Resource Library - Retention

Retention:
Research and practice have long supported the notion that effective delivery of public and tribal child welfare services requires a competent, committed workforce. Staff turnover threatens to undermine the effectiveness of these systems, and has proven costly to families, children, and the system. Retention is connected to all areas of workforce development; however, these resources specifically explore burnout and turnover.

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TitleContentCategoriesTypeYear
Measuring Child Welfare Workers Physiological Stress: NCWWI 1-page SummaryThis study explores physiological stress among child welfare professionals before and after the removal of COVID-19 pandemic restrictions in June …, , , , , , , , , 2023
COVID-19 Lessons Learned for Child Welfare: NCWWI 1-page SummaryThis resource explores child welfare caseworkers’ perspectives on how organizational changes during the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic affected …, , , , , , , 2023
Championing the Role of Child Welfare ProfessionalsA brief summary of how some states are working with communities to create an organizational climate that champions social work …, , , , 2020
Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians’ journey to become a QIC-WD SiteA summary of the inception of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians (EBCI) Family Safety Program and the role of …, , ,
QIC-WD Workforce InterventionsThis video describes common challenges and the important role workers had in selecting a workforce intervention to test as part …, , , , , , , ,
Nebraska Is Building a Resilient WorkforceThe Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services’ Children and Family Services (CFS) partnered with the QIC-WD to strengthen its …, ,
Washington State is Using Telework to Strengthen the Child Welfare WorkforceThe Washington Department of Children, Youth and Families is implementing telework to strengthen their child welfare workforce. This video highlights …, , , , , ,
Building Resilience and Optimism – The Experience of a Nebraska Child and Family Services SpecialistIn this video, Gage Latscha, a Child and Family Services Specialist (CFSS) within the state of Nebraska, shares his personal …,
Louisiana: Redesigning the Child Welfare Worker JobThe Louisiana Department of Children and Family Services redesigned the child welfare worker job to strengthen their workforce and reduce …, , , , ,
An Overview of the QIC-WDThe Quality Improvement Center for Workforce Development (QIC-WD) is dedicated to understanding how to improve child welfare workforce outcomes., , , , ,
Connecting HR and Child Welfare DataChild welfare and human resources (HR) data need to be connected to answer important workforce questions. This video highlights some …, , , , ,
Virginia Case-Supportive TechnologyThe Virginia Department of Social Services and select local child welfare agencies implemented a case-supportive technology intervention to strengthen their …, , , , , ,
Impact of Secondary Traumatic Stress on the Child Welfare WorkforceThis video features child welfare workers and supervisors discussing how work-related secondary traumatic stress (STS) impacts them personally and professionally., , , ,
Coping with Secondary Traumatic StressThis video features child welfare workers and supervisors discussing the coping skills they use to address secondary traumatic stress (STS)., ,
Coach Ohio: A Supportive Supervision and Resiliency InterventionThe Ohio Department of Job and Family Services partnered with select counties to implement a supportive supervision and resiliency intervention. …, , , , , , ,
The Importance of Supporting SupervisorsSupervision is an important element of the child welfare workforce. Supervisors from across the QIC-WD sites discuss what they need …, , , ,
Standardized Competency-based Hiring ProcessThe Oklahoma Department of Human Services, worked with the QIC-WD to standardize their child welfare hiring practices. This video highlights …, , , ,
OnboardingThe Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians worked with the QIC-WD to develop an onboarding program. This video highlights the experience …, , , , , , , , ,
Realistic Job PreviewsAn overview of realistic job previews, their value, and how they work., , , , , 2020
Job EmbeddednessAn overview of job embeddedness, or the extent to which employees are connected to their jobs through a social web, …, , 2020
HumorAn overview of humor in the workplace., , , , , , 2020
Perceptions of Organizational PoliticsAn overview of perceptions of organizational politics, their value, and what contributes to them., , , , , 2020
Perceived Organizational SupportAn overview of perceived organizational support, or employee perceptions regarding the extent to which their employer values their contributions and …, , , , , 2020
Psychological SafetyAn overview of psychological safety in the workplace, its value, what contributes to it and how it can be increased., , , , , , 2020
Psychological CapitalAn overview of psychological capital including its’ four positive psychological resources—efficacy, optimism, hope, and resilience, the value of it and …, 2020
Job InvolvementAn overview of job involvement, or individual’s psychological identification with their job, its value, and what contributes to it., , 2020
MindfulnessAn overview of mindfulness, how it can be increased, and its impact on workplace outcomes., , 2020
Workforce Supports for LGBT EmployeesAn overview of organizational policies and practices that are thought to improve the work experiences of LGBT employees and foster …, , , , , 2020
Psychological Contract BreachAn overview of a psychological contract breach, its importance, and how it can be reduced., , , , , , , , 2020
Coworker InfluenceAn overview of how a coworker’s influence impacts a given employees’ workplace experience., , , 2020
ThrivingAn overview of thriving in the workplace and what contributes to it., , 2020
Organizational JusticeAn overview of organizational justice, otherwise known as the extent to which an organization treats people fairly., , , , , , , 2020
