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Exploring the Influence of Child Welfare Work on Workers’ Support Systems
PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR: Lisa Magruder, Ph.D., MSW
Florida Institute for Child Welfare
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PROJECT TEAM:
Ali Korber, Florida Institute for
Child Welfare
OVERVIEW
When applied to workers, a social ecological framework would suggest that there are reciprocal impacts between a workers’ professional and personal lives. Within the context of child welfare work, this relationship is readily apparent in the abundance of research examining work-life balance,36,37 including within Florida. Consistently among the FSPSF sample, workers experienced challenges with work and family life balance, with most noting that it would be challenging to begin or maintain a romantic relationship as well as raise children. Among workers who left their job within two years, 15 percent cited personal reasons, primarily a family relocation or lack of work-life balance.38
Research examining the impact of “frontline” work–primarily focused on law enforcement, healthcare, and emergency service work–suggests that job-related factors also impact those within the worker’s personal network, such as their families. Still, there is a lack of empirical literature that specifically explores how child welfare work influences a worker’s personal network. Despite much research on how child welfare work influences the worker, there is a lack of research that includes the perspectives of their personal networks— partners, children, friends. This is a significant gap given that many child welfare workers in the FSPSF sample reported relying on these personal networks for support.
To address this research gap, the researchers will conduct a qualitative study exploring the experiences of support networks of child welfare workers in Florida. Findings could inform a more comprehensive approach to workforce reform efforts by incorporating the experiences of those who support our child welfare workers in their everyday lives.
NEXT STEPS
The researchers compiled a literature review on existing research in this area and will develop a research study proposal in fall 2022, with an anticipated study start date of January 2023.
