“There Wasn’t Enough Time In the Day” Assessing Administrative Burdens Experienced by Parents in Florida’s Privatized Child Welfare System

Parents with children in the child welfare system face administrative burdens when seeking reunification, particularly in privatized systems where services are contracted to nonprofits. Using the administrative burden framework, this study analyzed three rounds of data from 30 parents in Florida’s privatized system. Interviews identified the burdens parents faced, and sequential surveys determined which were most common and their difficulty level. Findings show parents experience psychological costs, such as stigma and stress, affecting their willingness to comply with case plans. Compliance costs result from conflicting tasks and poor communication with professionals. Learning costs arise from information asymmetry. As a result, parents view the child welfare system as punitive rather than rehabilitative. Practical implications for nonprofit leadership in privatized settings are discussed.