Preparing the child welfare workforce: Organizational commitment, identity, and desire to stay

Since 1995, Colorado has had a Title IV-E child welfare Stipend Program, most recently involving four universities in partnership with the Colorado Department of Human Services. A ten-year cohort study was conducted to understand program graduates' experiences with organizational commitment, the impact of stipends on child welfare professional identity and desire to remain in the child welfare field. The mixed methods evaluation involved 245 stipend graduates from 2006 to 2016 from Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) and Master of Social Work (MSW) programs and included an online survey and focus groups. Results indicate stipend graduates remained in the workforce beyond payback periods, felt prepared for the job, appreciated the skills and networks gained from their programs, and expressed gratitude for the financial assistance. Graduates identified workforce factors including peer support, supervisor support, and mobility in the agency as key retention sources for remaining in child welfare.