Views of Specially-trained Child Welfare Social Workers: A Qualitative Study of their Motivations, Perceptions, and Retention

This study explores the similarities and differences between those who choose to remain in public child welfare (stayers) and those who leave (leavers) in a sample of Title IV-E MSW graduates. Interview transcripts from a self-selected sample of 386 specially-trained, MSW-level child welfare workers were thematically coded to compare and contrast the motivations, perceptions and experiences of 304 stayers and 82 leavers over a 10-year data collection period. Results showed that dedication to children and families and social work values does not differ between stayers and leavers. Overall, respondents raised a central issue of disconnection between educational experiences and agency realities. While all participants acknowledged workload and stress as job challenges, stayers illustrated experiences that buffered job pressures, particularly encounters with supportive supervisors. Leavers tended not to experience these buffers, and expressed more difficulty in balancing their professional and personal lives.