Recruitment and Retention Challenges
American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) (1998)
Double Jeopardy: Caseworkers at Risk Helping At-Risk Kids: A Report on Working Conditions Facing Child Welfare Workers
http://www.afscme.org/pol-leg/djtc.htm
This survey of AFSCME members examined working conditions and caseloads, indicating that:
- Front-line workers are victims of violence;
- 60 percent of respondents' caseloads exceed standards set by the Child Welfare League of America (CWLA);
- Time in court and filling out paper work and documentation made demands of the heavy caseloads even more difficult;
- Training is inadequate and workers have little voice in sharing training; and
- Salaries are not commensurate with the job demands.
American Public Human Services Association (APHSA) (2001)
Report from Child Welfare Workforce Survey: State and County Data and Findings
www.aphsa.org/cwwsurvey.pdf
APHSA, CWLA, and the Alliance for Children and Families joined together in 2000 to survey public and private agencies in regard to recruitment and retention difficulties. The public agency data indicates that:
- Worker caseloads range from 10 to 110,
- States estimate 60 percent of turnover is preventable, and
- University partnerships are a useful but not sufficient strategy addressing recruitment and retention.
The study also indicates that states that require social workers in positions have: lower average vacancy rates; lower rates of turnover; lower rates of preventable turnover (except for supervisors); improvements in preventable turnovers in last three years; and higher salaries, by approximately $2,500.
Annie E. Casey Foundation Human Services Workforce Initiative (AECF) (2003)
The Unsolved Challenge of System Reform: The Condition of the Frontline Human Services Workforce
http://www.aecf.org/initiatives/hswi/
This is the first national effort to address the critical condition of the workforce that cares for American's most disadvantaged children and families. The initiative highlights the urgent need to recruit and retain workers who have the appropriate training and support to make crucial decisions that affect families.
General Accounting Office (GAO) (2003)
Child Welfare: HHS Could Play a Greater Role in Helping Child Welfare Agencies Recruit and Retain Staff
http://gaol.gov/new.items/d03357.pdf
This report, requested by Reps. Stark (D-CA) and Greenwood (R-PA), cites high caseloads and related administrative burdens, as well as lack of supervision and training, as affecting both the ability to carry-out child welfare tasks effectively and the decision to stay in child welfare work. The report includes a review of Child and Family Service Reviews; an intensive study of four states and 585 exit interviews; and an extensive review of the literature.
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