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Kansas Child Welfare: Where You Can Make a Difference Realistic Job Preview and Resources to Reduce Turnover 36 th Annual Governor’s Conference for the Prevention of Child Abuse and Neglect October 15-17, 2012. Child Welfare Workforce Challenges in Kansas.
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Kansas Child Welfare: Where You Can Make a Difference Realistic Job Preview and Resources to Reduce Turnover 36th Annual Governor’s Conference for the Prevention of Child Abuse and Neglect October 15-17, 2012
Child Welfare Workforce Challenges in Kansas • Continuous social work vacancies • High turnover due to demanding and stressful nature of work • Impactof vacancies/turnover on families and workers who stay • Social work graduates often unprepared for child welfare work • Rural and frontier regions • Unique challenges of privatization • Competition for social workers
Realistic Job Preview(RJP) A recruitment strategy that provides job applicants with balanced information about the job to facilitate a better fit between the needs of applicants and demands of the workplace. (Graef, 2008)
Purpose of RJP • Provide applicants with accurate understanding of job and organization • Complex/difficult work • “Invisible positions” • Allows for informed decision making about seeking employment • Use as early in the process as possible • Increase job satisfaction and reduced turnover • High rates of early turnover
RJP Research Evidence Impact on Job Acceptance • Interested people become more interested and uninterested people become less interested. • “I would have never taken this job if I had a better understanding of what it was going to be like” • Did not view RJP = 20.5% strongly agreed • Viewed RJP = 2.9% strongly agreed (Cornerstones for Kids, 2007; Graef & Potter, 2002)
RJP Research Evidence Impact on Post-employment Job Satisfaction RJP viewers: • Showed significantly increased job knowledge • Lowered job expectations to meet actual job • More satisfied with job • 76.4% at least somewhat satisfied (compared to 62.8%) • Only 2.9% viewers not at all satisfied (compared to 15.5%) • More able to cope with job pressures • 76.3% agreed (compared to 59.8%) (Cornerstones for Kids, 2007; Graef & Potter, 2002; Premack & Wanous, 1985)
RJP Research Evidence Impact on Job Turnover • Michigan child welfare employees who saw the RJP had 1st year turnover rate of 6.2% compared to 21.6% turnover rate for those who did not. (Cornerstones for Kids, 2007)
Critical Components • Focus on key aspects of job • Balance positive and negative aspects • Focus on feelings not just tasks • Use actual staff as credible sources (Cornerstones for Kids, 2006)
Specific Jobs in Child Welffare • Intake and Investigation • Family Preservation • Kinship • Foster Care • Foster Family Support • Adoption
Frequently Asked Questions • I’ve heard the child welfare system in Kansas is privatized. What does that mean? . How much time will I spend on paperwork? • How often will I have to respond to crisis situations? • How closely do social workers work with the courts and legal professionals? • How do child welfare professionals maintain balance between work and personal lives?
Kansas Workforce Initiative ~A service of the Children’s Bureau University of Kansas School of Social Welfarewww.kwi.ku.edu