Workplace Well-being in Residential Youth Care: Strategies and Challenges

In residential care facilities, a key role is played in the care and support of sheltered children and adolescents. The demands of the job and the inherent responsibility can lead to professional discomfort and affect job satisfaction and, therefore, the quality of care offered. This study analyses the psychosocial factors in social education professionals working in residential care centres and the conditioning aspects of their well-being or discomfort at work. A mixed methodology has been used based on the FPSICO 4.1 questionnaire (INSST, 2022) applied to 164 professionals and semi-structured interviews (n=17). The research findings suggest that workload, ineffective leadership and lack of clarity about role performance are psychosocial determinants of work discomfort. In contrast, relationships and social support, autonomy and a good balance of psychological demands are determinants of well-being at work. Consequently, there is a need to promote professional well-being through mechanisms such as training, external supervision and positive life experiences that balance personal and professional sides.