Workforce retention within child protection services : the perspective of social workers employed in this service

Abstract

Both domestic and international research show that a high social work turnover takes place in child protection social work due to various negative factors associated with high stress levels. International research exploring the factors for which child protection social workers decide to remain in child protection is also available, however, there is no such local research. This study aims to fill this lacuna through exploring the factors which impact child protection social workers in Malta in their decision to continue working in child protection. In order to achieve the established aim, a qualitative study was undertaken, whereby nine semi-structured interviews were conducted with social workers who have been working within child protection services for two or more years and have not requested a transfer yet. The data collected from these interviews was then analysed through thematic analysis. Similar to the literature, the general findings of this study propose that in Malta there are demographical, personal, and organisational factors that influence child protection social workers to remain employed in the area. These findings provide suggestions which the employing agency could consider when employing child protection social workers and ways to extend the retention period of these workers. Even though not exclusively, it is mainly the demographic factors that provide insights to the employing agency with regards to recruiting staff that would most likely remain employed for longer within child protection services. The demographic factors also show how even though the stress experienced in child protection is quite high, it is not something constant. Mainly, but not solely, it is the theme of professional perceptions that brings out the positive factors that motivate child protection social workers to remain employed in this area. Furthermore, there are also various organisational factors that contribute to the retention of these social workers, which the agency can continue to strengthen.