Occupational CommitmentAn overview of occupational commitment and what contributes to it., , , , , , 2020
Emotional LaborAn overview of emotional labor, the management of feelings to create a publicly observable facial and bodily display, and what …, , , , 2021
Union Commitment and ParticipationAn overview of union commitment and participation as well as what contributes to it and its impact on job satisfaction …, 2021
Public Service MotivationAn overview of public service motivation and what contributes to it., , , 2021
SleepAn overview of sleep and its impact on workplace outcomes., , , 2021
GratitudeAn overview of gratitude, how it can be increased, and gratitude interventions., , 2021
Organizational CynicismAn overview of organizational cynicism and what contributes to it., , , 2021
Abusive SupervisionAn overview of abusive supervision, what contributes to it, and ways to address it., , 2021
Cultural IntelligenceAn overview of cultural intelligence, the importance of it, and what contributes to it., , , , 2021
Organizational ConstraintsAn overview of work conditions that interfere with an employee’s motivation or ability to perform, otherwise known as work constraints, …, , , 2021
WorkloadAn overview of workload and how to improve it., , , 2021
Workplace OstracismAn overview of workplace ostracism and what contributes to it., , , , 2021
Workplace IncivilityAn overview of workplace incivility and ways to improve it., , , 2022
Diversity and Inclusion ClimatesAn overview of diversity and inclusion climates and how they can be improved., , , , 2022
CompensationAn overview of pay and pay satisfaction and its value as well as compensation-related intervention strategies., 2022
Political SkillAn overview of the ability to effectively understand others at work, and to use such knowledge to influence others to …, , , , , 2022
Leader Member ExchangeAn overview of the quality of the dyadic relationship formed between a leader and follower, otherwise known as leader member …, , , , 2022
Role StressAn overview of three types of role stress: role ambiguity, role conflict, and role overload., , , , , 2022
Work Family EnrichmentAn overview of work-family enrichment, work to family enrichment and family to work enrichment., , 2022
Work Family ConflictAn overview of work-family conflict, work interference with family, and family interference with work., , , 2022
Resiliency Resource GuideThis guide is intended for child welfare professionals implementing a workforce effort to address secondary traumatic stress (STS). This guide …, , , , 2021
Rethinking Child Welfare RecruitmentThis brief discusses the current workforce crisis and provides recommendations on ways child welfare programs can enhance their recruitment efforts., , , , , , , , , , , , , , 2022
Centering Child Welfare Worker Well-beingThis infographic describes how child welfare organizations can center child welfare worker well-being to better support children and families., , , , , , , , , , , , , 2022
Holding Retention Reviews: NCWWI 1-page SummaryThis product summarizes how leaders can use retention reviews to collect ideas on how to improve employees’ work experiences and …, , , , , , , 2022
How Hope and Resilience Can Lower Burnout Among Child Welfare Workers: NCWWI 1-page SummaryBurnout is a significant concern among child welfare professionals, leading to high turnover and reducing service quality. This document summarizes …, , , , , , , 2022
How Peer Support Can Reduce Burnout and Improve Worker Well-beingThis infographic describes how peer support can reduce burnout and improve worker well-being, including how organizations can champion peer support …, , , , , , , , , , , , 2022
Learning, Leading, Changing: Engaging Emerging Leaders as a Retention StrategyHeld on May 26, 2022, this learning exchange focused on how universities and agencies engage social work students and graduates …, , , , , , , 2022
Learning, Leading, Changing: Advancing Workplace EquityThis learning exchange, held on April 19, 2022, focused on how participants can advance workplace equity in child welfare. Panelists …, , , , , , , , , , 2022
Calculating TurnoverIn this video, Megan Paul, QIC-WD Workforce Team Lead, discusses how to calculate turnover in a child welfare agency., , , 2017
How Case Severity and Workplace Resources Impact Worker Retention: NCWWI 1-page SummaryThis document summarizes a study that used survey and administrative data from 485 Oregon Department of Human Services caseworkers to …, , , 2021
Preventing Early Departures Among the Child Welfare Workforce: NCWWI 1-page SummaryEarly caseworker departures can have far-reaching consequences for agencies, leaving families feeling uncertain and wasting hiring and training resources. This …, 2020
Recruitment and Retention of Child Welfare Workers in Longitudinal ResearchA longitudinal panel study that recruits workers at hire and follows them over time provides an opportunity to empirically examine …2017
Satisfactions and Stressors Experienced by Recently-hired Frontline Child Welfare WorkersMany child welfare workers choose their positions due to their interest and commitment in protecting children and derive a sense …2017
Staff Retention in Child and Family Services Workbook 6: Recruiting and Selecting the Right Staff in Child and Family ServicesThis workbook in the series provides information on promising practices and tools for recruiting and selecting front line staff; includes …2007
Minnesota Child Welfare Workforce Stabilization Study: Child Protection Summary ReportThis summary specifically focuses on the child protection workforce to better understand the state of Minnesota in order to develop …2016
Staff Retention in Child and Family Services Workbook 1: The Role of Leaders in Staff RetentionThe manual is a tool to enhance capacity for more effective child welfare recruitment, selection, training, and retention practice. The …2007
SMARRT Manual: Strategies Matrix Approach to Recruitment & Retention TechniquesThis manual is designed to enhance capacity for more effective child welfare recruitment, selection, training, and retention practice, by providing …2006