) • State needs to provide legal immunity from criminal and civil liability to DFCS CW employees performing their mandated duties and responsibilities

23. Who Stays, Who Leaves and Who Cares? • Those who stay care about clients and the profession and believes the organization cares about them

24. Savings May be Realized • More narrowly define abuse and neglect to expend resources on the most serious cases • Hire BSW/MSW graduates who have an interest in and commitment to child welfare • Reduction in turnover saves $10-17,000 per employee

25. Savings May be Realized • Improved selection & retention practices to professionalize the child welfare workforce should result in improved services to children and families • Except for the courts, funds expended on oversight groups could be used for additional caseworkers and supervisors who deliver direct services to clients

26. Final Thoughts The End! Finí! That’s All Folks!