The Party Isn't Over: The Agency Role in the Retention of Public Child Welfare Caseworkers

Nationwide, social services agencies continue to report difficulties in the retention of public child welfare caseworkers. As service demands placed on the child welfare system continue to increase, the need for an experienced and competent work force becomes imperative. Previous studies have identified the reasons for the high turnover rate among child welfare caseworkers. This article reports the findings of an exploratory study to identify factors that may influence some caseworkers to continue employment in public child welfare when so many others are leaving. From comprehensive focused interviews with 23 caseworkers, the following four factors of retention emerged: (1) mission, (2) goodness of fit, (3) supervision, and (4) investment. The importance of the relationship with the agency and the four factors in the retention of public child welfare caseworkers is discussed.