What does it mean for workers to be well?

30% of child welfare professionals today—those working in foster care agencies, group homes, child protective services, and more—will not be working in this system next year, according to Casey Family Programs. 

“As a program manager, that was one of the most frustrating realities of leading a team responsible for such important work: When we finally got new people hired and trained up, three or four months in, they decided to work in another industry. That impacts the morale of the entire organization,” explains Myca Jeter, CWEL’s Director of Pathways to Clinical Licensure & Coaching.

You know turnover is a significant issue. And you see that when the system doesn’t have enough competent workers (i.e. culturally responsive and anti-racist professionals), it’s the kids and families who suffer. 

So, let’s discuss why workers leave and how those who stay face burnout and stress. And, if workers’ well-being is a mirror that reflects on organizations (as we believe), let’s talk about building something better. 

Why workers leave: factors that harm workforce well-being

The following are reasons for turnover in child welfare:

• A lack of professional development opportunities. 
• Secondary traumatic stress from experiencing a high-stress environment without enough organizational support.  
• For Black, Indigenous, and Latinx professionals, an all-too-common experience of facing racism and being harmed at every level of the work. Some professionals of color, for example, have been questioned by the police while doing home visits.  
• Tribal child welfare workers face the added challenges of navigating multiple jurisdictions and acting as a shield for tribal sovereignty.

Why those who stay, suffer: Case Manager burnout

As Myca Jeter explains, when workers leave, it affects “the morale of the entire organization.” Plus, already busy teams must increase the number of children and families they work with, accelerating the path to burnout. 

Also, managers and supervisors may not always know how to manage the work  and their teams. Plus, many teams don’t have the space to build authentic connections and share the workload together. 

And for Black, Latinx, and Indigenous professionals, these challenges tend to be even greater. Racist, archaic practices have historically excluded people of color from decision-making roles despite the fact that the makeup of children in care is disproportionately Black, Indigenous, and Latinx. Add the complex experiences of moral injury and daily microaggressions, and people have plenty of reasons to feel burnt out and leave this workforce.

But we also know there are plenty of reasons to stay. We must work together to build a work culture that works for people.

Your call to action as a child welfare organization 

We believe these directives are essential to a thriving child welfare workforce:

• Design psychologically safe teams, where people can share unpopular ideas, own their mistakes, and show up as their authentic selves without fear of consequence.
• Support employees who experience secondary traumatic stress and limit factors that compound it. For example, implement boundaries on your team so there is limited disclosure of family experiences. Additionally, create a culture that encourages seeking professional help to build self-compassion and resiliency skills. Finally, encourage staff to take time off and unplug, and make sure there is an expectation that people can truly be off when they are out. 
• Build a more equitable workforce. In 2017, 70% of social workers were white. Meanwhile, 46% of children in care are Black, Indigenous, or Latinx. A diverse workforce is what will disrupt a system that perpetuates racial injustice on children and families. 
• As a supervisor, maintain strong relationships with your team. When you and a teammate experience a fracture, learn to embrace that as an opportunity to be vulnerable with one another and deepen connections. 
• Partner with us, the Center for Workforce Equity and Leadership, to receive tailored strategies in your jurisdiction that will help you retain professionals by centering their well-being.