Julie O'Donnell

A Longitudinal Study of Factors Influencing the Retention of Title IV-E Master's of Social Work Graduates in Public Child Welfare

This article investigates factors predicting the retention of 201 Title IV-E MSW graduates at a large, urban public child welfare agency in California over 2 years of employment. Using a discriminant function analysis, factors taken at the end of the first and second year of employment were used to predict whether these graduates left prior to or at the end of their commitment or stayed past their commitment. The most consistent predictor of whether MSWs stayed past their stipend commitment was organizational commitment. Other significant predictors varied by year and included burnout, working conditions, supervisor support, job satisfaction, role conflict and autonomy. Qualitative findings about the reasons why these graduates decided to remain or leave the agency are also presented.

Title IV‐E Programs: Preparing MSW Students for Public Child Welfare Practice

This article investigates the perceived quality and skill outcomes of Title IV‐E MSW training programs at four universities from the perspective of their graduates. It also sought to identify necessary program supports, expectations of graduates as they began child welfare employment, and pre‐employment factors related to retention. The vast majority of MSWs agreed that their education was high quality and prepared them well for child welfare practice. The skills rated highest were establishing client rapport, case management, the development of a professional identity, and time management and assessment skills. The most consistent pre‐employment predictors of whether they stayed past their stipend commitment period were their commitment to the public child welfare (PCW) agency and their commitment to child welfare practice. Implications for program design are discussed.

Consumer Perceptions of Family Resource Center Service Delivery Strategies

Family Resource Centers (FRCs) should be accessible to neighborhood residents and involve them in program design and implementation. However, few studies show whether service delivery methods affect the ability of FRCs to achieve their goals. This study explored 488 consumers’ perceptions of the importance of service delivery factors. Study participants answered questions about how the staff treated them, whether they had any language difficulties, and whether they liked the facility. Overall, FRC consumers were satisfied with service delivery factors, valuing “interpersonal ambience” over “tangible supports.” Results of the study suggest that service delivery plays an important role in FRC utilization. An FRC should involve residents in planning and providing activities to make the facility an important part of the community.