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Addressing secondary traumatic stress, burnout, resilience and turnover in the child welfare workforce: Results from a 6-month, cluster-randomized control trial of Resilience Alliance

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  • Orsi-Hunt, Rebecca
  • Harrison, Courtney L.
  • Rockwell, Kayla E.
  • Barbee, Anita P.

Abstract

US child welfare agencies have historically struggled with workforce retention and turnover. As part of the Quality Improvement Center for Workforce Development in Child Welfare, we tested an adaptation of the Resilience Alliance (RA) model in a large, midwestern state to address workplace stress, burnout and actual workforce turnover. RA is a 24-week, facilitated program designed to mitigate the impact of secondary traumatic stress among child welfare professionals, and to therefore increase job satisfaction, resilience and optimism and to decrease turnover, stress reactivity and burnout. Methods: Supervisory units of caseworkers and supervisors were randomized to the RA treatment condition (n = 192) or a control condition (no intervention; n = 183). Hypothesis: We hypothesized that participation in the RA adaptation would cause the workforce to experience lower levels of secondary traumatic stress (STS), burnout and intent to search for work or leave their current position. We hypothesized that RA would lead to higher reported levels of resilience and intent to stay. Furthermore, if hypothesized changes were observed due to participation in RA, then such participation would also lead to decreased actual workforce turnover over a 2.5-year period. Results: There were no statistically significant effects of the intervention on changes in STS, burnout or resilience between treatment and control groups over a 6-month period. Participation in RA did cause significant differences in 6-month changes for four turnover intention measures. Finally, RA had no statistically significant effect on turnover. Limitations and implications are described.

Suggested Citation

  • Orsi-Hunt, Rebecca & Harrison, Courtney L. & Rockwell, Kayla E. & Barbee, Anita P., 2023. "Addressing secondary traumatic stress, burnout, resilience and turnover in the child welfare workforce: Results from a 6-month, cluster-randomized control trial of Resilience Alliance," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 151(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:cysrev:v:151:y:2023:i:c:s0190740923002396
    DOI: 10.1016/j.childyouth.2023.107044
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Boyas, Javier F. & Wind, Leslie H. & Ruiz, Erika, 2013. "Organizational tenure among child welfare workers, burnout, stress, and intent to leave: Does employment-based social capital make a difference?," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 35(10), pages 1657-1669.
    2. Barbee, Anita P. & Antle, Becky, 2011. "Cost effectiveness of an integrated service delivery model as measured by worker retention," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 33(9), pages 1624-1629, September.
    3. Strolin-Goltzman, Jessica, 2010. "Improving turnover in public child welfare: Outcomes from an organizational intervention," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 32(10), pages 1388-1395, October.
    4. Edwards, Frank & Wildeman, Christopher, 2018. "Characteristics of the front-line child welfare workforce," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 89(C), pages 13-26.
    5. Williams, Nathaniel J. & Glisson, Charles, 2013. "Reducing turnover is not enough: The need for proficient organizational cultures to support positive youth outcomes in child welfare," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 35(11), pages 1871-1877.
    6. Kim, Hansung, 2011. "Job conditions, unmet expectations, and burnout in public child welfare workers: How different from other social workers?," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 33(2), pages 358-367, February.
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