Retention Studies and Reports

These resources describe the challenge of workforce retention from a number of perspectives, speak to the need to address workforce issues, and suggest areas for further research. Retention strategies also are introduced.

Child and Family Services Improvement Act of 2006 (P.L. 109-288)
Major Federal Legislation Concerned With Child Protection, Child Welfare, and Adoption (2008)
Provides summary and major provisions of the Act, which amends part B of title IV of the Social Security Act to reauthorize the Promoting Safe and Stable Families (PSSF) program. The Act increases set-asides for Indian Tribes; reserves funds for States to develop activities designed to improve caseworker retention, recruitment, training, and ability to access the benefits of technology; and appropriates PSSF program funds for States to support monthly caseworker visits to children in foster care.

Child Welfare Workforce Development and Workplace Enhancement Institute : Knowledge Development and Application : Meeting Report

Factors Influencing Retention of Child Welfare Staff: A Systematic Review of Research: A Report From the Institute for the Advancement of Social Work Research (PDF - 963 KB)
Zlotnik, DePanfilis, Daining, & Lane (2005)
Reviews research and outcomes studies related to recruitment and retention in child welfare to determine effective recruitment and retention strategies that child welfare agencies can implement to address workforce issues. From the synthesis of results across studies, practitioners, researchers, educators, policymakers, and administrators in the child welfare field may use lessons learned to take steps to increase the retention of a competent child welfare workforce.

Improving Retention Among Public Child Welfare Workers: What Can We Learn From the Insights and Experiences of Committed Survivors?
Westbrook, Ellis, & Ellett
Administration in Social Work, 30(4), 2006
View Abstract
Expands the understanding of personal and organizational factors related to retention among public child welfare workers and supervisors from the personal experiences of highly competent, long-term employees, following the original terminology used by Ellett and Ellett (1997), we termed the committed survivors.

Job Retention in Child Welfare: Effects of Perceived Organizational Support, Supervisor Support, and Intrinsic Job Value
Smith
Children and Youth Services Review, 27(2), 2005
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Uses a social exchange framework to address child welfare job retention. Data collected from surveys of child welfare staff and staff retention information collected 15 to 17 months later were used to test hypotheses regarding the effects of extrinsic rewards, perceived organizational support, supervisor support, and intrinsic job value on job retention.

Job Turnover in Child Welfare and Juvenile Justice: The Voices of Former Frontline Workers (PDF - 602 KB)
National Council on Crime and Delinquency Cornerstones for Kids (2006)
Examines factors motivating human service workers to leave their jobs. The information reveals that organizational factors, as opposed to inherently stressful job responsibilities, have a major influence on child welfare and juvenile justice employee retention.

Keeping Public Child Welfare Workers on the Job
Weaver, Chang, Clark, & Rhee
Administration in Social Work, 31(2), 2007
View Abstract
Provides results of a longitudinal study developing predictors of turnover among newly hired public child welfare workers. Comparisons are made between predictors of intention to leave and predictors of actually leaving the job as alternative outcomes.

Major Federal Legislation Concerned With Child Protection, Child Welfare, and Adoption

Professional Social Workers in Child Welfare Work: Research Addressing the Recruitment and Retention Dilemma
National Association of Social Workers (2005)
Summarizes the findings of a number of studies that identify challenges to the recruitment and retention of social workers.

Report From the 2004 Child Welfare Workforce Survey: State Agency Findings (PDF - 891 KB)
American Public Human Services Association
Presents findings from the 2004 Child Welfare Workforce Survey, which contains information from 42 States about staff compensation, education and licensing, training and career development, caseloads, and turnover.

Retaining Competent Child Welfare Workers: Lessons From Research (PDF - 179 KB)
Zlotnik, DePanfilis, Daining, & Lane (2005)
Examines the conditions and strategies that influence the retention of staff in public child welfare. Through extensive literature searches and outreach to the academic and child welfare communities, 154 documents were located, dating from 1974 through May 2004, including journal articles, unpublished manuscripts, dissertations, in-press articles, agency reports, conference proceedings, newsletters, and books.

Retention of Child Welfare Caseworkers
Bernotavicz (2004)
Discusses the findings of a workgroup charged with assessing issues related to retention of caseworkers in Maine and making recommendations for action to Division of Human Services management. It reviews literature on staff turnover and gathers both quantitative and qualitative data.

Understanding Retention in Child Welfare: Suggestions for Further Research and Evaluation (PDF - 94 KB)
Zlotnik, DePanfilis, Daining, & Lane
Institute for the Advancement of Social Work Research (2005)
Researches retention in child welfare. The research brief identifies 25 studies over the past three decades that specifically address the conditions and factors that influence retention and the strategies that have been implemented to increase retention.

Workforce Recruitment and Retention in Child Welfare: A Review of the Literature (Word - 2854 KB)
Child Welfare League of America (2005)
Provides an overview of research examining factors related to recruitment, turnover, and retention of child welfare caseworkers, as well as implications drawn from the research findings, and is intended as a resource for county administrators and managers seeking to improve retention of service-delivery staff.

Updated on March 19, 2010